I teach topics in the audio arts across composition, music technology, and interdisciplinary arts, with experience designing and leading courses at Princeton University and at the University of Calgary. My teaching spans everything from aural skills and tonal harmony to audio electronics, physical computing, and contemporary composition practices. I’ve worked with students at undergraduate and graduate levels through lectures, labs, makerspace based courses, and one on one mentorship. Across these settings, I’ve helped students develop new chamber works, electroacoustic pieces, interactive installations, and custom instruments, and have supported them as they developed both technical fluency and creative confidence. I create flexible, curious, inclusive learning environments where students feel supported in taking risks, experimenting with unfamiliar tools, and developing their own artistic voices.

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Courses

Handmade Sound Practices
synthesis, audio coding, physical computing, acoustics, electronics, hardware design
Transformations in Engineering and the Arts

synthesis, audio coding, physical computing, acoustics, electronics, hardware design

Composition Inotated composition, orchestration, electroacoustics

Musicianship Iear training, rhythm, dictation, harmony

Musical Instruments, Sound, Perception, and Creativity
acoustics, psychoacoustics, instrument design, experimental music

Computer and Electronic Music Composition
recording, production, synthesis, composition

Music Theory Through Performance and Composition
tonal harmony, music theory, composition

Computer and Electronic Music through Programming, Performance, and Composition
audio and visual coding in Max/MSP and ChucK

Associate Director of the Princeton Laptop Orchestra
laptop performance, project development, rehearsals

Introduction to Composition/Composers’ Seminar
notated composition, recitals, experimental music

Music Theory 1-4
tonal harmony, counterpoint

Musicianship 1-4
sight singing, keyboard, dictation

Individual Composition and Electronic Music Lessons notated composition, songwriting, arrangement, modular synthesis, production, film scoring


Teaching Reviews


I’m proud of the teaching work that I’ve undertaken at Princeton University and the University of Calgary. Below are some of the anonymous comments I’ve particularly appreciated.

“Liam in particular was an amazing presence in this course – I learned so much from him and felt he was super approachable and invested in our success.”

“Liam was so incredibly helpful and so approachable! I always loved just chatting with him, and if you ever asked him a question he didn’t know, he would go out of his way to find a solution.”

“The thing that made this class was Liam – an amazing, wonderful preceptor who cared about us as students and people.”

“Liam is such an amazing preceptor. He made sure we understood the material, kept the precept engaged every week, and showed us great examples on every topic.”

“He was extremely kind, deeply cared about our learning process, and was a generally great person. He went the extra mile to make sure we understood the concepts.”

“Liam is a great person who is genuinely curious about everything and will try to answer any question you have. If he doesn’t know the answer then he will get back to you the next precept with an answer. Love the dedication!”

“Liam was AMAZING. He is really knowledgeable and helpful. If there was confusion about the lab, he always answered our questions and gave us advice on how to tackle the problems. He came to lab every day with lots of energy and excitement that definitely motivated me and my peers. Liam was the ideal lab leader/preceptor when he filled in for [another preceptor] and I hope to have teachers like him in the future.”

“I just wanted to shout out my composition teacher and friend Liam Elliot! As well as being a phenomenal composer, sound sculptor, musical landscape painter, instrument inventor, and more, Liam is also an incredibly self-giving teacher and mentor. I’m especially indebted to him for his help in conceiving the piece of mine that Sinfonia just premiered, but, throughout my time at Princeton so far, our lessons have always been crucial moments in my compositional process, his thoughtful comments directing me in ways that I can never anticipate, and helping me to unlock my voice. He has always gone above and beyond to help me achieve my vision – recording performances of my pieces, and giving me access to resources without which I couldn’t produce any of my work … Without him, in fact, the upcoming [band] record would’ve been impossible to complete!