150 Fisher Court, Clawson MI, 48017
Instruments:Piano
Styles:Classical, Jazz, Blues, Kids
Levels:Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
Experience:20 years
Rate:$50 / hr
Personal Statement
Matthew Ball holds a B.A. in both Music & History with honors from Oakland University, as well as a J.D. from the University of Detroit. Author of 2 books on piano blues & boogie-woogie and an active performer, he has maintained a successful teaching studio for 22 years. Matthew offers instruction in varied disciplines including ragtime, blues, boogie-woogie, classical, baroque, romantic, modern, theory, arrangement, and ear training.
His students have been the recipients of many recognitions but most prominent are those of two pupils receiving university music scholarships–the first with an award of $10,000 in 2002, and another with an award of over $4,000 in 2006. More recently, Matthew had two additional students win scholarship awards exceeding $800 to attend the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, and a graduating pupil named as a 2010 winner of The Pontiac-Oakland Symphony Young Artist Competition.
In 2011 Matthew began teaching online with Skype, and by 2012 a young blues & boogie-woogie student of his located in Colorado placed 1st in a ‘Stars of Tomorrow’ contest, which awarded him financial prizes totaling $2,250, an invitation to perform in a local jazz festival, and a performance and interview appearance on both radio and television. He teaches to people around the globe today, including places like Israel, Malaysia, England, Germany, France, and throughout the entire U.S. and Canada.
Education / Training
Matthew Ball is a graduate of Oakland University and The University of Detroit. He holds degrees in Music, History and Law. He trained classically at Oakland University with the internationally renown classical pianist Flavio Varani, a graduate of The Paris Conservatory and Manhattan School of Music, who traced his own pedigree of study back to Chopin himself!
Later in life, Matthew left the practice after he attended a hometown boogie-woogie festival. He was so awestruck by the performances he saw that night, he left his career as an attorney to become a blues & boogie-woogie performing artist. With a lot of time, work, and effort over the next few years Ball would reach a breakthrough in 2005 with a career launching performance at the exclusive Arches Piano Stage in Cincinnati where he shared the stage with some of the same musicians that first inspired him to play back in 2001.
Video
Amazing Grace
Same Old Blues
Live NewsCast
Chop Stick Boogie
Information about Online Skype Lessons