Matthew Watkins is a recent graduate of Kent State University where he earned his Master of Music Degree in Music Performance and was the flute graduate assistant. During his time at KSU, Matthew won 1st place in the 2014 International Flute Symposium Emerging Artist Competition, the 2014-2015 KSU concerto competition, and 1st place in the 2015 Mt. Lebanon Keynotes Scholarship Competition. In addition to winning these competitions, Matthew was selected as first choice for the 2015 Kent/Blossom Summer Music Festival.
Aside from performing chamber music as part of the Kent/Blossom Music Festival, he had the opportunity to work with Marisela Sager, Assistant Principal Flute of the Cleveland Orchestra, and he performed two chamber orchestra works as well as Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra as a side-by-side piece with The Cleveland Orchestra at the Blossom Music Center. During the 2012-2013 academic year, he received the Georges Barrere Memorial Scholarship to study with Bernard Goldberg in Pittsburgh.
Matthew received his Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Performance from Slippery Rock University where he studied with Stacey Steele. He also taught music theory at the Pittsburgh Flute Academy from 2012-2013 under the direction of Wendy Kumer. Other previous teachers include Gay Kahkonen, Diane McCloskey, and Suzanne Levinson. In addition to his private teachers, he has worked with other flutists including Kathryn Umble, Chris Norman, Tadeu Coelho, Jim Walker, Alberto Almarza, Nicole Esposito, Soo-Kyung Park, and Lorna McGhee.
Matthew is attending Duquesne University for his Artist Diploma and studies with Jennifer Steele.
