Van Stiefel

Van Stiefel’s involvement with the Atlanta Boy Choir introduced him to the intricacies of classical music, an experience that was further enhanced by tours across England, Italy, and the United States. His pursuit of classical guitar mastery continued at Maple Street Guitars in Atlanta, paving the way for his academic achievements at Yale College, where he was honored with the Cox Prize for Music Composition. This was followed by a Masters in Guitar Performance from the Yale School of Music and a Certificate in Advanced Musical Studies from the Banff Centre, where he was recognized as the Andre Segovia Memorial Fellow.

With a Ph.D. in music composition from Princeton University under his belt, he ventured into the realm of chamber music, focusing on compositions that integrate the electric guitar with a variety of instruments and computer-generated sounds. His innovative spirit led to the formation of the experimental electric guitar quartet, the Sap Dream Quartet, through which he has significantly contributed to the electric guitar's repertoire, evidenced by performances at prestigious music festivals. His discography includes releases on New Focus Recordings, as well as contributions to the Mode and Innova labels. Stiefel's scores, which have been performed internationally, are a testament to his global influence and are published by Da Vinci Publishing.