BRENT BALDWIN is an exceptionally versatile musician whose work spans the globe as a multi-instrumentalist, conductor, vocalist, composer, and arranger. Across his career he has earned numerous awards for his contributions to an unusually wide spectrum of musical genres.
Known for his collaborative approach, Brent has partnered with artists such as Roky Erickson, Alejandro Escovedo, A Giant Dog, Thor Harris, Roomful of Teeth, Mobley, and members of Big Star, Wilco, Trail of Dead, King Crimson, The Replacements, and R.E.M. He has been a featured festival artist at Fusebox, SXSW, Oblivion Access, Here Be Monsters, Levitation, and the Victoria Bach Festival. As creator and director of Austin’s celebrated Indie Orchestra project, he unites diverse audiences around local indie rock, alt-country, hip-hop, Tejano, and punk artists—each backed by Baldwin’s professional orchestra and chorus.
A longtime force in Austin's contemporary music scene, Brent has directed, performed, or composed for Convergence New Music, New Music Co-op, Golden Hornet, Fast Forward Austin, Collide, Conspirare, Thor & Friends, and others. He has led numerous large-scale and symphonic world premieres by acclaimed composers, including Pulitzer Prize winners Caroline Shaw and Shulamit Ran, Rome Prize awardee Steve Parker, and multi-Grammy Award recipients Glenn Kotche and Adrian Quesada.
Widely recognized among critics and colleagues, Brent received Austin Critics Table Awards in 2014 and 2016 for his direction of Mozart Requiem Undead, the largest and most celebrated contemporary art-music event in the city’s history. His work has also earned national praise from New Music USA, Classical Voice North America, and The Voice. The Austin Chronicle named him one of Austin’s Top 5 Artistic Directors and awarded him the title of “Best Choral Wrangler.”
He currently performs with Thor & Friends, Robert Fripp’s guitar orchestra, the Berlin Guitar Ensemble, Soundcult, and Booher. Additionally, he serves as Artistic Director of Unwound Sound, co-Artistic Director of Convergence, composition mentor for Golden Hornet, and assistant conductor for the Victoria Bach Festival.
In 2026, Brent was awarded the Best Classical award by the prestigious Austin Music Awards.