Matthew Bennett is a composer, sound artist and sensory designer who is pioneering the development of Musical Sensory Environments for immersive listening experiences.

He seamlessly fuses different traditions, disciplines, and music cultures to create a unique and compelling personal musical language. Integrating a range of ancient and modern compositional techniques—as well as design models from the natural world—he develops richly layered, intricate compositions and acoustic environments that foster a wide range of emotional engagement.

Working with extended forms that evolve gradually, and creating beautifully resonant sonic textures and acoustic spaces, his music often invokes a sense of ritual time, inviting listeners to slow down, experience their bodily engagement with sound, and consider their individual perceptions.

Matthew received an international composition prize from Downbeat magazine while in high school, for his work integrating classical music and improvisation. He went on to do PhD work in Ethnomusicology, specializing in North African Sufi Music, Medieval European Ritual Music (chant, organum), and Indonesian Gamelan. His theoretical work is in Sensory Anthropology and Acoustic Ecology (the study of healthy audio environments).

Previously, he founded and directed the Sound & Sensory Design Program at Microsoft. As Sound Artist-in-Residence at the company his mission was to help create a healthier and more beautiful global soundscape of technology, while reducing noise pollution (and the anxiety it causes) in the digital world.

His micro-musical compositions and designs are recognized around the world and heard on 1.5 billion devices each day. Preferring to stay of out of the spotlight while collaborating with partners globally, he may be the most heard composer you’ve never heard of.