Matthew Tommasini (b. 1978) is a composer whose work focuses on memory and is marked by an emotional clarity.
Tommasini’s music has been performed by leading ensembles and institutions, with commissions from the Milwaukee Ballet, New York Youth Symphony, and a major consortium including the Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings, Oberlin Conservatory, and the University of Michigan.
HKUST Reading Session of Tell Me… with music director Alexander Liebreich and Munich Chamber Orchestra
His orchestral works have been featured in reading sessions and performances, including the American Composers Orchestra’s Underwood Reading Sessions, Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra, and Munich Chamber Orchestra. His chamber music has attracted leading performers including members of the New York Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, and Hong Kong Philharmonic, as well as acclaimed artists such as Richard Stoltzman and engaging ensembles including the Mivos, Daedalus, and Parker Quartets. These works have been presented at major international festivals spanning North America, Europe, and Asia.
A recipient of major national honors, including the Charles Ives Scholarship from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the ASCAP/CBDNA Frederick Fennell Prize, Tommasini has been consistently recognized as a distinctive voice. Support from the ASCAP Foundation’s Leonard Bernstein Fund and New Music USA further underscores the impact of his work.
Critically, his work has been reviewed by major publications including The New York Times and Detroit Free Press and international media outlets including the South China Morning Post, amplifying his presence within a broader cultural conversation.
Nina Bernstein at RTHK Radio 4 studios recording Remembering Leonard Bernstein
Equally impactful is Tommasini’s commitment to nurturing the future of music composition. As Director, Very Young Composers & Community Programs at the New York Philharmonic, he is devoted to expanding access and nurturing new generations of composers. His previous leadership roles at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and the Intimacy of Creativity contemporary music festival in Hong Kong (part of his work on the faculty at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology) are all part of a career dedicated to education, community engagement, and cultural exchange.
Recording Remembering Leonard Bernstein, a 4-part radio program produced for RTHK Radio 4
His work in media has amplified this impact. As English Presenter for Radio Television Hong Kong Radio 4, he brought live performances by the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, and Hong Kong Sinfonietta to broad audiences, deepening public engagement with orchestral music. In 2018, he conceived and produced Remembering Leonard Bernstein, a four-part series marking the Bernstein centennial, featuring major figures including Nina Bernstein, Jaap van Zweden, Bright Sheng, Michael Barrett, and David Gockley—further cementing his role as a thoughtful curator and communicator within the field.
Tommasini holds Master of Arts and Doctorate of Musical Arts degrees in composition from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Arts degree from UCLA.
He is a member of ASCAP.
Photo credit: Erik Tanner