Composition and Theory PhD candidate Matthew Heap is a finalist in the Iron Composer Competition. On the morning of the competition, Iron Composer provides each finalist with an instrumentation, secret musical ingredient, and five hours to compose a new work which is then performed and broadcast live that same evening. The competition takes place Friday September 16, and will be broadcast at 8 p.m. on wclv.com, so tune in if you can! We're confident that Matthew will bring his steely resolve to the competition.

Matthew Heap's music has been featured at the Royal College of Music in London, in various American cities, and on WQED radio. His style tends to link the musical education he has had with his experiences in the theatrical world, creating a dramatic amalgam. He has studied with Leonardo Balada, Nancy Galbraith, Eric Moe, Timothy Salter, Mathew Rosenblum, and Amy Williams. His dissertation includes an oratorio based on the life of John Dillinger, and Narrative Through-flow in Berio's Sinfonia.