New Hampshire-born pianist Matthew Odell began his studies at age 10 and has since won acclaim for performances of a wide range of repertoire as a solo recitalist, soloist with orchestra, and chamber musician.  He has been hailed as “excellent” by the New York Times and “brilliant...playing with total commitment and real abandon” by Gramophone.  Recent concerts have included such diverse projects as Messiaen’s Des canyons aux étoiles, with Maestro David Robertson and the Juilliard Orchestra for the reopening of Alice Tully Hall, a performance in the New York Philharmonic’s Stravinsky festival, and a six-concert tour of Taiwan with the Hampton Trio.  In addition to performances at Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall in New York and the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, Mr. Odell has appeared throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia.

A passionate advocate of the music of our time, Mr. Odell frequently premieres works written for him. He has performed contemporary repertoire with the New Juilliard Ensemble, the AXIOM Ensemble, and the American Art Song Festival, a group he founded in 2004.  In addition, he has worked with many prominent composers, including Pierre Boulez, John Corigliano, Ned Rorem, Mark Adamo, Michel Merlet, and Robert Aldridge.  Mr. Odell’s affinity for the music of Olivier Messiaen has been seen in many critically acclaimed performances of the composer’s works with orchestra, chamber ensembles, singers, and in an ongoing project to perform all of Messiaen’s solo piano literature. Recent recitals include a program of the music of Messiaen and his students and a tribute to Messiaen’s wife, Yvonne Loriod.

Mr. Odell is a founding member of the Hampton Trio, a group actively involved in presenting outstanding pieces from the established repertoire alongside newly-commissioned works.  Mr. Odell’s special love of the art song repertoire has resulted in countless recitals with singers from around the world.   He serves on the coaching faculty of the Académie internationale d’été de Nice in France.

Mr. Odell currently teaches at Keene State College and The Juilliard School, where he graduated with a doctoral degree.  He has studied and worked with Margo Garrett, Marian Hahn, Karl-Heinz Kämmerling, Ann Schein, Laurence Morton, Leon Fleisher, Richard Goode, and Ian Hobson.

Visit his website:  http://www.matthewodell.com/