|
The American pianist, Matthew Figel, is the first musician in his family. He began his piano studies at age 19 in Midland, Texas, making his recital debut that same year. He obtained his Bachelor of Music degrees in Piano Performance and Musical Arts from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York (2015-2019) under the tutelage of Marina Lomazov and previously Nelita True. A winner of the Eastman Concerto Competition, he became one of the youngest students to solo with the Eastman Philharmonia in the school’s history. In recognition of his academic achievements, he was inducted into Eastman’s Pi Kappa Lambda honor society. He was further awarded the Anne T. Cummins Prize in Humanities as well as the John Celentano Award for Excellence in Chamber Music at the Eastman School of Music Commencement ceremony to recognize his commitment in these fields.
Among Matthew Figel's other awards are first prizes in the Rosalyn Tureck International Bach Competition and the Harold Protsman Classical Period Competition. An alumnus of Interlochen Arts Academy, he was chosen as the school’s first-ever Senior Performer, an honor given to a student to represent the graduating class with a solo performance at the final Commencement ceremony. His teachers here included Thomas Lymenstull and Michael Coonrod, following his studies with Mark Puckett.
“With a tone and approach entrancing from the outset,” (New York Concert Review, Inc.) Matthew Figel is an emerging pianist known for his captivating and thoughtful performances. He has performed in master-classes instructed by Emanuel Ax, Pascal Rogé, Hung-Kuan Chen, Paul Lewis, and Simone Dinnerstein, among others. He is also an avid collaborative pianist, performing in master-classes for artists such as Renée Fleming, Jon Nakamatsu, and the Ying Quartet. A past fellow at PianoFest in the Hamptons, he has also attended summer festivals such as PianoTexas International Festival and Academy, Gijón International Piano Festival, and the Aspen School of Music. Recently, Matthew has been chosen as the Artist-in-Residence at Valley Manor, where he will perform concerts monthly for the community next year. |
