Matthew Nelson
Assistant Professor, Clarinet

Matthew.Nelson@uvu.edu
801-863-5307


Matthew Nelson has performed with such diverse musical acts as the Houston Symphony, Take Six,
and Renée Fleming.  His performances throughout the United States and Japan include international
competitions and premieres, the International Clarinet Association’s Young Artist Competition among
them.  An active performer of new music, he has worked closely with many prominent contemporary
composers, including Shulamit Ran, William O. Smith, Joël-François Durand, Diane Thome, and Eric
Flesher.

Mr. Nelson was recently appointed to the faculty of Utah Valley University’s music department. 
He completed his doctoral work in clarinet performance at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music
with the thesis, “Morton Feldman’s Clarinet Works: A Study Through the Words of the Note Man.”  He
received a MM in woodwind performance and a BA with distinction in English from the University of
Washington.  His principal teachers include Dr. Michael Webster, William McColl, Richard Gellman, and
Dr. Scott Wright.

An avid outdoorsman, Mr. Nelson enjoys mountaineering, backpacking, fishing, biking,
and backcountry skiing.  His numerous forays into remote mountain ranges include the first ascent of
an unnamed nunatak in the Centurion Group of the Canadian Selkirks.  When away from the great
outdoors, he takes pleasure in reading and writing, cooking, and, of course, music.