Teacher

Teachers are not just responsible for sharing the best information, but also inspiring students to search for the answers on their own. In essence the teachers job is to work themselves out of a job. Matthew aims to teach students to be curious, and give them the confidence to ask the sorts of questions that will help them continue to improve. All the while, making the actual learning time motivational and personalized to each student.

Matthew’s teaching background begins with teaching local tennis lessons, and swimming lessons in high school and college. 

He continued his education training by receiving a Bachelors Degree in Music Education from The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam with a concentration in Piano Pedagogy. After graduation he was invited to return to teach at Crane as a full-time adjunct instructor teaching class piano to non-piano music majors.

While teaching at Potsdam he was accepted to Western Michigan University where he received his Master's of Music in Piano Performance. During his time he at Western he was awarded a full time graduate teaching assistantship. While at Western, his duties included administering piano placement exams to all freshmen and transfer students, teaching approximately 6 levels of piano classes, and also private lessons to non-music majors. During this time he helped create a new classroom text for Mus 221. In 2003 he was awarded the Outstanding Graduate Assistant Award in Teaching.

While going to graduate school he started teaching piano labs for the Gilmore International Keyboard Festival. He taught with the Gilmore for 4 years, the last two years he was the sole teacher at Spring Valley Elementary School where he taught over 75 students in grades 2-5 as well as after school practice programs. Also, while at the Gilmore he created, designed and implemented 3 years of curriculum for the piano lab programs, as well as instituted a school wide Honors Recital for students who had demonstrated exceptional achievement.

All throughout his time at Potsdam, NY and Kalamazoo, MI he maintained a private piano studio. His piano students received several local awards and also two of his students were accepted into 4 year universities as piano majors.

For the past 6 years Matthew has been traveling the world as a cruise ship musician. During this time he has been constantly training musicians and singers. His ability to manage and train musicians has earned him the honor of being asked to be on the US Inaugural cruise of the Nieuw Amsterdam, and also be involved with introducing two new entertainment formats for Holland America Line.

To see Matthew's Teaching Resume Click Here