www.mattheworlovich.comMatthew Orlovich was born in Sydney, Australia on 29th September 1970. Displaying a keen interest in music at an early age, he received piano tuition from the age of six and remained actively engaged in music throughout his school years.
In 1989, he enrolled as a candidate for the degree of Bachelor of Music [Honours] in Composition at the University of Sydney, studying under Associate Professor Eric Gross and Professor Peter Sculthorpe. During his undergraduate years, he performed in chamber music ensembles, the Department of MusicÕs Pro Musica Choir and the Department's Indonesian gamelan, Grup Gamelan Kyai Kebo Giro.
Matthew completed his Bachelor of Music [Hons] Degree in 1993. He gained several academic prizes and was awarded 1st Class Honours, the University of Sydney Medal and an Australian Postgraduate Research Award. In 1994, he enrolled as a candidate for the degree of Master of Music [Composition] and submitted a thesis on the music of the Australian composer Robert Hughes [b. 1913].
During this year, Matthew's solo piano work Sea Spirits was awarded the 1994 Newcastle Keyboard Festival's Jean Bogan Memorial Prize, a national open-age competition administered by the University of Newcastle Conservatorium of Music.
In 1995, he enrolled as a candidate for the Degree of Ph.D. [Composition] at Sydney University. During this year his a cappella choral composition On Sutherland's Grave was performed widely during international and national tours of the Sydney Conservatorium Chorale and The Australian Voices. Also during 1995, he composed an orchestral score entitled The MonkeysÕ Bridge which was chosen as a winner of the 1995 ABC ComposersÕ Competition. The work was recorded in November 1995 by the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra conducted by Richard Mills and was subsequently performed by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra under Leif Sundstrup. The Monkeys' Bridge was released on CD for inclusion in the Sydney Symphony Orchestra's 1996 Education Programme.
In 1996, Matthew's a cappella choral work entitled The Listening Land was commissioned for performance by The Australian Voices. Following the Sydney premiere of the work, it was included in the choir's tour repertoire and released on CD. The Listening Land and On Sutherland's Grave were also performed during the 1996 4th World Symposium on Choral Music by The Australian Voices and The Sydney Philharmonic Motet Choir respectively. In October 1996, Matthew completed an a cappella work entitled Lo, there is light !Commissioned for performance by The Harvard University Choir, it received its premiere performance at the 87th Annual Harvard Carol Services, at The Memorial Church, Harvard University, in December 1996. The choir has recently released a recording of this work on CD, under the direction of Murray Forbes Somerville.
In 1997, Matthew completed 2 large works for 800 voice choir and orchestra (entitled Unity and The Dreaming Land) which were commissioned by the NSW Department of School Education Performing Arts Unit for performance at the Sydney Opera House during 1997. Also during 1997, Matthew's choral work entitled On Sutherland's Grave (1991) was toured again internationally by the Sydney Conservatorium Chorale and nationally by The Australian Voices Choir, while The Listening Land received its Melbourne premiere and national broadcast by The Melbourne Chorale, directed by Graham Abbott.
Recent scores include Voice of the River, an a cappella choral work commissioned for performance by St Peters Chorale, Brisbane. The chorale premiered the work in November 1997 under the direction of Graeme Morton and has since performed the work during their tour of Scandinavia in January 1998 and at ChoralFest, in Sydney, October, 1998. Also, Tides of Ocean, for a cappella choir, was commissioned for performance by The Australian Voices in 1998. Under the direction of Stephen Leek, the work has been performed overseas and at ChoralFest, Sydney, in October, 1998. Matthew has completed his Ph.D in Music Composition at the University of Sydney.
His recent commissions include: - Eternity for massed choirs, organ and orchestra,
for performance at St Mary's Cathedral "Millennium Concert", July 2000; - a collaborative work (by 5 composers) for massed choir and orchestra
in celebration of the Centenary of Federation, commissioned by Ars
Musica Australis; - Links (for a cappella SATB choir) for the 51st
Intervarsity Choral Festival, Brisbane, July 2000; - Aviation (for
a cappella SATB choir) commissioned in 2000 for performance by The
Australian Voices, Brisbane. - Araluen (for a cappella SATB choir)
commissioned for the 2000/1 international tour of St Peter's Chorale,
Brisbane. - New Work for the Sydney Philharmonia Symphonic Choir
and Brass Ensemble 2001 Season. - New Work for The Hunter Singers,
Newcastle, 2001.