Patrick Harlin

Ann Arbor

Patrick Harlin’s “aesthetics capture a sense of tradition and innovation…” (The New York Times). His music is permeated by classical, jazz, and electronic music traditions, all underpinned with a love and respect for the great outdoors. His works have been performed by the St. Louis Symphony, Kansas City Symphony, the Rochester and Calgary Philharmonic Orchestras, Collegium Cincinnati, and Calidore String Quartet, among others. Patrick was recently chosen as the inaugural composer in residence with the Lansing Symphony Orchestra (2019-2022). Patrick’s interdisciplinary research in soundscape ecology—a field that aims to better understand ecosystems through sound—has taken him to imperiled regions around the world, including the Amazon rainforest and the Book Cliffs of Utah. His baseline recordings for ecological impact studies are also the fodder for artistic inspiration. These pieces draw parallels between the sounds of the natural world and those of the concert hall, seeking to bring awareness to the importance of sound in our environment. Patrick’s work in this field has been supported by a Graham Sustainability Institute Doctoral Fellowship, Theodore Presser Award, and a University of Michigan Predoctoral Fellowship, resulting in an ongoing body of works called The Wilderness Anthology. Recent CD releases include American Rapture by the Rochester Philharmonic, My Time is Now featuring #tbt and the premiere recording using George Gershwin's Steinway piano, and River of Doubt with the Atlantic Classical Orchestra. Patrick holds a B.Mus from Western Washington University, and an M.M. and D.M.A. from the University of Michigan. He has studied with Alexei Girsh, Roger Briggs, Evan Chambers, Bright Sheng, and Michael Daugherty. He was raised in Seattle, Washington, and is currently an adjunct faculty member at the University of Michigan.