MUSE • Musicians United for Social Equity

Biography

Hi! My name is Ian Yan, and I am a composer-storyteller and arranger from Hong Kong, based in New York City. I just graduated from Columbia University in the City of New York, where I was a double major in Music and English Literature.

I was the composer, music director, orchestrator, music producer and mixer for the 126th Annual Varsity Show (2020-21), a full length, student written musical satirising student life at Columbia. I am also a music director for the Columbia Musical Theatre Society and the Columbia Pops Orchestra; for the latter I have created numerous orchestral arrangements of cinematic music.

Most recently, my original musical Re-Orient, for which I wrote book, music, and lyrics, made it through to the final round of the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s NMTC (National Musical Theater Conference) 2022 Season.

I love all forms of musical storytelling, and work as a freelance composer for media such as film, TV, video games, dance, and podcasts. I am also a jazz pianist/keyboardist.

Lastly, as a proud member of the MUSE (Musicians United for Social Equity) One-on-One program, I have the privilege of being personally mentored by Tom Kitt (Next to Normal, Flying Over Sunset).