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Alan Hankers

An award-winning composer, sound designer, and pianist writing music for television, film, video games, and concert halls. Alan’s music invites listeners to experience soundscapes of great depth and variety that draw on his diverse musical background.

Driven by a passion for sonic storytelling and collaboration, Alan regularly works with clients such as Mercedes-Benz, Google, and others. His work has received international acclaim, including Best Original Score from the Independent Shorts Awards for the animated short, 'Blue' [Preymaker, dr. Robert Petrie] and Best Musical Score from Idyllwild International Film Festival for the short film 'Color Blind' [Laconic Productions, dr. Shaun Mathis.] Other award-winning features include the animated short films, 'Star Dreaming’ [David Yurman, dr. Thurman Martin Jr.] and 'A Magical Menagerie' [David Yurman, dr. Lauren Indovina.]

His work is regularly featured on television, streaming services, in video games, and at festivals, including the Berlin Short Film Festival, Venice Shorts Festival, Sweden Film Awards, Canadian Shorts and International Film Festival, FilmQuest, Flickers’ Rhode Island Film Festival, London International Web & Shorts Film Festival, Idyllwild International Film Festival, the Independent Shorts Awards, and others. Alan is currently the Lead Music Composer and Sound Design for the upcoming video game, Heroes Suck (Dawning Light Studios). 

His concert music has been performed throughout the US, Europe, and Asia by ensembles such as the Pacific Chamber Orchestra (Dream American Fellowship, 2021), Ensemble Edge (Composer-in-Residence, 2017-2019), the South Carolina Philharmonic, and others. Upcoming projects include commissions by Ensemble Edge to be premiered in Denmark in 2023, and the Pelia String Quartet at the Great Lakes Festival in 2023. As a pianist/keyboardist, Alan has toured North America with several bands, and has been featured in Metal Hammer (UK) and Prog Magazine. He currently plays with the American progressive metal band JIA. As an ardent supporter of new music, Alan regularly commissions, performs, and records music by contemporary composers and artists. He was one of the founding members of the contemporary classical trio, Pathos Trio, and was the pianist on their debut album released by New Focus Records.

 

Alan currently teaches courses in composition, media scoring, and music theory as an Assistant Professor of Composition at West Virginia University. He has previously taught at Montclair State University and Stony Brook University (where he earned his Ph.D in 2021). He's also the Founder and CEO of Ethos Audio, a company focused on creating highly detailed and expressive virtual instrument libraries. Ethos Audio will release its first library, 'Spectral Cello,' in early 2023, and will be playable in Native Instrument's Kontakt Player.
 

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