Edwards Studio of Piano 1.67

Music lessons are an important part of any young person's life, teaching discipline and attention, developing skill, and giving the student a lifelong gift, no matter what career is chosen.

Matthew Edwards is a musician of many facets. As a pianist, he has been hailed by critics for his “…considerable talent…honest musicianship and a formidable technique.” His performances have taken him throughout the United States, appearing as recitalist, guest artist, concerto soloist, and collaborative artist. He has performed in South Korea, and has given masterclasses at several prestigious Korean schools, including Yonsei University, and the Seoul Arts High School.

His competition winnings include the Grand Prize in the Stravinsky Awards International Competition, and First Prize in the Music Teachers National Association National Collegiate Finals. He received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Maryland, where he studied with Robert McDonald.

Currently, he is Professor of Music and Director of Keyboard Studies at Missouri Western State University. Through his efforts, Missouri Western became an All-Steinway School, and the piano department has been recognized across the state for excellent training, attracting students from around the country, and from Asia.
His piano students have won numerous prizes, in competitions such as the National Association of Christian Schools National Competition, the Delta Symphony Orchestra Competition, and the Missouri MTNA Collegiate and High School Competitions. As a lecturer, he has been featured at the National Conference of the Music Teachers National Association, the World Piano Pedagogy Conference, and at the World Piano Conference in Novi Sad, Serbia.

As a conductor and coach, Dr. Edwards has served as the rehearsal pianist/coach for the Annapolis Opera, and musical director for Opera AACC. In 2012, he served as guest conductor with the Jefferson City Symphony Orchestra. As a composer, he has had major works premiered in Chicago, Salt Lake, and Baltimore, and he is a contributing author for the Hal Leonard Student Piano Library.
Dr. Edwards is also an editor for the Schirmer Classics Performance Editions, published by G. Schirmer Publications; currently nine of his books in this series are available internationally, with more planned.

He is a member of the Music Teachers National Association, and served a term on the Editorial Committee of American Music Teacher Magazine. He lives in Kansas City, MO with his wife, Kelly, and their three children, Audrey, Jackson, and Cole.