About Matthew
“There is no such word as can’t”
In 2011 I made my professional debut with Glyndebourne, and went on to work internationally as a freelance singer with companies including Wexford Festival Opera, Buxton Festival Opera and Bergen National Opera, as well as with orchestras including the CBSO and London Philharmonic.
My work also took me into television, radio and community projects. I worked with Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant on The Office the Opera for Comic Relief, and performed in Lads in their Hundreds, a collection of songs curated by Ian Burnside and premiered on BBC Radio 3.
Eventually, however, I found my way back to the organ.
That return has developed into a substantial part of my professional life. I am now an Organist at Worksop College and Director of Music at St Wilfrid's Church, Cantley. I also work regularly as an accompanist and recitalist, and am the accompanist for the Lighter Side choral course at Sherborne Summer School of Music and North Notts Chamber Choir.
Alongside performing, I have spent many years teaching and increasingly, I have come to realise that it is one of the most rewarding parts of my musical life.
A life in music
Music has taken me on a rather less straightforward journey than I ever expected.
I began my musical life as an organist, becoming an Organ Scholar at Doncaster Minster under the direction of Joseph Sentence, Dr Francis Jackson and Martin How. Those early years gave me a deep grounding in organ playing, choral music and the discipline required to perform regularly to a high standard.
I then took a rather different path.
I trained as an opera singer at Birmingham Conservatoire and subsequently at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
My professional experience
My career has taken me across a wide range of musical environments, from opera houses and concert halls to churches, schools and community projects. That experience has given me the opportunity to work with musicians of very different ages, abilities and backgrounds, and to understand music from a number of different perspectives.
My formal training includes:
BMus (Hons) in Vocal Studies
Birmingham Conservatoire
PGDip Vocal Studies & Advanced Certificate in Opera (Opera Course)
Guildhall School of Music and Drama
ARCO
Royal College of Organists
I continue my professional musicianship studies with Gareth Green.
Alongside my performing and teaching work, I regularly lead workshops with Voice Choice, working with schools, using singing and performance as tools for learning and personal development.
I also hold an up to date DBS certificate.
Having performed and worked as a professional musician at the highest level, I understand both the expectations of making music well and the satisfaction that comes from getting there, and that understanding shapes how I teach.
My philosophy as a teacher
Good teaching is about gradually giving a student more ownership of their learning.
At the beginning, that might mean learning how to approach a piece, solve a technical problem or practise effectively. As a pupil develops, I want them to become increasingly confident in making those decisions themselves, understanding not just what to do, but why.
Some of the most valuable lessons music teaches are not particularly musical. Learning to persevere when something doesn't come easily, to respond constructively when things aren’t going as planned, and to experience the satisfaction of achieving something through your own effort are qualities that stay with you long after a particular piece or examination has been forgotten.
That's why I don't see my role simply as teaching someone to play the piano. I'm helping them develop the confidence, curiosity and resilience to keep learning both in music and beyond it.