Sanford Hinderlie studied composition with Martin Mailman, Larry Austin, and Merrill Ellis and jazz piano with Dan Haerle. He was the winner of the Delius Composition Competition, Piano Division, in 1980. Hinderlie is the director of SYNTHESIS 2000 devoted to electro-acoustic music. He has produced over 20 albums of jazz, blues, and world music. He has been with the College of Music faculty since 1981.