Growing up in a musical family, Matt developed an interest for music at a very early age. His mother being a music educator, Matt began taking piano lessons at the age of 4. His affinity for music continued to grow throughout his childhood when he started working alongside his father, who owned a professional live sound company; it was from then onward where he was exposed to and met a lot of locally as well as nationally recognized musicians who inspired him to pursue music on his own. Around the age of 10, Matt developed a fascination with learning other instruments and began to pick up the guitar and french horn, as well as the bass and drums a few years later. Matt chose to stick with piano as his primary instrument however, when he went on to study jazz piano at the University of Massachusetts Amherst under the instruction of renowned jazz artists and educators Jeffrey Holmes and James Argiro.

While attending UMass, he had the privilege of performing with the Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Jazz Orchestra with guest conductor/vibraphonist Warren Wolf, where he had the opportunity to perform at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. In addition, he was a recipient of several Downbeat student awards to include the 2019 Downbeat Student Award for best Blues/Pop/Rock Soloist. Upon graduation from UMass, Matt enlisted in the U.S. Army to become an Army Bandsmen, serving as a member of and pianist for the Maneuver Center of Excellence Band at Fort Moore in Columbus, Georgia. During his time at Fort Moore, Matt had the opportunity to perform as a solo pianist for the Commanding General and other high esteemed officers and enlisted members on Fort Moore, Fort Novosel and several other Army posts. He also led the Turning Blues Jazz Combo and served as a staff arranger for the band. Matt completed his active duty service in October of 2023, relocating to Nashville, Tennessee to pursue his music career.

Since moving to Nashville, Matt has performed with a wide variety of successful and award winning artists to include Jeff Coffin, Sofia Goodman, Liz Kelley, The Downtown Band and many others. Additionally, Matt has also released 3 solo albums of original music under his name. In addition to his performing, composition/arranging and recording experience, Matt also has 7+ years of teaching experience in both private instruction and small group settings.

His passion for teaching and sharing his love for music runs deep, and he aims to inspire his students and others around him to keep the tradition alive and thriving for future generations.

Matt’s Teaching Philosophy: “Every musician has their own unique voice, just as every person possesses their own personality unique to themself. Therefore, my philosophy as a teacher is to help my students become the musicians they want to become by discovering their voice, and creating music that allows them to express themselves to the fullest. Every student is different, but it is my job as a mentor to guide and provide them with the tools necessary for their own musical growth no matter their age, skill level or musical goals.”

What’s been the highlight of your professional career — like your biggest spotlight moment to date?
“The highlight of my professional career so far when I had the opportunity to work with legendary drummer Dennis Chambers, who recorded on an original composition of mine entitled “TB” which was released as part of my 2nd album “Subsequential Happenings.” Dennis’ resume spans over thousands of artists and records, and he is someone that I’ve looked up to since I was a kid. Having the opportunity to work with him and feature him on one of my own creations was truly a dream come true.”

What does being a “Mentor” mean to you and why are you excited to step into this role?
“Being a mentor means to inspire and guide students to reach their true potential. I am excited to step into this role because I want to have a positive impact on my students and help them achieve things they may not have thought they could otherwise.”

What type of music did you grow up listening to? How did it influence your artistry?
“I grew up listening to all styles of music – my dad had a vast collection of CDs, vinyls, and cassette tapes spanning across all genres. As a result, I was exposed to a wide variety of music at a very young age. Having access to and being exposed to so much different music at an early age demonstrated to me all of the possibilities and opportunities that music presents. As a result, I became excited to experiment and use my imagination to create my own art.”

Where is your favorite local spot? 
“My favorite local spot is the Music City Bikeway – I love being outdoors and finding my place in nature;I find a lot of creative inspiration from being out in nature.”

What’s your go-to karaoke song?
“‘The Reason’ by Hoobastank”