Ian Blegen is a horn performer, arranger, and teacher based in Greensboro, NC. Since arriving at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro to begin his pursuit of a BM degree in Performance, Ian has performed with several ensembles within the university, including the Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, Opera Orchestra, and Horn Choir. His time with these ensembles has led to domestic performances in North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and New York, as well as a European tour encompassing concerts in the Czech Republic, Austria, and Italy. Ian was a member of the pit orchestra for UNCG’s American Prize winning 2018 production of Mozart’s die Zauberflöte and was featured on the Wind Ensemble’s 2015 recording of John Mackey’s Drum Music. Ian’s performance experience extends well beyond the realm of collegiate playing. He has performed with the North Carolina Opera, the Greensboro Opera, Steve Haines and the Third Floor Orchestra, the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, and the Durham Symphony Orchestra, for which he currently holds the second horn position.

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Ian began arranging music in high school, starting by writing out chorales to be used as marching band warm ups. When his first arrangements weren’t used for their original purpose however, he began arranging for horn quartet instead. He would then often record these smaller arrangements in a multi-track format, a hobby that nourished his love of writing music. Once he started college, Ian moved from quartets to full horn choir arrangements, several of which have been played by the UNCG Horn Choir, including his first original piece, entitled Stress Fracture and premiered in October 2019.

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Ian’s non-music hobbies include watching football (namely the Pittsburgh Steelers,) all things Star Wars, SCUBA diving, and aviation. He intends to go on to become a career pilot after finishing his current degree in addition to playing and recording horn part time.