Rubén Darío Gómez
Latin American Conductor and Composer
Biography
Rubén Darío Gómez
Rubén Darío Gómez is a Colombian conductor and composer and the current director of bands at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (SIUE). At SIUE, he teaches conducting at the undergraduate and graduate levels, directs the Wind Symphony, and coordinates the Bi-State Honor Band Festival.
Born in Zapatoca, Colombia, Dr. Gómez received his Doctor of Musical Arts with an emphasis in Band Conducting and a secondary area in Composition from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, his Master of Music degree from Middle Tennessee State University, and his Bachelor of Music degree from the Universidad Industrial de Santander.
He has an extensive career as a conductor, composer, producer, pianist, and arranger. Before his current work in the United States, Rubén worked as a teacher at Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga and Universidad Industrial de Santander. He was also the founder and music director of the Corporación Cultural Mochila Cantora, where he served as the youth band's director, arranger, composer, and producer. His commitment to the band movement in his country has been evident. He served for several years as an advisor to the National Band Program of the Ministry of Culture, which allowed him to work closely with bands across the country in areas such as conducting, music theory, and beginning music.
His compositions have been performed and published in Colombia, Europe, and the United States, including at events such as the Chicago Midwest Clinic on two occasions. He has written works for internationally renowned artists such as Jeremy Wilson, Manuel Martínez and the Barcelona Clarinet Players, who have also included them in their recordings.
Some of his most important awards include: National Music Award in Composition (Colombia 2012), scholarship for Colombians studying abroad (2016), the student composer competition organized by Metropolitan Winds in Boston (2019), and the Hixon-Lied and F. Pace Woods scholarships awarded by the College of Arts at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
He has conducted bands and orchestras in Colombia, Brazil, Peru, and the United States and is currently co-director of the Edwardsville Municipal Band and music director of the St. Louis Wind Symphony. He also has an active schedule as a guest conductor both in the United States and Latin America.