ABOUT MATTHEW

Originally from Virginia Beach and a graduate of the Governor's School for the Arts in Norfolk, VA, Matthew Gray is an arts administrator, horn player, pianist, and music educator currently residing in Washington, DC. As an advocate for education and the performing arts, Matthew has devoted his musical life to keeping the arts relevant in our ever-changing world.

As a horn player, Matthew has performed with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Virginia Symphony, Santa Rosa Symphony, Symphony San Jose, San Jose Opera, Broadway San Jose, Windscape, and Carnegie Hall’s American Soundscapes Ensemble, led by composer John Adams and conductor David Robertson. He can be heard on Blizzard Entertainment’s World of Warcraft and Overwatch franchise soundtracks and has played alongside such artists as Arturo Sandoval, “Weird” Al Yankovic, Rita Moreno, and Gabby Moreno. As a pianist, Matthew has played with Eighth Blackbird and the Yale Percussion Group and is a winner of the 2017 Yale School of Music Chamber Music Competition.

Matthew currently serves as the Major Gifts and Membership Associate for the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery where he helps further the Portrait Gallery’s mission to tell the story of America by portraying the people who shape the nation’s history, development, and culture. Previously, Matthew worked for Music@Menlo Chamber Music Festival and Institute, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute, and for the Yale School of Music Concert Production Office.

Matthew graduated from the Eastman School of Music with a bachelor of music in Horn Performance and a bachelor of music education. He also received a master of music degree from the University of Maryland, where he was a pilot member of the acclaimed Graduate Fellowship Wind Quintet program and a master of musical arts degree from the Yale School of Music. His primary teachers include William Purvis, Peter Kurau, Greg Miller, James Ross, and natural horn with Derek Conrod.