Vocalist, Historian to Perform, Present Master Class

The SUNY Buffalo State Music Department is hosting Matthew Hoch, a multi-instrumentalist and music historian, for a concert and master class October 9 and 10 in the Louis P. Ciminelli Recital Hall.

The baritone, saxophonist, conductor, and voice teacher will sing Schumann and Ravel in a recital Wednesday, October 9, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10; students with ID are admitted for free. He will present a free master class in vocal pedagogy on Thursday, October 10, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m.

“Matthew is an excellent vocal scientist,” said Holly Bewlay, vocalist and assistant professor of music who invited Hoch to the campus. “He looks at voice from an artistic point of view as well from scientific and historical points of view.”

Hoch earned his bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from Ithaca College in vocal performance, music education, and music theory. He later earned his master of music degree from the Hartt School in vocal performance and music history followed by a doctor of musical arts degree from the New England Conservatory in vocal performance and literature.

He currently serves as assistant professor of voice at Auburn University. Hoch also maintains an active schedule as a performer and is the author of three books, including the forthcoming, A Dictionary for the Modern Singer, which will be published in 2014 by Scarecrow Press. He also is editor of VoicePrints, the journal of the New York Singing Teachers’ Association.

“He thinks differently than someone who performs all the time,” Bewlay said. “He uses both the left and the right sides of his brain. I wanted our students to see that perspective.”

For more information or to order tickets to the October 9 performance, call (716) 878-3005.