Mr. Matt Belzer

Multi-instrumentalist/composer Matt Belzer has a diverse musical life. By age 22, he had received two degrees from the prestigious Eastman School of Music, having studied with Bill Dobbins, Fred Sturm, and Ramon Ricker. Since then, Matt has dedicated himself to projects ranging from traditional jazz to noise punk rock, R&B, contemporary chamber music, and modern creative jazz. In addition to his numerous projects, he is a very active freelance musician, regularly performing on woodwinds at the Kennedy Center, the National Theatre, and various theaters and concert halls in the region. He has performed with artists including Smokey Robinson, Hugh Jackman, CeeLo Green, Chaka Khan, Barry Manilow, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Bernadette Peters, Ariana DeBose and Renée Fleming.

His compositions are published on Advance Music, UNC Jazz Press, and his own Matobelu Music. He has been honored by Downbeat magazine, the Jazz Composers Alliance and the Maryland State Arts Council. Most recently, he is a member of the Afro-Cuban jazz group the Anansi Trio and has released two albums featuring his original work.

He is the Director of Jazz Studies at UMBC where he directs the jazz ensemble, teaches jazz courses, teaches saxophone, and collaborates with faculty and students.