Upon completing his Ph.D. in music composition at Princeton University, Van Stiefel ventured into creating chamber music that combines the electric guitar with diverse instruments and computer-generated sounds. He also co-founded and performed with the Sap Dream Quartet, contributing significantly to the electric guitar's repertoire and visibility at prestigious events like the New York Guitar Festival and the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival. His musical explorations have yielded two albums under New Focus Recordings, along with contributions to the Mode and Innova labels. His innovative scores have been performed worldwide and are available through Da Vinci Publishing.
He has notably intertwined music with technology, leveraging his self-taught programming skills to develop interactive compositions for laptop ensembles, including works with and without electric guitar. His collaborations with the Princeton Laptop Orchestra (PLOrk) and presentations at various symposiums and TedX events underscore his commitment to pushing musical boundaries. His artistic curiosity extends beyond traditional musical instruments, embracing turntables, sound design, digital production, and spoken word, striving to create experiences that transcend conventional space and time.
Dr. Van Stiefel’s musical ingenuity has been recognized with awards and support from numerous esteemed institutions. Beyond his professional achievements, he is also passionate about drawing, painting, and animation, influenced by his mother's artistic pursuits. He views these visual arts as parallel to music in their capacity to document time in a unique dimension, offering audiences a novel lens through which to engage with his musical compositions.
