Ken Steen

Education

MFA, Bard College

BM, The Hartt School, University of Hartford

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Ken Steen's music and sound art is recognized internationally for its authentic vitality, remarkable range and distinctive personal vision. Whether acoustic, electronic or some multimedia combination, his work is often characterized as being seductively gorgeous, featuring sumptuous textures of gradual yet unpredictable evolution. In the last 5 years Steen's work in various forms have enjoyed more than 100 performances on 5 continents: from Mumbai to Tripoli, Paris, Reykjavík, Buenos Aires and New York City.

He has received residencies, fellowships and/or commissions from the following: Visby International Centre for Composers, Visby, Sweden (2016), Hartford Independent Chamber Orchestra (HICO) Audience Choice Commission (2014), Gullkistan: center for creativity, Laugarvatn, Iceland (2013), Centre d-Art Marney Art Center (CAMAC), Marney-sur-Seine, France (2012), American Composers Forum Encore Grant (2010), The Artist's Enclave at I-Park (2009 & 2004), MacDowell Colony, Peterborough, NH (2006), the American Composers Forum Continental Harmony Encore Project (2005), and the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism (2005 & 1996).

Invitations to give masterclasses or lectures include: Iceland Academy of Arts (2015), National Association for Music Education (NAfME) Young Composer Forum (2013, 2015), University of Maribor, Slovenia (2012), International School of Luxembourg (2012), Humanities Center Lecture Series (U of H-2012), Trinity College (Hartford-2010), Connecticut Film Festival (2010), Wesleyan University/Ives Vocal Marathon (2009), AXIOM Center for New and Experimental Media (2009).

Professor Steen also directs Studio D: the electronic sound/noise/music composition studio at Hartt, and is instructor and artistic advisor to the Young Composers Project in the Hartt Community Division.