The Oberlin College Choir performs a wide variety of pieces with texts by William Shakespeare. Matthew is featured in this concert as conductor for Fanny Hensel’s “Unter des Laubdachs Hut” and organist for John Tavener’s “Song for Athene”.

Matthew will open the Oberlin Composition Department’s fall recital with the premiere of “The Breath of Bear.” This work for SSAATTBB chorus sets a poem by Matthew’s friend Patricia Lee Lewis.

“In August of 2024 I was sitting in the audience for an open rehearsal of Beethoven’s Triple‬‭ Concerto at Tanglewood Music Center. A woman seated next to me noticed me following along with the orchestral score, and we struck up a conversation about the music and the travels that brought us there. We hit it off fast and shared our thoughts throughout the rehearsal. I learned that she is an accomplished poet and‬ literary instructor, and we were soon pen pals, exchanging our work, ideas, and experiences. Collaborating on a choir piece seemed to be a natural step for this composer-poet friendship.

In her poem“The Breath of Bear”, Patricia Lee Lewis describes a peaceful burial. The speaker views their return to the land with a sense of tranquility. Their voice will live on in the sounds and the silence of the natural world, and their example will lead others to understanding. They recognize that all beings and all things are made of the same‬ dust. We are connected to the Earth from the beginning, no worldly accomplishments or investments required. I hope that by setting this text, I can help listeners feel this fundamental connection among all beings and between all beings and the Earth. We all belong in this shared space. Perhaps this is‬‭ the same connection which facilitates a friendship between a composer and poet separated by‬ hundreds of miles and nearly 70 years.‬”

-Matthew

During communion, Matthew will conduct the premiere of a new motet titled “Volo ergo viros orare”. Matthew recently took on the role of music director for Oberlin Newman liturgies, and composed this piece as a gift for the community and the singers with whom he works.

Conductor Raphael Jiménez and the Oberlin Orchestra premiere Matthew’s symphonic poem “All safe. Home gone.” alongside performances of Arlene Sierra’s "Kiskadee” and Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 “Pastoral.”

Read more: https://barharborstory.com/2025/08/29/oberlin-orchestra-to-present-world-premiere-of-acadia-national-park-inspired-work/

Matthew conducts his the premiere of his anthem “May the Peoples Praise You” at St. Mark Catholic Church. The work for choir, organ, piano, and bells draws text from Psalm 67, Ephesians 4, and the last written prayer of St. Thomas More.

Matthew takes up the baton in the culminating event of the LEAD cooperative 2025 composition program.

Matthew joins Oberlin Sinfonietta on piano to perform “Idylls Lost” by his composition professor, Jesse Jones.

Celebrate Earth Day with the Now Chorale! This concert features six world premieres of pieces by Max Lang, Jonny Ollendorf, Zola Saadi-Klein, Katya Mueller, Oliver Hecht, and Jaco Richter. The program is united in emphasis on climate and sense of place and a special series of collaborations between creators in Oberlin’s composition and creative writing departments. Approximately 50 performers in total will grace the stage, including singers, a chamber orchestra, a rock band.

Matthew Brown, Conductor and Artistic Director

Presented by the Oberlin Film Coop, this screening event will feature the premiere of Asher Kaye’s Like Royalty with an original score composed and conducted by Matthew. Also featured on the soundtrack are the voices of the Now Chorale!

Celebrate Earth Day with the Now Chorale! This concert features six world premieres of pieces by Max Lang, Jonny Ollendorf, Zola Saadi-Klein, Katya Mueller, Oliver Hecht, and Jaco Richter. The program is united in emphasis on climate and sense of place and a special series of collaborations between creators in Oberlin’s composition and creative writing departments. Approximately 50 performers in total will grace the stage, including singers, a chamber orchestra, a rock band.

Matthew Brown, Conductor and Artistic Director

The latest installment in a long-running collaboration between Oberlin Conservatory, University of Michigan, and Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings, the Trombonic Boom Quartet premieres Matthew’s new work “Visioning on the vacant air.” The piece takes its title for a line in Thomas Hardy’s “The Roman Road” and draws heavily on the influences of Notre Dame polyphony and medieval isorhythm.

Matthew conducts his own chamber work “Rat Race” as part of his composition class’s Midway Concert.

The Cardinal Chamber Orchestra, a new conductorless string ensemble, gives the premiere performance of Matthew’s “Reel Rebellion.”

Matthew makes his opera conducting debut, leading Oberlin Opera Theater’s production of The Infinite Energy of Ada Lovelace by Kamala Sankaram.

Matthew makes his opera conducting debut, leading Oberlin Opera Theater’s production of The Infinite Energy of Ada Lovelace by Kamala Sankaram.

Matthew shares the piano with Frazar Henry, accompanying Lisa Stidham in a performance of “Thank You” by Sarah Gibson and Thomas Kotcheff.

On Sunday November 17th at 7:30 PM, the Now Chorale returns to Sacred Heart Church to share an evening of new music with ancient words. Program highlights include the world premieres of “Psalm 77 (Yes, I Will Remember)” by Chloe Arnold (Oberlin ‘26) and “Because a Poet Sang,” an eight-movement cantata on Homeric texts composed and conducted by Sacred Heart organist Matthew Brown (Oberlin ‘26). All are welcome. No tickets required!

Matthew performs on piano alongside Blake Logan (cello), Ryan Gao (clarinet), and Grace Hofer (violin) in “Dawn Variations” by Jacob Richter.

On Sunday November 17th at 7:30 PM, the Now Chorale returns to Sacred Heart Church to share an evening of new music with ancient words. Program highlights include the world premieres of “Psalm 77 (Yes, I Will Remember)” by Chloe Arnold (Oberlin ‘26) and “Because a Poet Sang,” an eight-movement cantata on Homeric texts composed and conducted by Sacred Heart organist Matthew Brown (Oberlin ‘26). All are welcome. No tickets required!

Matthew leads the offstage chorus in Oberlin Opera Theater’s production of Cendrillon by Jules Massenet.

Matthew leads the offstage chorus in Oberlin Opera Theater’s production of Cendrillon by Jules Massenet.

Matthew leads the offstage chorus in Oberlin Opera Theater’s production of Cendrillon by Jules Massenet.

Matthew leads the offstage chorus in Oberlin Opera Theater’s production of Cendrillon by Jules Massenet.

Matthew conducts the world premiere of Benjamin Muir’s “Turbulence” for orchestra.

Matthew joins Oberlin Sinfonietta on piano to perform “Idylls Lost” by his composition professor, Jesse Jones.