Stephen de Filippo is a composer from Wardandi country in the remote southwest of Australia. His music is grounded in detailed score-based concert works that emphasize contemporary performance techniques and rich, textural sound worlds. Often thematically inspired by concepts of travel, place, and identity, Stephen’s works explore the complexities of cultural belonging and disconnection, as well as the intimate and impermanent nature of human relationships.
Stephen’s compositions have been performed by leading ensembles and soloists across the United States, Europe, and Australia. Recent projects include his first string quartet, “is my love just a fraught series of momentary alignments?”, which examines the interplay of love and anxiety, and “Travelogue: Surat -> Hat Yai, sul G”, an electro-acoustic violin work combining video and spatialized audio, premiered by Sarah Saviet, which reflects on fragility and place. His music is distinguished by its sensitivity to timbre, intricate rhythms, and compelling harmonic language.
In 2023, Stephen was a visiting research fellow at Harvard University’s Department of Music, where he investigated how Australian composers have navigated notions of cultural cringe and colonial anxiety. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D at the University of California, San Diego.
