Matthew Cramer

Recently, Matt has been singing with Chorus Angelicus & Gaudeamus in performances of John Rutter's music, including his Requiem; and with VOCE and the Cathedral of Saint Joseph Schola Cantorum.  In addition to singing, Matt has premiered some of his new compositions - most notably revelation canticle for vocal octet based on texts from the Book of Revelation, which was performed by the NY based group Khorikos at Hartt.

Most recently, Matt was selected to participate in a workshop offered through the Weill Music Institute of Carnegie Hall where, along with 35 other pre-professional singers from around the world he worked under George Steel, former director of NYC Opera and Peter Philips, founder and director of the Tallis Scholars.  The group prepared and performed the culminating concert of Renaissance Master Works alongside the Tallis Scholars at St. Ignatius of Loyola in NYC on Friday, April 17.  In the New York Times Music Review dated April 19, 2015, music critic James R. Oestreich hailed it as "Simply beautiful" ... "the sheer waves of sound had tremendous effect in this excellent acoustical setting."

In the next few months, Matt will have a second performance of his composition Veni, by the Senior Choir of Chorus Angelicus directed by Gabriel Löfvall.  The piece was originally performed by the Greater New Haven Community Chorus' treble choir at their recent fall concert.

Matt will also be participating in concerts with the Hartt School Choirs and Orchestra featuring Haydn's Paukenmesse.  With VOCE, he will be involved in the recording of their third CD, "Music of the Spheres."  Matt's early Music ensemble, Voce Concitato which he founded with three friends, is planning a June concert in Hartford which will likely feature light madrigals on themes of spring.  The group has given performances throughout Connecticut and in Pennsylvania.  In October of 2014, they presented a session at the CT-ACDA Conference, and participated in a masterclass with the Western Wind Vocal Ensemble.  Matt and the other three members of Voce Concitato are looking forward to more performances and recordings in the coming season.

During the summer, Matt will be at the Berkshire Choral Festival in Sheffield, MA, participating as a Conducting Apprentice.  Featured guest conductors this summer at BCF include Erin Freeman, Jane Glover, and Phillip Brunelle.

In addition to receiving a Bachelor of Music Composition from Hartt in May 2013, Matt has also been working on a Graduate Professional Diploma in Music Composition at Hartt over the past two years, studying with Gilda Lyons and David Macbride.  During this time, he has written choral music that has been performed by the Hartt Chamber Choir and Hartt Camerata, orchestral music for Foot in the Door - Hartt's contemporary music ensemble - and incidental music for the Hartt Theater Division's production of Caryl Churchill's TOP GIRLS.

Additionally, he has begun to explore electronic and electroacoustic music.  Two of his short sound pieces were selected for inclusion in ArtsSounds' 2015 "What if in KC/CT?" at the Kansas City Art Institute.  Initiated by faculty from the UMKC Conservatory and the Kansas City Art Institute, ArtSounds explores cross-media expression through creative concert-making.

Over the course of 2014 Matt participated as bass soloist in the CT premiere and recording (to be released late 2015/early 2016) of Brian Coughlin's Requiem, a collaboration between NYC-based new music group, the Fireworks Ensemble, and the choirs of Chorus Angelicus & Gaudeamus.

Matt has performed on numerous occasions with GNHCC in concerts performed by the chorus and GNHCC Chamber Choir.  And now that he is studying at Yale, we look forward to hopefully seeing more of him.  He is always welcome. 

Bravo, Matt!!!