Matthew Taylor

Matthew Taylor

Matthew Taylor is an English composer and conductor, born in London in 1964. He attends the Junior Royal Academy of Music and studies composition at Queens' College, Cambridge, with Robin Holloway, before continuing at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the Royal Academy of Music. He later studies with Robert Simpson and Sir Malcolm Arnold.

Conducting

As a conductor, Taylor trains with Robin Page, Vilem Tausky and Leonard Bernstein at the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival. He appears as guest conductor with the English Chamber Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, City of London Sinfonia, Royal Ballet Sinfonia, European Community Chamber Orchestra and St Petersburg State Academic Orchestra. He also records for Hyperion and Dutton.

Composition

Taylor’s works are performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, John McCabe, Martyn Brabbins, George Hurst, Richard Watkins and Raphael Wallfisch. He conducts the first performances of pieces by Robert Simpson, Vagn Holmboe, David Matthews and James Francis Brown.

Roles and affiliations

He serves as Artistic Director of the Malvern Festival, Composer in Residence at Blackheath Halls, Associate Composer of ensemble Sound Collective, Artistic Director of the Royal Tunbridge Wells International Music Festival and Artistic Director of the St Petersburg British Music Festival. He is also a lecturer in composition at the Royal Academy of Music and teaches composition at the Junior Academy.