mhindson2000 – Matthew Hindson

How much? A guide for commissioners and composers

Posted on 20 November, 2017 by mhindson2000

How much? A guide for commissioners and composers I am often asked how much a commissioner should expect to pay a composer for a new piece of music. For example, a recent email: “Dear Matthew, I was wondering if you happened to have a copy of the current Australia Council suggested commissioning rates? I am looking at launching a Commissioning Project for our Centenary and need to pull together a budget for the Executive.” A few of things about this. Continue reading How much? A guide for commissioners and composers→

Why is no-one vomiting in timpani any more?

Posted on 23 November, 2016 by mhindson2000

The last two Tuesdays I have been mentoring composers as part of the Ku-Ring-Gai Philharmonic Orchestra’s Australian music program. This is an excellent opportunity for emerging Australian composers to hear their orchestral pieces workshopped by a community orchestra. It’s a long-standing commitment to Australian music by a community organization that understands the importance of nurturing an art form. One of the composers, Solomon Frank, is a 2nd year student at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. He wrote a piece in which the Continue reading Why is no-one vomiting in timpani any more?→

Requiem for a City (2015) – video of first movement

Posted on 4 November, 2015 by mhindson2000

Here is the video of the first movement of Requiem for a City, the piece co-composed by Paul Mac and myself. The video is from the premiere performance. Congrats to Sydney Conservatorium of Music, The University of Sydney Wind Symphony cond. John Lynch for doing such a great job.

Recording of House Music now available

Posted on 20 August, 2015 by mhindson2000

A superb premiere recording of my flute concerto, House Music, has been released. It was recorded by virtuoso flautist Alexa Still with the Oberlin Orchestra, cond. Raphael Jimenez. It is a wonderful recording – totally top notch and very much as I imagined the piece in the first place. The recording is available through iTunes, Amazon US or Amazon UK.

The 5 Cs of (arts) grant applications

Posted on 3 January, 2015 by mhindson2000

From 2009-2013, in my role as Chair of the Music Board of the Australia Council for the Arts, I assessed over 2000 grant applications. This included reading thousands of pages and listening to countless hours of support materials – which was a rare privilege, and extremely illuminating re. the vast range of musical activity occurring around Australia. Based on this experience, many people have asked general advice as to how to write grant applications. There is no magic bullet. However, the Continue reading The 5 Cs of (arts) grant applications→