Cornell Avant-Garde Ensemble
During the seven years spent as a professional graphic designer, Taylan Cihan won an international guitar competition organized by Total Guitar Magazine. In 2001, awarded with a full scholarship, he proceeded with study in electric guitar performance at the Guitar Institute, in London. He received his bachelor’s degree in Jazz composition at Istanbul Bilgi University in 2006.After graduating as an honor student from Bilgi, he was accepted to the MA program in music at the University of Memphis, where he studied composition with Kamran Ince, and conducting with Kraig Alan Williams.
As an active composer and free improviser, he has competed in several venues. His projects consisted of environmental sound installations, live visuals, and audience interactive performances. His recent works centered on experimental approaches to various applications of live electronics combined with diverse acoustic mediums, as well as creating real-time compositions for acoustic instruments based on real-time analysis of natural events. He currently continues his education as a doctoral student at Cornell University, where he studies composition with Steven Stucky and Roberto Sierra, and electronic music and composition with Kevin Ernste.