Matthew peterson composer born July 22nd, 1984, Grand Forks, North Dakota

MATTHEW PETERSON

COMPOSER

born July 22^nd, 1984, Grand Forks, North Dakota

Edebyvägen 31 Web: http://www.matthew-peterson.com

178 93 Drottningholm Email: matthewkennethpeterson@gmail.com

Sweden Phone: (+46) 70 579 0550

In 2008, composer Matthew Peterson left North Dakota on a Fulbright Grant to Sweden. Since then, the Stockholm-based freelancer has explored frontiers of sound and expression in over sixty works featuring vivid orchestrations, rhythmic vibrancy, expressive clarity, and emotional depth. His expansive output ranges from a chamber opera based on Wisconsin court cases, to modern settings of sacred texts, to stunning orchestral soundscapes.

Peterson’s work has received international awards and accolades including grand prize in the 2014 Uppsala tonsättartävling, the 2014 ASCAP Rudolf Nissim Award for best orchestral work, two BMI student composer awards, and the 2014 Fort Worth Opera Frontiers Festival award for chamber opera.

His music has been commissioned and performed by musicians and ensembles across Europe and North America, including the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Uppsala chamber orchestra, Gävle Symphony, Nordiska Kammarorkestern, & Vanemuine Symphony; chamber ensembles Norrbotten NEO, InnoVox, Third Angle Ensemble, Freya String Quartet, & Boston Percussion Group; vocal ensembles Chanticleer, Tartu University Chamber Choir, & Vocal Essence; and opera companies Fort Worth Opera & Opera Vista. Matthew’s orchestra music has been broadcast across the United States on American Public Media’s Performance Today, and across Sweden on Sveriges Radio P2.

Peterson holds degrees from the Gotland School of Music Composition (frikonst artist diploma), Indiana University Jacobs School of Music (M.M.) and St. Olaf College (B.M.). He previously served on the faculty of Indiana University ,the Gotland School of Music Composition (Visby, Sweden), and Lilla Akademien Musik Gymnasie and Pre-college. He is an avid hunter and fisherman, and lives on the island Lovö outside Stockholm.

EDUCATION

Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Bloomington, IN, 2011-12

• 
  Studies towards Doctor of Music degree in Composition, Jacobs Doctoral Fellow
  
• 
  Studied composition with Aaron Travers
  
• 
  Studied electro-acoustic music with John Gibson and Jeffrey Hass
  

• 
  Studied composition with Per Mårtensson and Henrik Strindberg
  
• 
  Studied electro-acoustic music with Per Mårtensson
  
• 
  Guest lecturer on American music, masterclasses on own music
  

Graduated with Masters of Music Degree in Composition, minor in electro-acoustic music

• 
  Studied composition with Claude Baker and Sven-David Sandström
  
• 
  Studied electro-acoustic music with Jeffrey Hass
  

• 
  Graduated magna cum laude with distinction in music composition
  
• 
  Studied composition with Justin Merritt, Tim Mahr, Mary Ellen Childs
  
• 
  Studied electronic music with Justin Merritt
  
• 
  Studied Double Bass with Paul Ousley
  

Svensk Musik travel grant

FST (Swedish Composers Association) travel grant

2014

Uppsala tonsättartävling – grand prize winner, winner of audience prize

ASCAP Foundation Nissim Prize – winner, best orchestral score

Frame Dance Electro-Acoustic Composition Competition – 2^nd place

Circuit Bridges – winner, call for electro-acoustic works

New Music Conflagration – winner, call for scores

InnoVOX – winner, call for scores

Fort Worth Opera Frontiers Festival – winner, best chamber opera

North-South Consonance – winner, call for scores

Minnesota Orchestra Composer Institute awardee

American Prize in orchestral composition, 2^nd place

Third Angle Ensemble – competition winner, national category

New Lens Concert Series – competition winner

ASCAP Nissim Prize – honorable mention

2010-11

Opera Vista Award – winner, best chamber opera (2011)

ASCAP Nissim Prize – special distinction (2010)

BMI (Broadcast Music International) Student Composer Award (2010)

Fulbright Fellow – Sweden, music composition (2008-09)

BMI (Broadcast Music International) Student Composer Award (2007)

Aldworth Philharmonic Orchestra Young Composers Award and Commission (2007)

VocalEssence Essentially Choral Award (2007)

National Opera Association Chamber Opera Competition – 2^nd place (2006)

Chanticleer Student Composer Award – winner (2006)

MMEA composition awards – winner, three awards, including “Best Choral Work” (2005)

• 
  Taught Gy 1-3 theory and ear-training
  
• 
  Taught Gy 3 and Pre-college composition/arranging
  
• 
  Reference: Mark Tatlow, teori/gehör department, (+46) 073 550 8450
  

• 
  Taught course in notation to undergraduate composition students
  
• 
  Taught composition for non-major bachelor and masters music students
  
• 
  Co-taught composition seminar for all composition students
  
• 
  Reference: David Dzubay, chair, composition dept. (+1) 812-855-5833
  

• 
  Taught notation course
  
• 
  Taught aural-skills course
  
• 
  Reference: Mattias Svensson, head of program (+46) 498-28-48-10
  

Washington National Opera (Washington, DC)

• 
  20-minute chamber opera (2016)
  
  
  

• 
  17-minute work for orchestra of soloists (Tumult and Flood, 2016)
  

Illinois Wesleyan University (Bloomington, IL)

• 
  5-minute string trio (January, 2016)
  

University of Tartu Chamber Choir (Tartu, Estonia)

• 
  10-minute work for SSAA chorus (Surgit Dorpatum, 2015)
  

Ron Ramsay (Fargo, ND)

• 
  3-minute trumpet trio (Shining Arches, 2015)
  

Freya String Quartet (Pittsburgh, PA)

• 
  13-minute string quartet (Badlands 2013)
  

Sonja Tengblad, soprano, and Jonathan Hess, percussion (Boston, MA)

• 
  10-minute mass for percussion and soprano (Mass, 2011)
  

Aldworth Philharmonic Orchestra (Reading, UK)

• 
  3-minute work for orchestra (Icumen, 2011)
  
• 
  14-minute work for soprano and orchestra (A London Thoroughfare: 2 A.M., 2007)
  

St. Olaf Orchestra (Northfield, MN)

• 
  6-minute orchestra work (Corde Natus, 2014)
  
• 
  4-minute orchestra work (Dawn: Radiant, Redeeming, 2012)
  
• 
  10-minute orchestra work (Hyperborea, 2010)
  

Norrbotten NEO (Piteå) and quartet VOX (Göteborg, Sweden)

• 
  chamber opera, funded by the Fulbright Grant and Folksuniversitet (Voir Dire, 2009-10)
  

St. Olaf Band (Northfield, MN)

• 
  15-minute band work (Reflections on the Death of the Beloved, 2008)
  

Sofia Hailu, flutist (Bloomington, IN)

• 
  15-minute flute solo (Dakota Variations, 2008)
  

Stephen Page, saxophone (Bloomington, IN)

• 
  15-minute work for alto saxophone and piano (Anemoi, 2007)
  

Grand Forks Public Schools

• 
  7-minute work for concert band, string orchestra, and chorus (The River, 2012)
  
• 
  20-minute work for string orchestra (Snow Words, 2007)
  
• 
  5-minute work for string orchestra (Dr. Deviant’s Diabolical Dirigible, 2008)
  
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Bowdoin International Music Festival 2007

European American Musical Alliance Composition Program (Paris) 2005

Conductor, Bassist, Singer

Nine years of Double Bass study, with full solo recitals in February 2005 and March 2006.

Principal Bassist of St Olaf Orchestra, 2003-06.

Accomplished young conductor of orchestras, choirs, bands, and chamber ensembles, with five years study in instrumental and choral conducting (with Steven Amundson, David Dzubay Robert Scholz, Timothy Mahr).

Currently second tenor in Gustav Sjökvist Kammarkö

Academic music study

Eight years of advanced courses in orchestration, theory, aural-skills, music history (history of opera, 20^th century music, symphonic literature, Renaissance music) and music analysis (common practice, Schenkerian, 20^th century, et al.)

FST (Föreningen Svenska Tonsättare/Association of Swedish Composers), elected 2014

Samtida Musik, boardmember since 2015

STIM (Svenska tonsättares internationella musikbryå; Swedish PRO), composer member

ASCAP (American Society of Composers and Publishers), composer & publisher member

American Composers Forum, member

Society of Composers, Inc., member

American Music Center

Sven-David Sandström, composer (Sweden), (+46) 070-832-3127

Per Mårtensson, Gotlandstonsättarskolan, (+46) 070-694-7276

Steven Amundson, Department of Music, St Olaf College, (+1) 507-646–3328

Listed with performances and awards.

duration 17:30

new music ensemble (1111/1111/2perc/pno/ strings 2111)

commissioned by Northwestern University Contemporary Music Ensemble

premiere: Feb 4 2016, Evansville IL
Corde Natus (2014)

duration 6:00

orchestra (2222/4331/timp/3perc/strings)

commissioned by St Olaf College for the 2014 St Olaf Christmas Festival

premiere: St. Olaf Orchestra, 2014 St. Olaf Christmas Festival
And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands (2013)

chamber orchestra (2222/2200/timp/1perc/hp/strings)

duration 11:00

premiere: Uppsala Chamber Orchestra, Uppsala tonsättartävling (Uppsala, Sweden), March 13 2014

additional performances: Uppsala Chamber orchestra May 8 2014; Vanemuine Symphony May 16 2014; Nordiska Kammarorkestern April 16-18 2015; Gävle Symfoniker May 15 2015; Dalasinfoniettan Oct 8-10 2015; Västerås Sinfonietta Oct 22, 24 2015, Jönköping Sinfonietta Feb 27-28 2016

Winner, 2014 Uppsala composer competition
Dawn: Redeeming, Radiant (2012)

orchestra (2222/4221/3perc/hp/strings)

duration 4:30

commissioned by St. Olaf College for the 2012 St. Olaf Christmas Festival

premiere: St Olaf Orchestra, St. Olaf Christmas Festival (Northfield, MN), Nov. 30, Dec. 1-2 2012

additional performances: First Baptist Church, San Antonio TX, Dec. 2013; Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Dec. 2013; Grand Rapids Symphony, Dec 2014; Concordia College, Dec. 2014; Goshen College, Dec 2014; Columbus Symphony, Dec 2014; Maryland Symphony, Dec 2014; Holland Symphony Dec 2015, La Porte Co. Symphony Dec 2015

orchestra (3333/4331/timp/3perc/hp/strings)

duration 10:30

commissioned by the St. Olaf Orchestra

premiere: St. Olaf Orchestra 2011 fall tour, October 12-21 2011

additional performances: Minnesota Orchestra, Jan 16 2015, Grand Forks Symphony Feb 28 2015

orchestra (3332/4331/timp/3perc/strings)

duration 3:00

commissioned by the Aldworth Philharmonic Orchestra

premiere: Aldworth Philharmonic Orchestra (Reading, UK), January 21 2012
Rage (2005)

orchestra (3333/4331/timp/3perc/hp/strings)

duration 6:00

premiere: St Olaf Orchestra, St. Olaf College (Northfield, MN), May 12 2006

chamber opera

duration 20:00

libretto by Emily Roller

piano-vocal workshop October 2016

performance January 2017

commissioned by Washington National Opera American Opera Initiative
Voir Dire (2010)

chamber opera (sop, mez, ten, bar; fl, cl, perc, pno, vln, vla, vc, cb & conductor)

libretto by Matthew Peterson and Jason Zencka

duration 90:00

premiere: selections performed by Opera Vista (Houston, Texas), March 2011

additional performances: (excerpts) Ft Worth Opera Frontiers (Fort Worth, TX), May 2014

piano-vocal workshop: Seagle Music Festival, August 2014

upcoming productions: Milwaukee Skylight Theater (Jan 2017), Fort Worth Opera (Apr 2017), Urban Arias (May 2017), Symphony Space (May 2017)

chamber opera (sop, mez, boy/treble, bar; hn, perc, hp, 2 vln, vla, vc)

libretto by Jason Zencka

duration 36:00

premiere: St. Olaf Lyric Theater (Northfield, MN), April 30, 2006, May 1, 2006

additional performances: selections performed by Manhattan School of Music (NYC), January 2007

SATB chorus, symphonic band, string orchestra

duration 7:00

commissioned by Grand Forks Central High School

premiere: Grand Forks Central band, choir and orchestra, Grand Forks, ND, October 28 2013
A London Thoroughfare: 2 AM (2007)

soprano and orchestra (3333/4431/timp/3perc/cel/pno/hp/strings)

duration 14:00

commissioned by the Aldworth Philharmonic Orchestra

premiere: Aldworth Philharmonic Orchestra (Reading, UK), January 26 2008

additional performances: Indiana University (Bloomington, IN), April 13 2008

wind ensemble or symphonic band

duration 4:00

co-premiere: CSU Symphonic Band, Colorado State University (Fort Collins, CO), April 24, 2014

UND Wind Ensemble (Grand Forks, ND), April 24 2014
Reflections on the Death of the Beloved (2009)

symphonic band

duration 16:00

commissioned by the St. Olaf Band with funds from the Miles “Mity” Johnson Endowment

premiere: St. Olaf Band, St. Olaf College (Northfield, MN), May 22, 2009

2013 Frank Ticheli Composition Contest, 2^nd place

2010 ASCAP Foundation Rudolf Nissim Prize, Special Distinction,

2010 BMI Student Composer Award


SOLO

Huldra (2014)

marimba

premiere: Caleb Fritel, University of North Dakota, September 18, 2014

additional performances: Caleb Fritel, October 2014



Sagovärld (2012)

piano

pipe organ

duration 4:00

premiere: Andreas Holmberg, Forsa Kyrka (Forsa, Sweden), July 21, 2012

piano

premiere: Jon Jensen, St. Olaf College (Northfield, MN), October 20, 2011

additional performances: Kati Gleiser, Indiana University (Bloomington, IN), February 29 2012; Nariaki Sugiura (Grand Forks), Sep 18 2014

Näcken (2011)

violin

premiere: Ray Shows, St. Olaf College (Northfield, MN), October 20, 2011

additional performances: Madalyn Parnas (Bloomington, IN) November 2011; Timothy Kantor (Bloomington, IN) November 2011; Finisterra Trio (Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco), April 2012; Panic Duo (Los Angeles), March 2013; Madalyn Parnas (London), May-June 2013; Alejandro Drago (Grand Forks), October 2013, January 2014; InnoVox, (New York City) December 2013; North/South Consonance (New York City), April 2014; Alejandro Drago (Grand Forks), Sep 2014; Claudia Schaer (NYC), Nov-Dec 2014

2012 Third Angle Ensemble composition competition winner, national category

2012 NewLens concert series Call for Scores

2013 North/South Consonance Call for Scores

2013 New Music Conflagration Call for Scores

2013 InnoVox Call for Scores
kick (2009)

percussion (large drumset)

duration 8:30

premiere: Adam Cowger, Empire Arts Center (Grand Forks, ND), November 14, 2009

flute

commissioned by Eli Henline

marimba

premiere: Joel Robinette, Empire Arts Center (Grand Forks, ND), November 14, 2009

flute

premiere: Salle Cortot (Paris), July 28, 2005

duration 5:00

commissioned by Illinois Wesleyan University

premiere: Bloomington, IL, March 10 2016

three trumpets

duration 3:00

commissioned by Ron Ramsay

premiere: Duluth (MN) Symphony Trumpets, August 1, 2015


Badlands (2013)

string quartet

duration 13:00

commissioned by Freya String Quartet

premiere: Freya String Quartet (Pittsburgh, PA), February 20-21, 2014

additional performances: University of North Dakota String Quartet, September 18, October 3-5, 2014 (Grand Forks, Stanley, Bismarck, New Town, Williston ND), Freya String Quartet, January 16, 2015

four percussionists (playing coffee cans with sticks)

duration 4:00

premiere: Buskirk Chumley Theater (Bloomington, IN), April 14-15, 2012

fl, pno, vln, vc

duration 4:00
Thunderheads (2011)

percussion duo (2 BD, 2 tams, 8 toms)

duration 4:00

premiere: Boston Percussion Group, Boston Ahts Festival (Boston, MA), September 10, 2011.

additional performances: St. Olaf College (Northfield, MN), October 2011, University of North Dakota, September 18 2014
Rosorna (2009)

string quartet

duration 10:00

premiere: Empire Arts Center (Grand Forks, ND), November 14 2009,

additional performances: Freya Quartet (Pittsburgh, PA), October 2013
Anemoi (2008)

alto saxophone and piano

duration 20:00

commissioned by Stephen Page

premiere: Stephen Page, Indiana University (Bloomington, IN), April 12, 2008

additional performances: Stephen Page (Bloomington, IN), April 2008; Stephen Page (Grand Forks, ND and Moorhead, MN), November 2009

2 trumpets and 2 trombones

duration 3:00

premiere: Buskirk-Chumley Theater (Bloomington, IN), April 19-20, 2008

string quartet

duration 5:00

premiere: Indiana University (Bloomington, IN), April 29 2007

additional performances: American Dance Association National Conference, October 2007
Soliloquy (2006)

cello and piano

duration 6:00

premiere: Indiana University (Bloomington, IN), May 5, 2008

violin and cello

duration 5:00

premiere: Kirsten and Kay Peterson (Grand Forks, ND) June 2004

oboe, clarinet, bassoon

duration 2:30

premiere: St. Olaf College, Urness Recital Hall (Northfield, MN), December 2003

fl, cl, perc, pno, vln, vla, vc, cb

duration 12:00

premiere: St. Olaf College (Northfield, MN), October 20, 2011

fl, cl, hn, tpt, 2perc, vln, vc

duration 14:00

premiere: Indiana University (Bloomington, IN), April 13 2008

additional performances: Empire Arts Center (Grand Forks, ND) November 2009
Brass Quintet (2004)

brass quintet (2 tpt, hn, trbn, tb)

duration 12:00

premiere: Urness Recital Hall, St. Olaf College (Northfield, MN) December 15, 2004

4-channel fixed media

duration 8:42

premiere: Indiana University CECM concert (Bloomington, IN), April 22, 2012

additional performances: Circuit Bridges (NYC), March 27 2014; Frame Dance Productions (Houston), May 19, 2014; University of North Dakota, September 18, 2014
Horizons (2011)

2-channel fixed media

duration 6:17

premiere: Indiana University (Bloomington, IN), January 21, 2012

2-channel fixed media

duration 6:34

premiere: Indiana University (Bloomington, IN), May 4, 2007

2-channel fixed media

duration 4:22

premiere: Indiana University CECM concert (Bloomington, IN), December 2006

2-channel fixed media

duration 1:00

premiere: St. Olaf College Electronic Music Recital (Northfield, MN), January 29, 2005

SSAA a cappella chorus

duration 10:00

commissioned by the Tartu (Estonia) University Chamber Choir for the Academic Women’s Choir

SATB a cappella chorus

duration 4:30

premiere: College of New Jersey College Choir (Pennington, NJ), March 18 2011

additional performances: College of NJ College Choir, April 2011; Cantus Novus (Yardley, PA), May 2012
Hymn to Diana (2007)

SATB a cappella chorus

duration 4:30

premiere: Indiana University (Bloomington, IN) April 3, 2007

additional performances: Indiana University, April 13, 2008

Miserere Mei (2006)

SSAATTBB a cappella chorus

duration 8:30

premiere: Indiana University (Bloomington, IN) November 7, 2006

additional performances: VocalEssence (Minneapolis, MN), May 2007; Indiana University, April 2008

2007 VocalEssence Essentially Choral Award
The Lord’s Prayer (2005)

SSAATTBB a cappella chorus

duration 3:00
Psalm 57 (2005)

SATB a cappella chorus

duration 3:00
Drunk on Dragon Hill (2005)

SATB a cappella chorus

duration 3:00

premiere: St Olaf New Music Singers (Northfield, MN) May 2005

SSA a cappella

duration 3:00

premiere: St Olaf College (Northfield, MN), February 2005

SATB a cappella chorus

duration 5:00

premiere: St. Olaf College (Northfield, MN), September 30, 2005

additional performances: Minneapolis Convention Center, February 2006; Chanticleer (San Francisco), October 2006; College of New Jersey College Choir, March 2012

Chanticleer Student Composer Competition Award Winner

MMEA composition award winner: 1^st place, Choral division

Published by Hinshaw Music in the Chanticleer Choral series

SINGER(S) AND INSTRUMENT(S)

Mass (2012)

soprano and percussion (tuned metals, tam-tam)

duration 13:00

commissioned by Jon Hess and Sonja Tengblad

piano arrangement performed by Anne Christopherson and Nariaki Sugiura, September 18, 2014, University of North Dakota
Cicada (2012)

soprano, violin, cello

duration 2:00
Nine songs (2010-11)

singer, drumset, piano/synth, el. guitar, bass

duration 50:00

premiere: Matthew Peterson and band, Fasterna Kyrka (Rånäs, Sweden), May 28, 2011

additional performances: song “Migration”, Anna Hersey (Stockholm, Sweden), May 2011
jailhouse and pavane for a dead infant (2009)

mezzo, fl, cl, perc, pno, vln, vla, vc

duration 7:30

premiere: Sofia Jernberg and Ensemble NEO, Ljudvågor Festival (Visby, Sweden), May 14, 2009

additional performances: Grand Forks, ND, November 2009; Opera Vista (Houston, TX), March 2011; St. Olaf College (Northfield, MN), October 2011; Grand Forks, ND, September 2014
Of Marriage (2008)

SATB, vln, vla, vc

duration 6:00

commissioned by Dan and Nicole Cooley

premiere: Cooley-Callies Wedding, Botanical Gardens (St. Louis, MO), June 17, 2008
“My mouth hovers across your breasts…” (2007)

soprano and guitar

duration 4:00

premiere: Bowdoin International Music Festival (Brunswick, ME), August 3, 2007

additional performances: Indiana University (Bloomington, IN), November 2007
Music for a Wedding (2007)

sop, ten, eh, trbn, pno, org

duration 6:00

commissioned by Jason Zencka

premiere: Zencka-Sowash wedding, Stephens Point, WI, June 6, 2007

STRING ORCHESTRA (educational)

Dr. Deviant’s Diabolical Dirigible (2007)

string orchestra

duration 5:00

commissioned by Red River High School

premiere: Red River High School Orchestra, Empire Arts Center (Grand Forks, ND), February 4, 2008
Snow Words (2007)

string orchestra

duration 20:00

commissioned by Red River High School

premiere: Red River High School Orchestra, Empire Arts Center (Grand Forks, ND), March 5, 2007
Veturnaetur (2003)

string orchestra

duration 4:00

premiere: St. Olaf Orchestra Strings, Urness Recital Hall (Northfield, MN), November 3, 2011