Matthew Dion
Organist/Sacred Musician/Teacher
University of Houston, Moores School of Music, Houston TX
UH Community Arts Academy, Houston TX
Saint Anne's Roman Catholic Church, Houston TX
Repertoire List
(as of June 1st 2023)
Matthew Dion
Matthew Dion 24, is a native of Somerset Massachusetts and a Doctoral of Musical Arts (DMA) candidate in Organ Performance at the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music. He studies organ with Daryl Robinson.
Matthew received his Master of Music degree in Organ at the University of Houston. He received his Bachelor of Music degree in Organ and a Minor in Music History at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music where he studied organ with Dr. Jonathan Moyer, James David Christie, and Arvid Gast.
His other teachers include Jean-Baptiste Robin, Dr. Steven Young, Madeleine Grace, and Normand Gingras for organ; Erik Thompson for piano; Mark Edwards for harpsichord and continuo and Dr. Betsy Cook Weber for conducting.
While Matthew's repertoire varies significantly, he has a particular affinity for early music especially French Classical Music of the 17th and 18th centuries, and 20th century French music, especially the music of blind French composer and organist Jean Langlais. Matthew is considered one of the young leaders in the United States of the performance of his music.
As a collaborative musician, he has recently been a featured accompanist, soloist, or collaborator with the GRAMMY®-winning Houston Chamber Choir in Houston TX under the direction of Robert Simpson, the West Shore Chorale in Lakewood OH under the direction of John Drotleff, the Oberlin College Choir/Musical Union under the direction of Dr. Gregory Ristow, and the Oberlin Arts and Sciences orchestra under the direction of Dr. Tiffany Chang. At Oberlin, he performed and recorded the Saint-Saëns "Organ Symphony" (2019) and movements of Cécile Chaminade's Messe pour deux voix égales (2021). From 2021-2022 Matthew served as the accompanist of the Treble Choir of Houston under the direction of Marianna Parnas-Simpson. In addition, he is a founding member and organist in Reeds and Keys, an oboe and organ concert duo where he performs with his partner and oboist, Anne Pinkerton.
An avid teacher, Matthew maintains a private organ studio of students at all age levels and experiences. He is also on faculty at the University of Houston's Community Arts Academy as an organ teacher. Matthew also serves as a musicology teaching assistant at the Moores School of Music under Dr. Matthew Dirst, department chair.
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He has also traveled to France to coach with numerous French organists including Marie-Louise Langlais and Vincent Warnier.
Matthew additionally has been involved in masterclasses for many keyboard organizations including; The Montreal Organ Festival, American Guild of Organists, and the Westfield Keyboard Society. He has appeared in classes taught by Kola Owolabi, Cherry Rhodes, Peter Sykes, Christa Rakich, Nicole Keller, Alan Morrison, Ken Cowan and Matthew Dirst. Matthew is an active member of the American Guild of Organists, currently serving as Dean of the Southeastern Massachusetts Chapter. He is also an active member of the Association of Anglican Church Musicians (AAM).
Matthew performs as a solo organist throughout the United States. Some notable performance venues include; National City Christian Church, Washington DC, Old West Church, Boston MA, Kings Chapel, Boston MA, Village Church UCC, Wellesley MA, Grace Episcopal Church, Providence RI, Saint Anne's Church and Shrine, Fall River MA, Saint Mary's Church, Newport RI, Saint Stanislaus Church, Cleveland OH, Trinity Lutheran Church, Cleveland OH, Church of the Covenant, Cleveland OH, and Olmsted Community Church, Olmsted Falls OH.
Matthew maintains an active life as a sacred musician with extensive experience in the Roman Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, and Presbyterian faith traditions. He has worked with many important sacred musicians including world renowned conductor Robert Simpson and world renowned pianist and vocal coach Tom Jaber. He currently serves as Assistant Director of Music and Organist at Saint Anne's Roman Catholic Church in Houston TX, one of the largest parishes in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.
Most recently, Matthew served as Organ Scholar at the historic Christ Church Cathedral (Episcopal) in Houston TX, and before that as organist and director of "Music under the Steeple" concert series at First Presbyterian Church in Huron OH.
Matthew is a 2019 winner of the Audrey Mollard Scholarship for Organ from the Tuesday Musical Association in Akron OH. He is also a 2019 Second prize winner of the AGO RCYO/Quimby Organ Competition (chapter round) held in Boston Massachusetts.
In his spare time, Matthew enjoys traveling, cooking, eating at his favorite restaurants, going on rollercoasters, spending time with his partner Anne, and walking his dog, an English Cocker Spaniel named Elizabeth.