CARLOS ALOMAR
Guitarist, Educator, Innovator
With 32 international gold and platinum records, Carlos Alomar’s place in music history is secure—but his greatest pride lies in his role as an educator and mentor. For nearly two decades, Alomar devoted himself to Stevens Institute of Technology, shaping how young musicians approach sound, technology, and creativity.
Alomar’s journey at Stevens began as a producer, then as an adjunct guitar instructor, eventually serving as Director of the Music Instruction and Recital Program, before being named Distinguished Artist in Residence. His vision culminated in the creation of the Sound Synthesis Research Center (SSRC)—a pioneering space where music and technology converged.
At the SSRC, students learned not only to master their instruments, but to transform them—exploring MIDI guitar integration, electronic composition, alternative controllers, and synth programming. This hands-on, practical approach emphasized creation over abstraction, guiding students to “learn your instrument, then use it to create something real.”
One of Alomar’s proudest innovations was the Mini-MIDI-Magic Orchestra (MMMO)—a student-powered ensemble that fused digital guitars, synthesizers, vocal processors, and drum programming into a bold redefinition of the modern orchestra. It stood as proof that traditional musicianship and cutting-edge technology could not only coexist but thrive together.
Throughout his tenure, Alomar served under multiple Stevens presidents, interim presidents, deans, and program directors, in particular Dean Lisa Dolling, whose leadership and support honored him with an Honorary Bachelor of Arts degree. He also witnessed and celebrated the transformation of the College of Arts and Letters into the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, working most recently under Dean Kelland Thomas and Director Teresa Nakra.
While the Distinguished Artist in Residence position and SSRC have since been retired, Alomar speaks with deep gratitude for Stevens—his Alma Mater—for giving him the platform to share his passion for sound, synthesis, and education. His time there reflects not only an extraordinary career on stage with David Bowie, John Lennon, Mick Jagger, and countless others, but also a legacy of mentorship that lives on through the many students he guided.
Today, as Carlos Alomar prepares for the D.A.M. Trilogy – Back to Berlin Tour (November 2025), he does so carrying the spirit of Stevens with him: a place where his odyssey as a musician, educator, and innovator reached one of its proudest peaks.
The Sound Synthesis Research Center (SSRC) and its Mini-Midi-Magic Orchestra (2007-2025) at Stevens was founded and directed by Carlos Alomar, born from his years of exploration with David Bowie and Brian Eno. It became a place where music and technology walked hand in hand, where curiosity was encouraged, and where students discovered new ways to shape sound and imagination.
Though the SSRC has now closed its doors, its spirit lives on in the countless students who passed through, the music that was created, and the friendships that were forged. It was never just about machines or instruments—it was about people, and the belief that together we could listen differently, think differently, and create something new.
The SSRC may no longer exist as a place, but it endures as a legacy of creativity, collaboration, and heart.
Stevens College of Arts and Letters | The Sound Synthesis Research Center for the Performing Arts
View videos of Stevens academic version of the Mini Midi Magic Orchestra
