An Interview with Wharton Arts faculty member Matt King
Pianist, composer, and arranger Matt King, a former Composition Fellowship recipient from the NJ State Council on the Arts, has garnered awards as a semi-finalist at the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition and winner of the Great American Jazz Piano Competition (2000). He toured extensively with the iconic group Blood, Sweat & Tears and served as music director for jazz guitarist Chuck Loeb. He has performed with symphony orchestras across the United States and appeared on The Today Show and Good Morning America. He can be heard at Holland’s renowned North Sea Jazz Festival, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, the Montreal Jazz Festival, and the Cape Town Jazz Festival. Read more here.
Q: What do you enjoy most about teaching?
A: Seeing a student “connect the dots” to enable their musical development.
Q: How has the pandemic changed teaching for you?
A: The pandemic has necessitated a shift to online teaching, which is more challenging, but hopefully still effective.
Q: Favorite work for the piano?
A: Claude Debussy’s Images, Book II.
Q: How are you keeping sane during COVID-19?
A: I’m not! However, staying involved in music is therapeutic.
Matt performed on the first virtual Salon Series concert on Sunday, October 4, 2020. You can watch his performance on WhartonArts.tv. Matt is available for online private piano lessons for all ages and all abilities at Wharton’s Performing Arts School. Contact (908) 790-0700 or info@whartonarts.org for more information.