Biography

Born 1961 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, Matthew H. Fields grew up in and completed the public schools of Deerfield, Illinois before earning two bachelor degrees at Oberlin College in Ohio (1985, 1986), a masters degree at Stanford University in California (1987), and a doctoral degree at University of Michigan (1991). One of his bachelor degrees is in mathematics, and the rest of his degrees are in music composition. Rigorous training in computer science is woven into the fabric of these studies, and Fields has worked extensively as a computer programmer while continuing to compose and promote music.

Tuition at Stanford was paid by the private Johnson-Maile Fellowship, and at Michigan, Fields was a recipient of the Regents' Fellowship, a state-administered grant which provided tuition and a small stipend. Other honors include associate appointment to the Sigma Xi scientific research society (1984), first prize in a composition contest of the Ferruccio Busoni Memorial Society (1991), honorable mention in the Harvey Gaul Composition Competition of Pittsburg New Music Ensemble (2000), second prize in the composition competition of the Utah Composers Guild (2002), and co-winner of the League-ISCM Composer's Competition (2006).

Over the years, Fields has maintained affiliations with American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP), American Music Center (AMC), Society for Composers, Incorporated (SCI), Bibliothèque Bozidar Kantuser (former Bibliothèque internationale de musique contemporaine-BIMC), the advisory board of the former Kalvos and Damien's New Music Bazaar, the former Tampa Bay Composers Forum, Composers Society of Montgomery County (Maryland), the former Just In Time Composers (of Boston), the James Randi Educational Foundation, and Sierra Club.