Peter Gena, born in 1947, is an accomplished American composer, pianist, installation artist, and educator. He holds the title of Professor Emeritus at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, a position he has maintained since 1983, where he has taught various subjects including electronic and computer music, music history, programming, and interdisciplinary courses. His academic journey in composition was guided by notable instructors Lejaren Hiller and Morton Feldman, culminating in the attainment of his B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

In the early 1970s, while still a graduate student at SUNY Buffalo, Gena began his teaching career, taking on the role of Director of the Electronic Music Studio at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario. He later served as a lecturer and Director of the Electronic Music Studio at California State University in Fresno. From 1976 to 1983, he was an Assistant Professor in Music Theory and Composition at Northwestern University, where he co-directed the Computer Music Studio.

For over 47 years, Gena has resided in Chicago, where he has produced, directed, and performed in numerous events, including NEMO '96, the New Music America festival in Chicago, and the International Computer Music Conference at Northwestern University in 1978. Additionally, he was the program director for the International Symposium of Electronic Arts in 1997 and served as the artistic director for the New European Music Overseas Festival from 1995 to 1996. In 1980, he co-founded the short-lived radical performing group Chicago Interarts Ministry alongside Phil Winsor and Kyle Gann.

Gena's compositional style blends electronic and computer-generated techniques with minimalist instrumental works. He collaborated with geneticist Charles Strom, PhD, MD, to explore the use of DNA sequences as a foundation for musical compositions. As a pianist, he frequently interprets works by John Cage, in addition to his own compositions.

His works have been showcased across various media in the United States, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Notable venues and events featuring his compositions include the Festival d'Automne in 2004, the Berkeley Art Museum in 2003, Brisbane Powerhouse, the Ars Electronica Center in 1999, Festival Aspekte in 1997, the Akademie der Künste in Berlin, the Museu Da Imagem E Do Som in São Paulo, Merkin Hall in New York, and the New Music America festivals in 1981-82 and 1990.

Throughout his career, Gena has received grants and awards from several prestigious organizations, including the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer, the Internationale Ferienkurse für Neue Musik in Darmstadt, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Northwestern University, CSU Fresno, and SUNY at Buffalo. He was also honored with the rank of Chevalier Dans l'Ordre des Palmes Académiques by the French government.