Rolando Gómez, composition (Miami, FL), started composing in high school to make music for video games, and later taught himself classical composition using online resources such as YouTube videos to learn more about the craft, and drew from his Cuban roots for inspiration. In 2017, he participated in the National Young Composers Challenge and after becoming a finalist, decided to turn this hobby into a career. He is currently a student at Oberlin Conservatory studying music composition with Jesse Jones, Elizabeth Ogonek, and Stephen Hartke. He is also minoring in TIMARA (Technology in Media and Related Arts).