Dr. Leslie J. Deutsch, is a Mathematics graduate of Caltech a recent retiree NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory where he worked to provide communications and navigation to spacecraft exploring the solar system and beyond. Les has published over 60 papers in the fields of communications, microelectronics, and spacecraft systems and was recently awarded the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal – the highest award NASA bestows. He also has been awarded more than 25 patents, mostly in electronic music.

In his other career, Les performs in jazz festivals and gives organ concerts. He is the cornetist and leader of the Night Blooming Jazzmen, one of the most popular professional Dixieland bands. He has also devoted considerable time to transcribing the works of American composer Raymond Scott – making these available to ensembles and scholars for the first time.

Though Les plays brass, woodwinds, percussion, and keyboard instruments, the organ is his main “axe.” Les has been the Caltech Organist since 1974. Les has composed many works for various jazz ensembles, chamber groups, choral groups, solo instruments, and organ.

Les has stayed involved in the technical end of the music industry. After helping his late father develop some of the world’s first commercial digital musical instruments, he now creates and modifies virtual instruments in software.