ABOUT
Matthew Brand is a 17-year old artist, composer, producer, and performer emerging as one of the most exciting young voices in New York's Music Scene. A classically trained pianist since the age of 4, Matthew has studied at Mannes Prep under concert pianist Donna Weng Friedman. He also has a strong background in jazz and composition, having played in jazz bands for the last 10 years and composing since he first touched the piano. Matthew's deep musical foundation is evident in everything he creates, from his genre-bending compositions to his emotionally rich songwriting. His original classical & jazz concerto for piano and orchestra Fusion Fantasy as well as his 2024 self-titled EP have received critical acclaim.
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Matthew has been a performer his whole life, and for the past few years has been gigging regularly across New York City and Long Island, both as a solo artist and as a member of the high-energy 80's cover band, The Cherry Bombs. He has taken the stage at some of New York's most iconic venues, including The Bitter End, The Delancey, Mercury Lounge, and Stephen Talkhouse. ​As a solo artist, Matthew spent the entirety of his sophomore year in high school writing, rehearsing, recording, and producing his self-titled EP. The 5 songs released in 2024 showcase a fun and inventive piano-driven pop sound with hints of rock, jazz, and funk. Most recently, he followed it up with the new single Afterglow, released in May 2025. Finally, it all comes together for his first full solo show at the Brooklyn Music Kitchen through Breaking Sound on September 25.​
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MY RESUME:
Education
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Horace Mann School (Bronx, NY) Expected Graduation Date June 2026 (2011-present)
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The New School: Mannes Prep - Clara Mannes Scholar's Program for Honors Classical Piano and Composition (2016-present)
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Litchfield Jazz Camp (Summers 2023 + 2024)
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NYU Tisch, Clive Davis Summer High School (Summer 2025)
Relevant Classes
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Classical Piano - Instructor Donna Weng Friedman (2013-present)
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Composition - Instructor Dr. Steven Sacco (2016-present)
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Jazz Piano & Composition - Instructor Adam Dyer in London, England (Summers 2017, 2018, 2023, 2024)
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Songwriting, Production, Vocal Performance - Instructor Jason Pomerantz (2014-present)
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Mannes Prep Jazz Ensemble - Instructors Joe Ravo and Martin Shapiro (2017-Present)
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Private Guitar Lessons - Instructor Joe Ravo (2024-present)
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Horace Mann Concert Glee Club - Instructor Timothy Ho (2024-present)
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Horace Mann Jazz Combo - Instructor Michael Bomwell (2022-present)
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Music Theory + Film Scoring - Instructors Mariano Aguirre, Carlo Valte, Ionel Petroj (2016-present)
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Private Jazz Piano & Theory - Instructor Martin Shapiro (2025)
Recent Experience & Accomplishments
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Performed First Full Solo Show at Brooklyn Music Kitchen through Breaking Sound (September 2025)
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Accepted to New York Songwriter's Circle, Performed 3 Originals at The Bitter End, NYC (August 2025)
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Collaborated with Co-Producer Harper James on single "Afterglow" (Released May 2025)
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Composed Original Classical and Jazz Style Piano Concerto for 22 Piece Orchestra, and chosen by Virtual Concert Halls to perform at Weill Recital Hall and record at DiMenna Center NYC with Orchestra Manhattan conducted by David Wroe. Concerto to be published by Cicerone Music and Arts (April 2025) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21Npot_u3vo
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Wrote, Produced, and Released 5-Song EP of original Pop-Rock Music. (Rehearsed + Recorded at Smash Studios from April-June 2024, and Released July 2024) https://open.spotify.com/album/7IPycxPbE3m7PU8pcgRKvH?si=0048df8330974041
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Performed at Mercury Lounge, Stephen Talkhouse, Pianos, Delancey, and Main Beach Music Festival with Cherry Bombs 80s Cover Band (May 2024-present)
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Revived Horace Mann UrbanAid Charity Rock Concert, Raised $10,000 (May 2024 & 2025)
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Performs Live Gigs with Singers Lola Lama NYU Tisch '24 and Reilly Rose Schombs NYU Gallatin '24 (Summer 2023-present)
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Performed with Horace Mann Jazz Combo on Tour in O'ahu, Hawai'i (Summer 2023)
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Winner: Progressive Musicians Concerto Competition; Performed at Weill Hall with 40-Piece New York Chamber Players' Orchestra Under Maestro Giacomo Franci- 1st Movement of Haydn Concerto in D Major with Original Jazz Cadenza (November 2022)
Contact Me
