Matthew Van Brink, composer

Matthew Van Brink is an American composer and pianist currently living in New York City. He has studied composition with Bruce Adolphe at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, with David Dzubay, Samuel Adler and Don Freund at Indiana University (B.Mus 2000), and with John Harbison and Lukas Foss at Boston University (D.M.A. 2005). He studied piano with Jeremy Denk and Evelyn Brancart at Indiana University. As a performer, Van Brink is foremost a pianist, but he has also played accordion in opera, chamber ensemble and folk music groups. He has also conducted premiere performances of his own and his colleagues' compositions.

Van Brink's recent compositions include music for stage and film as well as chamber music for the concert setting. He recently composed music for two short children’s musicals, The Hidden Kingdom of Kindness and The Musical Comedy of Errors, on stories by Nanette DeWester, both commissioned by Concordia Conservatory. A 2003–2004 residency with Collage New Music in Boston resulted in a one-movement Sextet for the ensemble. Running at the Sunshine, a unique work for dance and spoken word, was written in collaboration with writer Jesse Jarnow and Boston University choreographer Judith Chaffee. Drawing on his extensive performance experience in the jazz genre, Van Brink composed a score for Patrick Ford's short film, Francine St Claire's Mail. Other recent commissions include the trio Control Room, commissioned and premiered by the New York Youth Symphony. Up, Up, and Up commissioned by FleetBoston Celebrity Series and premiered by violinist Stefan Jackiw and pianist David Deveau; and Dal Dosai, a flute sonata commissioned by Thomas Robertello and recently recorded on both Crystal Records and MSR Classics. Dal Dosai is published by Tenuto Press, a division of Presser Music. ASCAP awarded Dal Dosai, Up, Up and Up, and Sextet with Morton Gould Young Composer Awards in 2002, 2003 and 2005.

Van Brink makes his living performing, composing, and teaching. He is currently an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Music at Hofstra University, an instructor at Concordia Conservatory (Bronxville, NY), and an Associate Instructor of online classes at Boston University's School of Music.