Photo by Christian Mcardle-Hankin
about
Ian Gottlieb is a Los Angeles-based composer and cellist who is deeply curious about the world and passionate about creating evocative music that explores the breadth of the human experience. Known for moving freely through many genres, Ian draws from a kaleidoscope of musical experiences: from playing classical and contemporary music at Yale School of Music and the Royal College of Music, to jamming samba in the streets of São Paulo on a Fulbright scholarship, to touring China with experimental rock band Invisible Anatomy. As a film composer, his original music has been featured on Netflix, Disney+, and MGM+, on productions including Chef’s Table and The Witcher. His concert works, written for everything from niche folk instruments to full orchestra, have been performed by Grammy-winning and nominated ensembles and artists including Palaver Strings, Sandbox Percussion, Hilary Summers, and Rhonda Rider, with support from The World Music Institute, New York State Council for the Arts, The Foundation for Contemporary Arts, and ASCAP. Ian co-leads cello ensemble Splntrd Wood, coming off their 2024 concert series featuring his new work, Theory of Change, a full-length album (releasing in 2025) that explores notions of change and flow with meditative, ethereal music that builds to ecstatic moments. A Los Angeles native, Ian grows food in his backyard, cooks nourishing meals, and disappears into the wilderness whenever he can — a pastime he considers vital to his creative process.