2003 ISCM Young Composer Award – Matthew Bieniek (AU)

Bieniek represented Australia at the International Society for Contemporary Music (ISCM) World Music Days festival in 2003, held in Slovenia, where his clarinet solo Fleshold: at the crossing over was awarded the international ISCM-CASH Young Composer Award and a commission to write a work for the International Gaudeamus Music Week 2005.

Matthew Bieniek (b.1976) is a composer of international standing based in Canberra, Australia. In 2000 he completed the Master of Music degree in composition at the Sydney Conservatorium, studying with Bozidar Kos. During this period he was also awarded a Big Brother scholarship enabling him to undertake a seven-month period of private study in England with Michael Finnissy. In 1998 he completed the Bachelor of Music (composition) degree (Honours First Class and University Medal) at the Sydney Conservatorium where he won numerous awards, including the Ignaz Friedmann Memorial Prize in three consecutive years, the Doris Burnett Ford scholarship, and the Don Banks and Alfred Hill Memorial Prizes for composition.