Matt enjoys an active and busy teaching schedule at his home studio in Northeast Seattle. His love of music inspires him to continue taking lessons of his own, and as he gains new skills and insights, he is able to pass these elements along to his most advanced students. He teaches several instruments including piano, guitar, electric bass, drums and beginning ukulele, as solo instruments, or as part of a small group (which helps students keep better time since they have to coordinate with others).

Matt first discovered the value of private lessons at age 12, when his parents realized that there might be more productive ways of enjoying music than watching MTV and admiring guitars in local music stores. His parents helped him initiate guitar lessons with Bill Rispoli, who played in a local rock band. Seeing that Matt wanted to get started in a band as soon as possible, Bill suggested playing electric bass as an effective way to quickly be able to play with better musicians. Matt continued lessons for bass and guitar, and appreciated how much easier it was to learn with private instruction.

His private study of jazz and blues guitar continued during high school with Eric Madis. After playing electric bass in high school rock bands with friends, and electric guitar and electric bass in his high school jazz band, he attended the University of Washington with interest in music and engineering. Upon taking a jazz history class in his freshman year, he became interested in playing the piano, which quickly became his primary focus.

Matt studied jazz piano with former Berklee College of Music professor, Bill Rossi, who founded the non-profit organization Youth Advancement Through Music and Art (YATMA).  This organization gives full and partial scholarships to at risk and disadvantaged youth. Matt began teaching students private piano, electric and acoustic bass lessons, with YATMA in 1994, at the age of 22. He saw how proud the kids were as they mastered each small skill, one at a time, giving way to a cumulatively larger sense of accomplishment. This, combined with sharing his favorite avenue for artistic expression, led Matt to pursue teaching further. Matt taught piano almost exclusively until 2012, when he found renewed interest in the instruments that got him started in music in the first place, and began to branch out to include guitar, electric bass, and beginning ukulele, in a solo or small group setting.

While becoming established as a well respected teacher himself, Matt continued to study jazz piano with former Cornish College of the Arts faculty member, and Northwest jazz legend, Jerome Gray. He also studied acoustic bass with the well known artist, Doug Miller. In 1998, he joined the extended day program at Seattle Country Day School, until Fall 2021 when he switched to teaching exclusively in his home studio. He has also studied classical piano with Julliard graduate Beverly Statter, and taken voice lessons from former Cornish College of the Arts faculty member Thomasa Eckert.

Matt loves making music, and strives to make sure kids can get to playing music as enjoyably and quickly as possible, so that they’re motivated to keep learning. Music theory and ear training round out each student’s learning experience.

Matt currently teaches and lives in Northeast Seattle with his wife and son. His parents, who got him started in a life of music, are still living in his childhood home in Burien. Matt enjoys playing gigs, bicycling, road trips and keeping up with his son. Matt also enjoys continuing to expand his musical abilities, enabling him to maintain a dynamic teaching repertoire.