Matthew Odell, pianst, Pittsfield

Matthew Odell is currently a part-time student at the Julliard School finishing his doctorate of Musical Arts. He earned his Graduate Performance Diploma and Master of Music from the Peabody Conservatory of Music, and his Bachelor of Music f rom Bob Jones University. While pursing his education, he received multiple academic awards including the Presser Award, Richard French Award, and a Julliard Teaching Fellowship. In 2007 he received an Educational Grant from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation. Currently, he is a Teaching Fellow in the Piano Minor Department and a Teaching Assistant as part of the Music History Department at the Julliard School. His solo performances have brought him to Toulouse, France, St. Petersburg, Russia and all across the United States. This will be Odell’s first State Arts Council Fellowship.

“In my work as a classical pianist, my goal is to engage audiences with vibrant and compelling performances of the standard classical repertoire alongside new works by living composers. Collaborating with living composers is a vital part of my career. This passion of mine supports the ongoing creation of music and enables the artform to grow. As I better understand this often complex and difficult music, I am better able to perform it and explain it to audiences, making it more accessible to them.

“Making classical music a communal activity - one which can be enjoyed by everyone - is fundamental to my life as a musician. By performing educational concerts and talking with audiences about the repertoire I am performing, I am helping to make classical music an integral part of people’s everyday lives. I strongly feel that one of my obligations as a performer is to foster new audiences and to show everyone that classical music can be appreciated and enjoyed, regardless of their education or socio-economic status. This combination of a diverse repertoire and a desire to communicate my passion for music forms the foundation of my life as a musician.”

Photo courtesy of Matthew Odell

Last updated: September 9, 2009