Associate Professor & Director of Arts Production & Management
Education
Ph.D., Harvard University
M.A., University of California, San Diego
Bachelor of Music (BM or BMus), Ithaca College
Ian Power received his Ph.D. in Music Composition from Harvard University, his M.A. in Composition from the University of California, San Diego, and his B.M. in Composition from Ithaca College. He has been Director of Arts Production & Management at UBalt since 2017, and taught courses here as an adjunct since 2013, as well as teaching as an adjunct at the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University in Musicology and Music Theory, in musical composition at UMBC in 2014, and was a visiting lecturer in music at Harvard University in 2016. In 2018, Ian won the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Teaching Award.
Ian has three albums of his work: Diligence, out on Edition Wandelweiser Records (Germany) in June 2020; Maintenance Hums out on Carrier Records (Chicago) in September 2020; and Ave Maria: Variations on Theme by Giacinto Scelsi, out on Carrier in October 2023. In April 2023, his piece BYE BYE LOVE was premiered by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in Glasgow.
Ian’s music is inscrutable, warm, insistent, and performer-driven, and has been performed by ensembles and soloists in the US, UK, Germany, Denmark, and Israel. He performs his own work and others’ on piano, electric organ, and other instruments. He has performed in Baltimore at the Red Room, Wright Theater, EMP Collective, Copycat Building, Cork Factory, An die Musik!, MICA, War Memorial, Baltimore Theater Project, and house and underground venues. His writing on rhetoric in new music and reviews of CDs and performances are published in TEMPO, and he has lectured at the American Musicological Society, American Studies Association, and universities in the US, UK, and Turkey. Ian studied with Chaya Czernowin, Steven Takasugi, and John Luther Adams. He also performs traditional Turkish music on the oud.
Ian lives with his partner, son, and daughter in Pigtown, and spends time with family in Rochester, New York, Orange County, California, and Istanbul, Turkey.
Contemporary Music Politics, Contemporary Music Theory, Genre Analysis
Music History, Music Theory, Audio Production, Aesthetics, Art History, Art & Politics, Art & Policy, Postcolonial & Decolonial Aesthetics
Refereed Journal Articles
Power, I. (2022). Reflections on Teaching Composition for Confidence, Equity, and Community. TEMPO/Cambridge University Press. 76(302),
Other
Power, I. (2025). Before the worms get my body. Mark DeMull. 72.
Book Reviews
Power, I. (2024). Review: Zeynep Toraman, In a Dark House (Obscure & Terrible). TEMPO. 78(307),
Other
Power, I. (2023). Ave Maria: Variations on a Theme by Giacinto Scelsi. Carrier Records. 72.
Book Reviews
Power, I. (2022). Ofer Pelz, Trinite (New Focus). TEMPO, CUP. 76(299),
Power, I. (2021). First Performances: Afro-Modernism in Contemporary Music. TEMPO, CUP. 75(298),
Power, I. (2021). First Performances: Jürg Frey, String Quartet No. 4.. TEMPO, CUP. 75(298),
Other
Power, I. (2021). Interview with Ryoko Akama.. another timbre.
Book Reviews
Power, I. (2021). Review: Linda Buckley, From Ocean’s Floor (NMC). TEMPO. 75(296),
Power, I. (2021). Review: Lisa Streich, Augenlider (Kairos). TEMPO. 75(295),
Other
Power, I. (2020). Interview with Antoine Beuger. another timbre. 168.
Book Reviews
Power, I. (2020). Review: Alex Hills, Outside In (Carrier Records). TEMPO. 74(294),
Broadcast Media
Power, I. (2020). Maintenance Hums. 53.
Book Reviews
Power, I. (2020). Review: Adrián Demoč, Žiadba (Another Timbre), TEMPO, Vol. 74, No. 293, July.. TEMPO. 74(293),
Broadcast Media
Power, I. (2020). Diligence. Edition Wandelweiser Records. (2006),
Book Reviews
Power, I. (2020). Review: Wolfgang von Schweinitz, Klang (Louth Contemporary Music). TEMPO. 74(292), 96-97.
Power, I. (2020). Review: “First Performances: Ryoko Akama, Eva-Maria Houben.”. TEMPO. 74(292), 83-85.
Other
Power, I. (2020). Quaff.
Book Reviews
Power, I. (2020). Review: Cristian Alvear & Catherine Lamb, Point/Wave (Another Timbre). TEMPO. 74(291), 107-108.
Power, I. "Lecture on Composition," California Institute for the Arts, Valencia, CA. (2025).
Power, I. "Lecture on Theatricality and Performance," California Institute for the Arts, Valencia, CA. (2025).
Power, I. "Lecture on Composition," Pomona College, Claremont, CA. (2025).
Power, I. CAS Social Lunches, "Lecture on 'Ave Maria'," University of Baltimore, Baltimore, MD. (2024).
Power, I. "Lecture on Experimental Music," University of Baltimore CWPA MFA, (2024).
Power, I. "Lecture on my work," Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, Peabody Conservatory. (2023).
Power, I. Leeds University, Leeds, UK. (2023).
Power, I. "Presentation on my Work," University of Leeds, Leeds, UK. (2023).
Power, I. Music Theory Society of the Mid-Atlantic Annual Meeting, Music Theory Society of the Mid-Atlantic, Baltimore, MD. (2023).
Power, I. Teaching Composition: A Symposium on Composition Pedagogy, "Teaching Composition for Confidence, Equity, and Community," University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD. (2022).
Power, I. "Lecture on Composition," University of Idaho, Moscow, ID via Zoom. (2022).
Power, I. SCD Faculty Forum, "My work for electronic performer Bonnie Jones," University of Baltimore, University of Baltimore. (2022).
Power, I. Teaching Composition in the 21st Century, LITE Fellowship Project, "Reflections on Composing and Teaching Composition, for Confidence, Equity, and Community," Leeds University, Zoom. (2021).
Power, I. Experimental Listening & Music Sessions 5, "Recent work," Online. (2021).
Power, I. Graduate Composition Seminar, "My String Quartet 'Brace Each Other Dive'," Stanford University, Zoom. (2021).
Power, I. Art & Ethics Week, "Is Art Activism?," Hoffberger Center for Professional Ethics, University of Baltimore, Wright Theater, Baltimore. (2020).
Power, Ian , "YGCAS Travel Funding" Sponsored by YGCAS, The University of Baltimore, $2000. (2023).
Power, Ian , "YGCAS Travel Fund" Sponsored by YGCAS, The University of Baltimore, $1000. (2022).
Power, Ian , "KFSCD Writing Retreat" Sponsored by KFSCD, The University of Baltimore, $1000. (2021).
Power, Ian (Principal), "KFSCD Faculty Awards" Sponsored by KFSCD, The University of Baltimore, $2797. (2020).
TEMPO Review of Ave Maria: 2025 “Review: Ian Power, Ave Maria. Rainwater. Carrier Records, 072.”
TEMPO, Alex Huddleston, Vol. 75, Issue 296, January.
“This is extraordinarily well-crafted and well-composed music - without a doubt the best music I’ve yet reviewed for TEMPO. . . the music presents a shockingly powerful image in the epilogue: the struggle of doubt and penitence. It is a deeply human feeling of powerlessness over the fates and fortunes of one’s life, and a desperate pleading for mercy.” (2025).
Percorsi Musicali Review of Ave Maria: https://www.percorsimusicali.eu/2024/01/19/ian-power-ave-maria-variations-on-a-theme-by-giacinto-scelsi/
Link Broken but PDFs available.
“The dynamic power and the very slow pulsation are the pillars of Variation III while in Variation IV we witness the return of the voice surrounded by a harmonic rhythmic gait that recalls the song. The Interlude follows where the protagonism of the noise flows onto the tonic pedal of Variation IV (cont'd). The album ends with Epilogue marked by the single repeated note in perfect resonance with Scelsi's poetics.” (2024).
BBC Radio 3 New Music Show: “Tectonics Glasgow 2/2”: Interview and broadcast of BYE BYE LOVE for orchestra
Kate Molleson, May 13.
<https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001lnsf> (2023).
Truth in This Art Podcast: Rob Lee interviewed me for his podcast on Baltimore artists. <https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/episodes/ian-power> (2022).
91.7 WHUS: Piece BUOY featured on program "Pushing the Envelope."
<https://spinitron.com/WHUS/show/6672/Pushing-the-Envelope?page=1> (2022).
Boring Like a Drill: Review of my two albums by Ben Harper on his review site. <http://www.cookylamoo.com/boringlikeadrill/2022/08/block-rockin-summer-slam-part-1.html> (2022).
WHUS 91.7 UCONN: Piece for *current* resonance featured on program "Pushing the Envelope." (2022).
The Sting: A review of a concert by my Group "Trioud" at UBalt in March 2022. (2022).
The Squid's Ear: Brian Olewnick reviews my album, "Maintenance Hums." " “Sometimes frustrating, sometimes ingratiating, always repaying repeated listens with new facets. Eager to hear more from Power.” (2021).
TEMPO: Evan Johnson gives a positive review of my two 2020 CDs, 'Diligence,' and 'Maintenance Hums.' http://bit.ly/TEMPOPowerReview (2021).
BmoreArt: Rebekah Kirkman features my 2020 CD 'Maintenance Hums' in a wrapup of Baltimore music released during the pandemic. https://bmoreart.com/2021/03/pandemic-sounds-12-baltimore-albums-released-since-the-start-of-quarantine.html (2021).
A kind of best of 2020: simple overviews: Maintenance Hums makes Percorsi Musicali's best of the year: https://bit.ly/32Oq6g6 (2020).
Vital Weekly: Vital Weekly gives a positive review of my CD 'Diligence.' http://vitalweekly.net/1253.html (2020).
91.1/107.1 FM Portland, Or.: The show Double Bummer plays my piece 'for current resonance.' https://xray.fm/broadcasts/36105 (2020).
Percorsi Musicali: Ettore Garzia gives a positive review and interview of me for my 2020 CD 'Maintenance Hums.' https://bit.ly/32gr4lO (2020).
Vital Weekly: Frans de Waard gives a positive review to my 2020 CD 'Maintenance Hums.' http://www.vitalweekly.net/1247.html (2020).
Dusted Magazine: Marc Medwin of Dusted Magazine gives a positive review to my 2020 CD 'Diligence.' https://bit.ly/32dnDgp (2020).
"The New Musical Imaginary" (On-Going)
Adapting conference paper for publication