Conducting

“It is such a pleasure to witness such a young and able conductor work with a high class group of singers and achieve such excellence.”
– David Temple MBE, Conductor

Matthew is a versatile conductor/musical director from Belfast, Northern Ireland who is developing a reputation for his exciting and dynamic approach to his music making. Working primarily across the UK and Ireland, Matthew has conducted ensembles such as the Ulster Orchestra, RTÉ Concert Orchestra, Hard Rain Soloist Ensemble, Chamber Choir Ireland and the orchestra and chorus of Northern Ireland Opera. He is comfortable across a wide range of operatic, orchestral, and choral repertoire. He has received multiple conducting accolades, including as winner of the 2019 RTÉ/Feis Ceoil Orchestral Conducting Award with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra – securing the opportunity to record Dvorak’s Ninth Symphony with the orchestra in the 2020/21 season. He is currently the musical director of Cappella Caeciliana, the London Youth Chamber Choir, and the Northern Ireland Opera Chorus. He has worked as assistant conductor with ensembles such as the BBC Concert Orchestra, Crouch End Festival Chorus, and London Mozart Players.

 

He is highly adept at working with new music, and in the 22/23 season alone premiered over twenty new works with ensembles such as the Ulster Orchestra, Chamber Choir Ireland, Northern Ireland Opera, and the Hard Rain Soloist Ensemble. He is also a passionate advocate for music education, having previously conducted the National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain, Ulster Youth Orchestra (National Youth Orchestra of Northern Ireland), and London Youth Chamber Choir.

 

Matthew enjoys collaborations across many musical styles and genres; past collaborations include with Andrea Boccelli, Jamie Cullum, and Stephen Schwartz. Matthew has held young artist positions as a conductor at Northern Ireland Opera, The Sixteen, and Crouch End Festival Chorus, and has studied with illustrious conductors such as Sir Harry Christophers, Jac Van Steen, Toby Purser, and Kenneth Woods.