Artist Biography:
Tony Gennaro is a percussionist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, improvisor, and music educator who embraces collaboration, exploration, and experimentation in pursuit of new musical frontiers.
He has been an active contributor to the music communities of Los Angeles and the Bay Area. Gennaro has participated in major performances spanning genres of classical, jazz, rock, free-improvisation, experimental, and world musics. His artistic practice is comprised of a balanced mix of live performance, recording, composition, improvisation, and music education.
In addition to his current creative projects, Gennaro is an active member of the William Winant Percussion Group and the new music ensemble Dirt and Copper. He has been recently featured in projects by Larry Polanksy, Roscoe Mitchell, Meredith Monk, Steed Cowart, Wendy Reid, Herman Kolgen, David Behrman, and Nicole Mitchell.
Music Education:
Gennaro holds a passion for music education and artistic pedagogy. Gennaro works to facilitate the evolution of music curriculum in the hopes of better representing our increasingly interconnected musical world.
He maintains an active teaching schedule as a music director, leading a wide variety of ensembles consisting of strings, brass, woodwinds, and percussion instrumentalists within public schools and non-profit organizations. Gennaro has served as music director at Van Nuys High School Performing Arts Magnet as well as Encinal Jr/Sr High School. He has worked as an instrumental coach, music director, and curriculum advisor for music non-profits such as Harmony Project, CalArts Community Arts Partnership (CAP), and the Bay Area Music Project (BAMP).
Personal Education & Study:
Bachelor of Fine Arts: Multi-Focus Percussion (2013)
Minor in Social Sciences
California Institute of the Arts | Valencia, CA
Master of Fine Arts: Chamber Music Performance and Literature (2019)
Mills College | Oakland, CA
Single-Subject Teaching Credential Program (2014)
California State University Northridge | Northridge, CA
Holds a California Single-Subject Teaching Credential
(Cleared 2017)