Biography

Matthew Shlomowitz (b. 1975) is a London based composer, raised in Adelaide, Australia. Many of his works are grouped into series: Letter Pieces are open score works combining physical action and music; pieces in Popular Contexts combine recognisable recordings with instrumental music; performance-lecture works addressing aesthetic issues, such as Lecture About Bad Music; and a new series titled Explorations in Polytonality and other Musical Wonders. For 2023, Matthew has worked on two co-authored projects: Minor Characters, a one-hour show with composer/singer Jennifer Walshe for Ensemble Nikel; and 6 Scenes for Turntables and Orchestra with composer/turntablist Mariam Rezaei.

: Popular Contexts 2 performed by Mark Knoop at Ukho, Kyiv, Ukraine, September 2016.

Other works include Glücklich, Glücklich, Freude, Freude written for keyboardist Mark Knoop and the SWR Symphonieorchester (2019 Donaueschinger Musiktage), and Graveyard Slot (with guest appearance) for Ensemble Nikel. In 2017, a production of his opera Electric Dreams (directed by Philipp M. Krenn) was staged by Kunstuniversität Graz in cooperation with ORF Musikprotokoll, as winner of the Johann Joseph Fux Opera Composition; in 2023 a second production (directed by Sara Ostertag) was mounted by Grand Théâtre de Genève in cooperation with Ensemble Contrechamps. The Norwegian Ensemble asamasimasa released a CD of his works on the all that dust label.

Matthew teaches at University of Southampton, and has additionally taught on the Tzlil Meudcan Summer Course, Ensemble Offspring Hatched Academy, Luxembourg Composition Academy, Klangspuren Composer Lab and Darmstadt Summer Courses. He periodically writes articles; co-directs the new music group Plus Minus, and runs a podcast called Soundmaking with Håkon Stene.

: Splinter Reeds performs Line and Length.