Matthew is a Seattle native who began playing piano at the age of five, and began playing gigs at coffeehouses and private parties at 14. He performed in Roosevelt High’s nationally recognized jazz program for four years, both in small ensemble and big-band settings. Privately, he studied for years with Seattle pianists Dawn Clement and Ty Bailey. He also studied at Cornish College of the Arts and with Marc Seales.
His compositions have a distinctive sound that many have described as a blend of classical and jazz. Influences include classical training, his goal of writing approachable music, and the sounds he experiences through synesthesia. Synesthesia means mixing of the senses; in Matthew’s case he hears a sound for everything he sees. The effect is that he hears a constant soundtrack to life. These sounds, particularly the rhythms he hears in nature, greatly influence his playing.
