In May of 1895, Matthay performed a new composition at London's
Queen's Hall—a Prelude in C-sharp minor—by a then virtually unknown Sergei Rachmaninoff (lower left). And over 45 years later, he began coaching his young pupil Moura Lympany
as she prepared the composer's complete set of 24 Preludes for their first commercial release on the Decca label. In commemoration of the sesquicentennial of the composer's birth, the year 2023
has brought forth new scholarship and many fresh performances, and this June, the Matthay Festival will feature duo-pianists JOCELYN CHANG
and PHILLIP YOUNG in both of the composer's two-piano Suites, as well as
a complete survey of his four-hand works. In addition, pianist and scholar STEPHEN SIEK will offer a lecture-recital entitled "The Americanization of Sergei Rachmaninoff."
The American Matthay Association is privileged this year to feature two of our most distinguished members, pianists and teachers
who have been acclaimed throughout the world and who bring a lifetime of insights and wisdom to our art.
Our Keynote Speaker will be the esteemed pianist, teacher, and scholar STEWART GORDON (pictured at right), and we will also be joined by Mme
AIKO ONISHI (pictured at left), who will share her thoughts on a lifetime of teaching. For over a quarter of a century, her book
Pianism (pictured below at left) has met with unqualified praise by artists, teachers, and scholars.
Dr. Gordon will deliver two presentations, one shared from the numerous insights he has offered as a professor at the University of Southern California as part of the University's DEI Intitiative.
He will address the keyboard literature of many neglected composers, some of African descent, composers of Latin American
countries, from Asian countries, and moving through
composers from Turkey, Australia, Panama, Middle-Europe, Nordic Countries, South American and Caribbean composers. Dr. Gordon will also offer
an exploration of his widely praised
Beethoven's 32 Piano Sonatas: A Handbook for Performers, (OUP, 2017) (pictured below at right), highly acclaimed
for the historical insights and practical instructional tools he offers for interpreting the Sonatas.
The annual Matthay Festivals are designed to offer participants direct
and
concentrated access to the Matthay teaching principles as they apply at
all levels, including that of the performing artist. Daytime sessions
include lectures, demonstrations, performances, a master class with this year's
CLARA WELLS FINALISTS, and
a recital is heard each evening.
The year 2024 marks the sixty-sixth annual gathering. Previous Matthay
Festivals have taken place at many locations throughout North America,
including the Philips Academy at Andover, Massachusetts, the University
of Maryland, the
University of Central Florida, the Royal Conservatory of Music in
Toronto, San Jose State University, Williams College, the University of South Carolina, Wittenberg
University, the University of Kansas, the
University of
Richmond, East Carolina University, Union University,
Western Carolina University, Texas Wesleyan University, the Eastman School of Music, Arizona State University,
the University of Alabama, The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania State University.
JOCELYN CHANG came to the United States after making her acclaimed piano concerto debut in the National Concert Hall in Taiwan, winning an array of awards, and having her performances broadcast nationally. She has appeared internationally as a guest artist and presented master classes for the Music Teachers’ Association of California, Northern Illinois University, Illinois Wesleyan University, the University of West Georgia, California State University at Fresno, InterHarmony International Music Festival in Italy, and Aletheia University in Taiwan. As an avid chamber musician, Dr. Chang has collaborated with many musicians and faculty artists of the LA Philharmonic, National Symphony Orchestra (Taiwan), and the USC Thornton School of Music. In high demand as an adjudicator for competitions, Dr. Chang has served as a judge for the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) and Music Teachers’ Association of California (MTAC) piano competitions.
PHILLIP YOUNG has been hailed by the Boston Globe as a “pianist of skill and fantasy.” He is a widely acclaimed soloist and chamber musician, having performed throughout the United States and at international venues in Europe, Japan, and Africa. He has appeared in such diverse venues as Stadthaus Winterthur, Switzerland, Hanjo Bohlke Aula, Namibia, the utopian arts community, Arcosanti, and the 13th century Kamakura Buddhist temple, Enkaguji. He made his New York Carnegie Hall debut with the St. Florian Piano Trio, an ensemble that has performed the complete trios of Beethoven, Brahms, and Mozart at one of Tokyo’s most prestigious recital halls, Bunkakaikan. His performances have been broadcast on NHK Television, Japan, Namibian National Radio, KUSC and KPFK in Los Angeles, and WGMS in Washington D.C.
Pepperdine's Music Department, a branch of the Fine Arts Division within the University's Seaver College, is consistently recognized among the top-ranked schools in California and the United States. Pepperdine's music students study with distinguished faculty, leading soloists,
and top studio professionals, including members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the Los Angeles Opera, and the region's
other top professional musical ensembles. The University Choirs, University Orchestra, Flora Thornton Opera Program, Pickford Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Collaborative Arts,
and Chamber Music groups are open to all students by audition, and provide stimulating ensemble experiences. Annual opera and musical theater productions, recitals, concerts,
and masterclasses provide additional performance opportunities. Our evening recitals will occur in the 118-seat Raitt Recital Hall (pictured).
Apartments are configured as two-bedroom units with a common bath, kitchen, and dining area, and the rate is $75 a night per bedroom. A typical floorplan
is shown at right and it may also be enlarged by clicking on the image. Though neither the dorms nor the apartments have air conditioning, Malibu summer temperatures
tend to average in the seventies during the day, with cool nights.
The spacious Rockwell Dining Center (pictured at left) is open to the public and charges (for all you can eat) $13.60 for breakfast, $16.40 for lunch, and $17.85 for dinner.
The beautiful Page Residential Complex (pictured at right) offers apartment-style floorplans such as the one pictured directly above.
Those in search of slightly more luxurious accommodations may wish to stay off campus at the Cambria Calabasas,
located in Calabasas about a 15 to 20-minute drive north of the campus. All Cambria rooms feature free WiFi, Keurig coffee makers, mini-fridges, and 55" StayCast-Enabled TVs.
The Cambria's Malibu Canyon Bar and Grill begins serving breakfast each morning at 6:30 am and offers dinner till 10 pm each evening. Though rates may be subject to change, rooms with king-sized
beds may currently be booked for $220 a night, and rates are considerably lower with AAA membership and numerous other affiliations. Please inquire at the time of booking. Call (747) 293-6777.
Travelers may also want to
consider the smaller, less congested Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) (pictured at right), serviced by Southwest, American, Delta, United, and several other carriers.
The full range of ground transportation options from this airport may be found here, and the average price of an Uber
from BUR to Malibu is about $31. Depending on traffic, both airports may be from 40 minutes to an hour away from the Pepperdine campus.
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