Matthew Kimbley is originally from Asheville, NC. His parents recognized his love for music at a young age and enlisted him in piano lessons at the age of five. Two years later, he began to study piano under the tutelage of Dr. John Cobb, internationally acclaimed pianist and pupil of the famed Claudio Arrau. Many great pianists and composers could be found in Arrau’s line, putting Matthew in the direct musical lineage of the likes of Franz Liszt and Ludwig van Beethoven.
During his tenure with Dr. Cobb, Matthew was a two-time first place winner of the Asheville Area Piano Forum (AAPF) Piano Competition, and he won the grand prize for the Junior Division as well. At age ten, he had the opportunity to play with the Hendersonville, NC Youth Symphony as a guest pianist.
At age 11, he moved to Collegedale, TN, where he now resides. At this point, he continued his piano studies with Dr. Peter Cooper, dean of the School of Music at Southern Adventist University (SAU). During his time with Dr. Cooper, Matthew has had the opportunity to perform six solo recitals since 2015.
At age 13, Matthew became the youngest musician ever to win Southern Adventist University’s Concerto Competition (2016), which granted him the opportunity to play the first movement of the Grieg Piano Concerto with the SAU Symphony Orchestra. Matthew has has since had two more opportunities to play with the SAU Orchestra, as he won the Concerto Competition again in 2021 (Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 3, first movement) and 2023 (Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3, third movement). He also was a featured soloist with the East Tennessee Symphony Orchestra (ETSO) in February 2020, performing Rachmaninoff’s Variations on a Theme of Paganini, and he will return to perform Richard Strauss’ Burleske in October 2024. An experienced accompanist, Matthew has worked with numerous soloists, chamber groups, and choirs as a collaborative pianist.
Matthew is also an experienced composer. In 2019, Matthew was chosen as the winner of the Summer Singers Young Composers Competition, making him by far the youngest winner they have had to date. In 2023, Matthew conducted the world premiere of his piece, “Atlantic Overture,” with the SAU Symphony Orchestra. This piece also has the incredible privilege to be performed by the Chattanooga Symphony in September 2024. The SAU Wind Symphony also performed his piece, “The Pursuit of Happiness.” Both pieces have been met with high acclaim.
Many of Matthew’s chamber works were premiered at his senior composition recital in March 2024. He featured as a viola soloist in October 2024 for the premiere of his piece, “Ex Cineribus,” performed by the ETSO. He is also an experienced arranger and has written numerous hymn arrangements for piano solo, in addition to many other instrumentations.
Currently, Matthew, age 21, is a senior double major in Music Theory/Literature and Piano Performance at Southern Adventist University. In addition to his classical performances, Matthew regularly shares his love for hymns through vespers programs and church concerts. He has accompanied several local and professional choirs and has served as a pianist in a variety of churches. He produced a sacred solo album, Marvelous Grace, in May 2023.
Matthew doesn’t only play piano and compose; he also participates in the SAU Symphony Orchestra as principal violist and the SAU Wind Symphony and ETSO as a percussionist. He loves photography and hiking/backpacking, and he has served in various forms of leadership in the last few years. He is also leading a brand new ministry, the Institute of Music Evangelism, to help encourage other Christian musicians to use their music for God’s service. In everything Matthew does, he seeks to serve the Lord and further His work here on earth. His music is only an avenue to be a blessing to those around him and to help them grow closer to Jesus.
