We are excited to announce the hiring of our new Director of Music Ministry, Matt May! Matt has already been offering his talents on the key during the last few weeks of traditional worship services, but now we are pleased to say that he has accepted this new position. Matt’s role will be to provide leadership and music for the traditional worship service at 9:00 am, as well as directing our vocal choir and handbell ensembles. Matt is classically trained on both organ and piano, and also can improvise in a wide variety of styles. And his musical skills aren’t limited to keyboards. He is also proficient on flute, clarinet, dulcimer and other instruments.
Matt brings a wealth of education and experience to his ministry. A native of Wisconsin, he earned a Bachelor of Music from Cardinal Stritch University and a Master of Music in Collaborative Piano at George Mason University. An award-winning pianist, he has performed throughout the United States and Europe as a collaborative pianist and organist with ensembles such as the Oakland Youth Chorus, Carroll University Concert Choir, the Accompany of Kids Show Choir, Kairos Children Choir and others. He’s also performed several times for the British Ambassador and other high ranking government officials from the UK and US at the British Embassy in Washington, DC.
Matt is a passionate educator as well, and maintains a piano studio teaching students of all ages and ability levels, and his students consistently receive top awards in various festivals and competitions.
Active in sacred music, Matt has led musical worship for the PCUSA General Assembly in Baltimore, the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Central Maryland Rite of Election, the Mid-Atlantic Theology Congress in Baltimore, MD, the National Catholic Youth Conference in Washington, DC, including various churches and cathedrals of different denominations throughout the United States and Europe.
With all that experience, Matt is refreshingly humble and approachable. “One thing I’d like for everybody to know is that I’m not intimidating. I just want people to come and have fun playing music with me,” he says. “If you’re at all thinking about joining the vocal or bell choirs, but don’t think you’re talented enough, just come. I will help you. It’s a collaborative effort.” Matt would love to hear from you and can be reached at matt@mylcc.com.
You’d think with all the emphasis on classical music, that his musical tastes wouldn’t be hard to predict. “I like all different kinds of music,” Matt says, dispelling that assumption. From hip hop to pop to rap, to musical theater, to Disney show tunes, Matt’s musical tastes are quite varied. “I like the Beatles, Doja Cat and Michael and Janet Jackson,” he says, although he adds that he is not a fan of heavy metal or any other music that isn’t very complex. One of his favorite types of music is French impressionist music, and we’ll get to hear him play some of it this Sunday morning during the Prelude!
And because this seems to be a requirement among most of our church staff, Matt also is a cat owner. He will, without too much arm twisting, proudly show you photos of his adorable kitten, Mango.
We are so excited to open this new chapter in the music ministry of our church. Pastor Bruce is thrilled that Matt has taken on this assignment, and he looks forward to working with him to continue the rich musical tradition of traditional hymns, world music and other music that has come to characterize our traditional worship here at LCC.
Welcome to LCC, Matt!
