Balancing careers as a composer, songwriter, educator, and performer, MATT VAN BRINK is a musical pluralist who can bridge Kern and counterpoint, Sondheim and serialism. He has composed and arranged over seventy works for a variety of ensembles across many genres and his catalog includes orchestra, chamber, and solo instrumental pieces, choral and vocal compositions, plus musical theater, music for young performers and audiences, and arrangements.

Van Brink heads the Composition & Songwriting department at Concordia Conservatory in Bronxville, N.Y. With his guidance and advocacy, his composition students have been accepted to the country's best conservatories, participated in prestigious summer programs, and received national awards.

Versatile as both a composer and lyricist, commissions range from a duo for Elizabeth Lim-Dutton and Lawrence Dutton, to a piano transcription of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, transcriptions for violinist Lara St. John, and even to quirky projects like polka and bluegrass arrangements of classic wedding music. More than twenty of his works have been published, fourteen have been recorded on labels such as Albany Records, and more are available on digital platforms. He has received awards and fellowships, including those from the MacDowell Colony and Wurlitzer Foundation, and The University of Southern Mississippi presented a portrait concert of his work during the 2019-20 concert season.

Van Brink's was mentored by luminaries such as pianist Jeremy Denk, composers Lukas Foss, Samuel Adler & John Harbison, and cognitive scientist Douglas Hofstadter. In all of his endeavors, Van Brink is a creative ambassador, embodying the idea that creative projects are worthwhile and all around us.

More information available at mattvanbrink.com

last updated June 20, 2020
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