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Matthew Means
Phone: (785) 628-4533
Email: mmeans@fhsu.edu
Violinist Matt Means continues to impress audiences across the United
States with mature, seasoned performances that span the entire range
of solo, orchestral, and chamber venues. Currently Assistant Professor
of Music at Fort Hays State University, Means has also served as
Visiting Lecturer in Music at the University of Northern Colorado
and Interim Chairman of the Department of Music at FHSU. A recipient
of the BM degree, summa cum laude, from the University of Northern
Colorado, Means received an MM degree and Professional Studies diploma
from the Cleveland Institute of Music. His primary teachers have
included William Preucil, Stephan Majeske, Linda Cerone, and Richard
Fuchs. He has received supplementary, post-institutional instruction
from Donald Weilerstein. Chamber music coaching and inspiration
has come from members of the Juilliard, Cleveland, and Cavani Quartets,
the Beaux Arts and Canterbury Trios, and the Cleveland Duo. Means
has also studied orchestral repertoire with members of the Cleveland
Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Montreal Symphony,
Houston Symphony, and Vienna Philharmonic.
Means maintains a very active adjudication and teaching schedule:
recent masterclass and guest clinician appearances have included
visits across Kansas, California, and Colorado. Students and ensembles
Means have coached have won prizes on their campuses and regionally;
many have subsequently been accepted to pre-eminent music conservatories
and summer music festivals.
As a founding member of the Matisse Piano Trio, Means has performed
chamber music across the United States. He has appeared in chamber
music collaboration with some of the greatest artists of our time,
including Sarah Chang and Angel Romero, as well as with members
of the Cleveland Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, St. Louis
Symphony, Colorado Symphony, Kansas City Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony,
and London Symphony Orchestra. Means frequently appears as guest
soloist and recitalist; recent performances have included the Beethoven
Triple Concerto in Colorado and chamber performances in Kansas.
Upcoming engagements include chamber music performances with Yumi
Hwang-Williams, concertmaster of the Colorado Symphony and collaborative
performances with faculty from other institutions across the US.
As an orchestral performer Means has served in first-desk capacities
in orchestras across the US and abroad under the batons of conductors
such as Pierre Boulez, David Zinman, Charles Dutoit, Marin Alsop,
Carlos Kalmar, and Gerard Schwarz. Means has served as concertmaster
of the Fresno Philharmonic, Wichita Symphony, Greeley Philharmonic,
Cheyenne Symphony, Ft. Collins Symphony, Cleveland Pops Orchestra,
Mansfield Symphony, and the National Orchestral Institute Philharmonic;
he is frequently requested to serve as guest concertmaster by ensembles
across the US. Other orchestral ensembles he has found affiliation
with include the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the New World Symphony,
the Columbus (OH) Symphony Orchestra, and the Colorado Symphony
Orchestra, with which he performs regularly each year.
Summer festivals Means has attended or been invited to attend include
the Pacific Music Festival (Japan), the Colorado Music Festival,
Kent/Blossom Summer Music, the Encore School for Strings, the National
Orchestral Institute, and the National Repertory Orchestra. Each
summer Means participates in the first violin section of the Cabrillo
Contemporary Music Festival, led by Maestra Marin Alsop, a unique
festival solely dedicated to the performance of contemporary works
by primarily living composers who usually attend the festival in
residence. In this capacity Means has participated in important
premieres by, and has often had a chance to collaborate with, major
current composers such as Aaron Jay Kernis, Michael Daugherty, Mark
O’Connor, John Adams, Philip Glass, John Corigliano, Kevin
Puts and Jennifer Higdon.
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