Born in Sacramento, Kentucky, in 1941, Gérard PLAIN spent most of his musical training studying with Leslie Bassett and Rose Lee Finney at the University of Michigan. He continued his studies at the Faculty of Music at De Paul University in Chicago, at the Chicago Musical College, and, briefly, at the Eastman School of Music.

In 1974, Gerard PLAIN received the Rome Prize Fellowship and the 4th Prize at the Bourges Electroacoustic Music Competition.

Over the next two years, his work "And Left Ol' Joe a Bone, AMAZING!" won awards in several competitions.

In 1980, he received the “Prix de Composition Musicale” de la Fondation Prince Pierre de Monaco, for his Concerto de Violon, which he later reworked to make his Capriccio for violin and orchestra.