Steven van Betten
Steven Kai van Betten is a Guitarist/Composer/Teacher, who is actively involved in the Los Angeles creative music community. Born and raised in the rural town of Blue Diamond, Nevada, he began studying guitar and writing music at an early age. He has completed study at the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, The Banff Centre’s Jazz and Creative Music Residency, The School for Improv (SIM), and The California Institute of the Arts where he received a BFA in jazz guitar. In addition, he spent a month in Ghana apprenticing SK Kakraba, a master of the gyil - traditional african xylophone.
Steven currently composes, performs, and tours frequently with a wide variety of bands and ensembles spanning from intimate chamber folk music to polyrhythmic experimental rock. He has performed at prominent venues such as The Monterey Jazz Festival, The House of Blues, The Troubadour, The Echo, The Bootleg Theatre, REDCAT and Levitt Pavilion. He has had the opportunity to collaborate and compose for several different choreographers and film makers including Dave Wolter’s student academy award winning animation, “Eyrie”.
As a teacher, Steven’s goal is to have his students develop an enriching, enjoyable, and lifelong relationship with music.
