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the 68th annual
MATTHAY PIANO FESTIVAL
Boise, Idaho
"Bridging Past & Future:
20th-Century Pedagogy for 21st-Century Students."
20th-Century Pedagogy for 21st-Century Students."
Discovering, codifying, and teaching how best to play the piano is a question that has captivated pianists for generations. The pianists who have offered an answer for posterity provide us with fascinating, diverse solutions. In the present, students of the instrument must embrace the challenge to constantly evaluate approaches old and new, balancing tradition with innovation. And as every serious pianist knows, we are all forever students.
British pianist, pedagogue, and author Tobias Matthay developed one such comprehensive approach to playing the piano. He describes details of his method across many books such as The Act of Touch in All its Diversity, Musical Interpretation, and The Visible and Invisible in Pianoforte Technique. The ripple effects of his pedagogy are still felt today.
The common theme of the 2026 Festival of the American Matthay Association is "Bridging Past & Future: 20th-century Pedagogy for 21st-century Students." We center our discussion this
year on Matthay's approach in dialogue with other historical pedagogies, with an emphasis on how these historic approaches can still help students today. In so doing, we hope to preserve
and pass along the pianistic wisdom of bygone centuries.
RIGHT: C. Kay Robertson's painting of Tobias Matthay (1899) now hangs in the Royal Academy of Music
Robert Hamilton on Teaching Artistry
ROBERT HAMILTON
has been described by Harold Schonberg, the noted critic of the New York Times, as a pianist of "color and sensitivity" whose "performance of Chopin's F minor Ballade is one of the best of the million or so around," and Donal Henahan, also of the New York Times, has labeled him "a major talent." Recognized internationally as a brilliant performer, Hamilton is also a noted teacher whose students have distinguished themselves across the globe. Now a professor emeritus at Arizona State University, where he served for over 40 years, he has won the respect and devotion of scores of dedicated students and colleagues. Born and reared in South Bend, Indiana, his early performing career was expedited by three grants from the Martha Baird Rockefeller Fund for Music, which led to debuts charged with excitement in New York and the musical capitals of Europe. He has also received more grants from the U.S. Department of State's Institute of International Education than any other musician. He has performed with the Chicago Symphony, the St. Louis Symphony, the National Symphony (Washington), and other leading orchestras throughout the United States and abroad, with solo appearances in Carnegie Hall, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and even the White House. He has recorded for Philips, Orion, and Summit Records, and for radio networks including NPR, the BBC, ABC, the Voice of America, Radio Warsaw, and DRS Zurich.
Since its publication in 2021, his landmark book Artistry: Pursuing the Mysteries of Music Performance, written in collaboration with the late musicologist Robert Demaree, has been widely praised by noted performers and scholars, including the late Byron Janis, who lauds it as "A book that should be read by all young artists," and Alexander Toradze, who describes it as "A superb book," with a value that "cannot be overestimated." This work has also been described as "unprecedented," revealing a path for "turning ordinary performing into true artistry." Its chapters explore "the essence of the composer's initial inspiration that came to life before it was committed to the page," an inspiration that "often eludes performers who are merely trying to execute the score 'correctly'. The authors of Artistry offer ways in which the realization of music can approach the lofty dimensions of the masters' creations themselves."
Included with the book are recorded, illustrative performances accessible here that demonstrate various artistic approaches to selected piano works.
Click here to learn about the Clara Wells Fellowships for 2026
STEPHEN BEUS
has been described by Fanfare Magazine as "strikingly original" with "an interpretive voice all his own." Within just four months, he garnered first prizes in both the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition and the Vendome Prize International Competition (Lisbon), and was named the Max I. Allen Fellow of the American Pianists Association (Indianapolis). He made his Carnegie Hall debut performing Prokofiev's Third Piano Concerto with the Juilliard Orchestra under James DePreist, following his win in the Juilliard School Concerto Competition. Since then, he has appeared as soloist with leading orchestras including the Gulbenkian Symphony (Lisbon), Oxford Philomusica, Tivoli Symphony (Copenhagen), Tbilisi National Opera Orchestra, and numerous symphonies across the United States. As a recitalist and chamber musician, he has performed in major venues such as Wigmore Hall, Salle Gaveau and Salle Cortot (Paris), Teatro San Carlo (Naples), Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, the Shanghai Oriental Arts Center, and the Central Conservatory in Beijing. His concert tours have taken him to over 20 countries across Europe, Asia, North Africa, and the Americas, with performances at notable festivals and series including the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts (Chicago), the International Keyboard Institute and Festival (New York), and the Fazioli Piano Series. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram has written that "We had just about given up hope that America would ever again produce a great native-born pianist. Then... Stephen Beus stepped on stage to present a remarkable performance of one of the most beautiful and difficult works in the piano literature, Rachmaninov's Concerto No. 3." In addition to his performance career, Mr. Beus is a passionate and highly sought-after teacher. His students have achieved remarkable success, winning prizes at both national and international piano competitions. Many have gone on to perform around the world, gaining admission to prestigious institutions such as The Juilliard School, the Manhattan School of Music, and the Eastman School of Music, and securing teaching positions at respected universities and conservatories. He holds degrees from Whitman College, The Juilliard School, and Stony Brook University. His principal teachers include Leonard Richter, Robert McDonald, Gilbert Kalish, Christina Dahl, and Paulette Richards. He has recorded for Endeavor Classics, Harmonia Mundi, and Centaur Records, including a complete recording of the solo piano works of Samuel Barber. A Steinway Artist, Stephen Beus is Professor of Piano at Brigham Young University. His website is www.stephenbeuspiano.com
LINDSAY GARRITSON
has performed throughout the United States and abroad since the age of four. She has appeared at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and Place des Arts (Montreal), and has been featured as soloist with the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra, the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, and the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, among others. An award-winning performer, Lindsay has received top prizes at the Montreal International Piano Competition, USASU Boesendorfer International Piano Competition, and the Mozarteum International Chopin Competition (Salzburg). In addition, she has competed in the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and was a finalist for the German Piano Award in Frankfurt, Germany. This past season, Lindsay completed a successful five-city solo recital tour in China. An avid chamber musician, Lindsay has performed with Ani Kavafian, Elmar Oliveira, Carter Brey, Ettore Causa, and Ian Rosenbaum, among many others. She is currently a member of the Bergonzi Piano Trio with violinist Scott Flavin and cellist Ross Harbaugh, and they have released an album featuring Beethoven and Brahms trios. Since 2018, she has been a collaborative pianist for the prestigious Steans Institute at the Ravinia Festival. Lindsay is a passionate advocate for new music, and her Carnegie Hall solo recital debut featured the world premiere of Carl Vine's Piano Sonata No. 4, a work written for her. Concurrently, her second solo album titled Aphorisms: Piano Music of Carl Vine was released. She has also recorded the complete works for flute and piano by Samuel Zyman (Albany Records), and premiered works by composers David Ludwig, Nick Omiccioli, and Polina Nazaykinskaya. Lindsay holds degrees from Principia College (B.A. in Music), the Yale School of Music (M.M. and Artist Diploma), and the University of Miami (D.M.A.). Her piano teachers include Santiago Rodriguez, Boris Berman, Luiz de Moura Castro, Choong-Mo Kang, Zena Ilyashov, Emilio Del Rosario, the late Jane Allen, and Jennifer Lim Judd. Lindsay is currently a visiting assistant professor of piano at the University of Central Florida. Her website is www.lindsaygarritson.com
An Evening of Chamber Music with
BARTON MOREAU, piano
BARTON MOREAU made his solo debut in a New York City performance with the New England Youth Ensemble at the age of 15. He has since performed as a featured soloist with orchestras across the United States, including the Northwest Florida Symphony, the New Orleans Symphony, the Port City Symphony (Mobile, AL), the Mesa Symphony (Arizona), the Gulf Coast Symphony, and the Boise Baroque Orchestra. Moreau's honors include a top prize at the Debose National Piano Competition and a collegiate artist award from the Alabama Music Teachers Association. In 2007, he was a finalist at the World Piano Pedagogy Conference's PIANOvision Most Wanted Piano Competition, an international online competition created by Benjamin Saver. As a collaborative artist, Moreau has performed with a diverse array of distinguished international players, including clarinetists Robert Spring and Jorge Montilla, oboists Andrea Ridilla and Gonzalo Ruiz, violinist Rachel Barton Pine, and composer-violinist Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR). He has appeared at national and international conferences, including those of the College Music Society, International Double Reed Society (IDRS), and the International Clarinet Association (ICA). Other performances include appearances with the Boise Philharmonic Orchestra, and at the McCall Second Sunday Sounds Concert Series (Idaho). Moreau served as principal keyboardist for the Boise Baroque Orchestra from 2012 through 2018. Moreau holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Arizona State University, and a Master of Music degree in piano performance from Indiana University. His collegiate career began at the University of South Alabama, where he was a recipient of the Theodore Presser Award. Moreau's major teachers were Robert Hamilton, Karen Shaw, and Jerry Bush. He has also coached with Lee Luvisi, Fabio Bidini, Mykola Suk, and Leonard Hokanson. Moreau serves as a Lecturer of Music at Boise State, teaching courses in piano, music theory, and music history. In addition to his collegiate teaching and performance activities, he is also an active studio teacher and adjudicator and an active member of the American Matthay Association.
LESLIE MOREAU, clarinet
LESLIE MOREAU is Professor of Music at Boise State University where she teaches clarinet and music theory. She is an active performer and clinician around the country, with recent solo and chamber performances in Salt Lake City, Knoxville, Ostend (Belgium), Las Vegas, Florida, Toronto, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Seattle, and Atlanta. Moreau has performed on several recent CD recordings including Ironwood Trio's debut CD Destiny, released in 2019. She served as Artistic Director for ClarinetFest© 2020 (canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic). Moreau plays clarinet with the Boise Philharmonic and Opera Idaho, and previously with the Phoenix Symphony. She has contributed to The Clarinet, the quarterly journal of the ICA, and currently serves as the ICA's State Chair for Idaho. Moreau received her D.M.A. and M.M. degrees from Arizona State University, where she studied with Robert Spring. Her Bachelor's Degree was earned at Indiana University, studying with Howard Klug. She enjoys outreaching to students in Idaho and the Pacific Northwest region.
Click here to listen to Dr. Moreau perform Dana Wilson's "Liquid Ebony" with the Boise State University Symphonic Winds at the 2011 National College Band Directors Association (CBDNA) Conference.
and LINDA KLINE, viola
LINDA KLINE is Professor of Viola at Boise State. She is also a viola faculty member at the Interlochen Summer Arts Camp. Dr. Kline holds viola performance degrees
from Northwestern University, The Cleveland Institute of Music, and The University of Memphis. Her teachers include Heidi Castleman, Patrick Connolly, Lenny Schranze, and Peter Slowik.
Dr. Kline performs regular recitals throughout the country and abroad. Recent performances include the Virtuosi Festival in Recife, Brazil, solo recitals in Seattle and Memphis, and
collaborations with the Kandinsky Trio, Rothko Trio, Blakemore Trio, and Darkwood Consort. She is a member of the IRIS Orchestra and the Boise Philharmonic and has performed with the
Strings Festival, the Memphis Symphony, the Boise Baroque Orchestra, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the Erie Philharmonic, the Youngstown Symphony, the Spoleto Festival Orchestra,
the Aspen Festival Orchestra, and the Garth Newel Chamber Orchestra.
She is a member of the Pi Kappa Lambda Honors Society in Music and is also an active member of the American String Teacher's Association and the American Viola Society (she co-founded and
is president of the Idaho chapter). She is also a frequent adjudicator and has presented clinics and master classes across the country. In 2006, she presented at the National Conference of
the American String Teachers Association in Kansas City. Most recently, she presented master classes at the University of Washington and the University of Puget Sound.
A recipient of two faculty appreciation awards at Boise State, Dr. Kline has also received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Idaho Commission on the Arts, and the Boise
State University College of Arts and Sciences. For her dissertation, she received the University of Memphis Graduate Document Award.
Founded in 1932 by the Episcopal Church, Boise State University has been awarding baccalaureate and master's degrees since 1965, and today it serves over 27,000 students. Boise State offers more than 100 graduate programs, including Master's and PhD programs in the Colleges of Engineering, and Arts & Sciences, and it received approximately $48 million in research and development funding in 2022.
The Department of Music at Boise State has a rich tradition of musical excellence and has established itself as one of the finest programs in the Northwest.
Located in the heart of Boise, a city with a population of over 480,000, Boise State Music students are actively involved with the Idaho arts community, and often have the opportunity to collaborate and perform with numerous, varied
professional arts groups.
In addition, its Music students often collaborate
with the Boise Philharmonic and Boise Philharmonic Master Chorale, the Boise Baroque Orchestra, the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Opera Idaho and the Treefort Music Festival.
RIGHT: The Morrison Center for the Performing Arts seen from the air
This year's conference hotel is the beautiful Residence Inn by Marriott Boise Downtown/University, located at 1401 S. Lusk Place, which provides large spacious suites with full kitchens—some with multiple bedrooms—along with a daily free hot breakfast buffet. Nestled against the backdrop of Ann Morrison Park and just a short distance from the Boise Greenbelt, the Residence Inn by Marriott is just a two-minute walk from the Boise State campus and less than a mile from the center of Boise's vibrant Downtown area, restaurants, and shops.
The Residence Inn offers complimentary wireless Internet throughout the hotel, as well as an outdoor seasonal pool adjacent to a new outdoor experience with firepit. Other amenities include a fitness center, a fully stocked onsite convenience store, free daily coffee, a spacious onsite laundry room, and same-day dry cleaning.
A daily complimentary shuttle will also be provided directly to Festival activities in the Morrison Center for the Performing Arts.
Festival attendees who book by April 28 may receive the special conference rate of $169 a night. Please click here to make your arrangements.
The city of Boise is served by
Boise Air Terminal (BOI)/Gowen Field, which is currently serviced by eight major carriers,
including Alaska, Allegiant, American, Delta, Frontier, Southwest, and United. It also currently offers from 25 to 28 non-stop flights daily to major destinations.
BOI serviced some 5 million passengers in 2024, and continues growing with major expansions underway. Only
about 3 miles
from the downtown area, a ride by car or taxi usually takes no more than 10 minutes, and Lyft, Uber, and various shuttle services are easily available, all of which may be accessed
here.
Please note: The Residence Inn by Marriott Boise Downtown/University noted above also offers a complimentary shuttle from the airport ground transportation area.
