LESSONS

!My favorite thing to do

I love to teach! Nothing brings me greater satisfaction than sharing the love of music with another person, taking them through how I overcame the same obstacles they face in making music with the bass.

My approach is simple and tangible. We analyze the mind and body and break down every movement into relaxed, doable steps that anyone can execute. While this process may seem tedious at first, students quickly see how efficient their minds become at executing the proper motions. They become addicted to programming one perfect move after another in order to craft a piece of music that is entirely theirs and free of stress and “luck”. We sound huge and fun every step of the way!

I stress freedom, fun and artistry. Why would anyone want to make or listen to music with out those things?! We also look at the science behind pitch and time and train the ear to detect the slightest imperfections that might detract from our art.

Lastly, I am adamant in keeping competition out of my teaching. Although we are put in similar situations as competitive athletes, art is not a competitive sport. Any brainpower that is spent on this is wasted. We only look to others for inspiration.

Recently, one of my students had the honor of performing the Koussevitzky Bass Concerto with The Orchestra Project, a collaboration between the Richmond Symphony and VCU. Another student was recently selected as one of four to perform in the closing recital at Interlochen's High School Double Bass Institute.

I am proud of all of my students, and graduates have gone on to study music at the following schools:

Peabody Conservatory at Johns Hopkins University
Arizona State University
Catholic University
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
Drexel University

Students in high school and middle school have earned principal chairs and participated in:

Interlochen High School Double Bass Institute
All-Virginia Orchestra (All-State)
Senior Regional Orchestra (SRO)
Central Regional Orchestra (CRO)
Governor’s School for the Arts
Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra (RSYO)
Youth Concert Orchestra (YCO)
Camerata Orchestra
String Symphonietta

And tooting my own horn is not something that I like to do, so I’ll let others do it for me:

“Taking lessons with Matt has defined who I am as a bassist. His use of humor and deep insight as a musician is the catalyst for exponential growth as a musician.” - Jacob, former student, currently at Virginia Tech

“Matt is a monster!” - Austin, former student, currently at Drexel

***Thanks guys, your checks are in the mail! <3 MG

I am currently accepting new students. Click here to contact me. I look forward to hearing from you!