Originally from Colombia, Juan Calderon has been a resident of New York City since 2008. His music blends classical, modern, and avant-garde elements. He draws from his experience as a recording and touring rock guitarist in Colombia and Miami, his studies of East Asian music, inspired by interaction with musicians and artists in China, Japan, and Indonesia, and his teaching practice. 
 He recently released the album “Preludes and Etudes for the Guitar.” His composition “Reino Incierto” has been performed at Carnegie Hall and the Sounds of the City Concert Series in New York. His Three Movements for Guitar Quartet is included on an album of prominent Colombian composers titled “Entre la huella y el grito.” His guitar sonata Schwarzfahren is being published by Cristiano Porqueddu for Edizioni Curci. Juan Calderon earned a master’s degree in Composition from the Manhattan School of Music. He has recently studied classical guitar with Mark Delpriora. His mentors include composers Susan Botti, Reiko Fueting, and electronic music pioneer Joel Chadabe. He earned a Bachelor of Music from the University of Florida, where he studied jazz guitar with Tom Lippincott and composition with Susan Epstein-Garcia. 
 Juan is also an avid cartoonist, collector of rare books, and long-distance runner.