Alumni Spotlight: Matthew Smith

Music alumnus Matthew Smith (M.M. '15, cello) shares his Boston Conservatory experience from a global perspective.

I am a cellist who loves making people excited about classical music.

My education at Boston Conservatory went far beyond instrumental training. It also helped me become a passionate ambassador for my art. During my time at the Conservatory, I grew into a musician who uses my art to create community.

Over the summer of 2014, I had the opportunity to travel to China and teach music to students from the suburbs of Beijing. While I was there, we explored the historical context in which great pieces of music were written and how, as young performers, they have the power to communicate that history through their performance.

I am continually inspired by music's ability to unite and transform groups of people. One morning in Beijing, as the class scurried in, I played a recording of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23. The bustling chatter immediately gave way to a peaceful calm as all ears focused on the arresting simplicity of Mozart's music.

The support I received from my teachers and colleagues at the Conservatory has helped me blossom into a professional musician who is inspired to excite others about the power of classical music. In my own life, I turn to music to feed my soul and bring peace to my heart, and I find it a vital responsibility to share this healing power of music with communities around me.