Matthew has been involved in the Choral Society tradition for over 35 years. First singing as a chorister in the choir of Brighton parish church, he was educated at Eastbourne College and was accompanying local choirs from the age of 16..
Whilst organ scholar at St George’s Windsor and Worcester College Oxford, he worked with many large amateur choral societies, operatic societies and orchestras.
He is an experienced accompanist and répétiteur and has worked with numerous choirs across the southeast. He is répétiteur to the University of Kent and was accompanist to Ashford Choral Society for almost 20 years before being appointed Music Director.
Matthew combines a busy career as a performer with his work in the field of Arts and Health. His work has attracted awards from the Royal Society for Public Health and the European Union and he has contributed to a number of academic studies on the health benefits of singing.
He led delivery of the UK’s first randomised control trial of singing as a health intervention and subsequently founded the charity Living Lively which encourages wider participation in singing for people over 50.