Pride. Sixth movement of Vices for String Quartet. 2017.

Vices - Pride Mov. 6 (cello solo)

Envy. Third movement of Vices for String Quartet. 2017.

Vices - Envy Mov. 3 (string quartet)

Lust. Forth movement of Vices for String Quartet. 2017.

Vices - Lust Mov. 4 (string quartet)

Greed/Avarice. Fifth movement of Vices for String Quartet. 2017.

Vices - Greed/Avarice Mov. 5 (string quartet)

Gluttony. Seventh movement of Vices for String Quartet. 2017.

Vices - Gluttony Mov. 7 (string quartet)

Sewage Jam 2 (The Trading Card Game)

The origins of The Kinnego Session lie in my home county of Armagh. Kinnego is a small marina village on the south banks of Lough Neagh, in the North of Ireland. It is the timeless and perineal nature of the Lough and the surrounding area, which has inspired this piece. My goal was for the music to speak for the unyieldingness, fruitfulness, and permanence of the Lough.

The composition process of The Kinnego Sessions has been one focused on collaboration and alternative ways to communicate musical meaning.
The piece was constructed collaboratively, drawing from a recording session between myself (Matthew Burke), Hilary Browning, Mihkel Kerem, John Moore, and Dora Kmezić. During this session, photography, and source recordings of Kinnego were used to influence musical improvisation.


Music by -  Matthew Burke, Hilary Browning, Mihkel Kerem, John Moore, and Dora Kmezić 

Text by - John Canavan (adapted by Matthew Burke)

Score by - Matthew Burke

Premiered at The Tung Auditorium (12/6/2023) as part of the Musical Futures concert series

The Kinnego Session (Mv.1 - Headin' t' Kinnego)

The origins of The Kinnego Session lie in my home county of Armagh. Kinnego is a small marina village on the south banks of Lough Neagh, in the North of Ireland. It is the timeless and perineal nature of the Lough and the surrounding area, which has inspired this piece. My goal was for the music to speak for the unyieldingness, fruitfulness, and permanence of the Lough.

The composition process of The Kinnego Sessions has been one focused on collaboration and alternative ways to communicate musical meaning.
The piece was constructed collaboratively, drawing from a recording session between myself (Matthew Burke), Hilary Browning, Mihkel Kerem, John Moore, and Dora Kmezić. During this session, photography, and source recordings of Kinnego were used to influence musical improvisation.

Music by - Matthew Burke, Hilary Browning, Mihkel Kerem, John Moore, and Dora Kmezić

Text by - John Canavan (adapted by Matthew Burke)

Score by - Matthew Burke

Premiered at The Tung Auditorium (12/6/2023) as part of the Musical Futures concert series

The Kinnego Session (Mv.2 The View)

The Kinnego Session (Mv.3 The Song)

The Kinnego Session (Mv.4 - The Dance)

Taxes & Human Stupidity Mov. I (solo 6 string bass) 2015

Opus De Trinitas

Taxes & Human Stupidity Mov. I (solo 6 string bass)

Taxes & Human Stupidity Mov. II

Taxes & Human Stupidity Mov. III (solo 6 string bass) 2015

Taxes & Human Stupidity Mov. III (solo 6 srting bass)

Matthew Burke is a composer and bass guitarist originally from Belfast, now living and working in Liverpool. Burke has played in numerous ensembles across the UK and Ireland, playing mainly heavy metal, jazz-fusion, experiential music, and more recently Irish folk. It was with his studies at The Queen’s University Belfast, under the tutelage of Professor Piers Hellawell and Dr. Simon Mawhinney, that he found a passion for contemporary classical composition and went on to achieve an MPhil in composition studies. Since then, Burke has worked closely with several professional ensembles to perform his music; some of which include: The Hard Rain Soloist Ensemble, The Fidelio Trio, The Royal Polish String Quartet, Red Note Ensemble, Quatuor Danel, and most recently Liverpool’s own Ensemble 10/10. Additionally, to his work as a contemporary composer, Burke is also an avid songwriter/composer of popular music. In 2015 he released his first solo album Opus de Trinitas. The album consisted of a mixture of original songs alongside a set of compositions and arrangements for solo six-string bass guitar. Burke is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Liverpool under the supervision of Dr. Richard Worth and Dr. Ben Hackbarth. Matthew’s research is concerned with the incorporation of collaborative compositional practices as well as the aesthetic fusion of popular music with Western classical composition.

Matthew Burke Composition (TNBC)

Popular tracks