Matthew​ ​Mazanek​ ​is​ ​a​ ​guitarist​ ​from​ ​New​ ​York​ ​and​ ​considers​ ​teaching​ ​one​ ​of​ ​his​ ​primary passions.​ ​With​ ​experience​ ​teaching​ ​students​ ​of​ ​all​ ​ages​ ​and​ ​backgrounds​ ​Matthew​ ​considers​ ​teaching and​ ​mentoring​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​most​ ​important​ ​musical​ ​activities​ ​a​ ​trained​ ​musician​ ​can​ ​engage​ ​in.​ ​

While​ ​in New​ ​York​ ​Matthew​ ​maintained​ ​a​ ​busy​ ​private​ ​studio​ ​teaching​ ​guitar​ ​and​ ​music​ ​theory​ ​and​ ​has​ ​worked with​ ​students​ ​with​ ​varying​ ​disabilities​ ​including​ ​Cerebral​ ​Palsy,​ ​and​ ​ADHD​ ​and​ ​autism.​ ​

Matthew​ ​is currently​ ​in​ ​Ireland​ ​pursuing​ ​his​ ​doctorate​ ​in​ ​music​ ​at​ ​the​ ​Royal​ ​Irish​ ​Academy​ ​of​ ​Music​ ​where​ ​he​ ​is on​ ​the​ ​musicianship​ ​and​ ​strings​ ​faculty​ ​teaching​ ​classical​ ​guitar​ ​lessons​ ​and​ ​musicianship​ ​classes.

Bringing​ ​together​ ​a​ ​wide​ ​variety​ ​of​ ​influences​ ​in​ ​his​ ​pedagogical​ ​approach​ ​Matthew​ ​has cultivated​ ​a​ ​style​ ​of​ ​teaching​ ​that​ ​believes​ ​in​ ​total​ ​musicianship​ ​training,​ ​not​ ​just​ ​instrumental​ ​prowess. Ear​ ​training,​ ​analysis,​ ​training​ ​a​ ​students​ ​musical​ ​judgement​ ​and​ ​creativity​ ​are​ ​all​ ​of​ ​primary​ ​focus​ ​and he​ ​views​ ​technique​ ​and​ ​instrumental​ ​ability​ ​as​ ​stepping​ ​stones​ ​to​ ​their​ ​cultivation.​ ​Some​ ​of​ ​his​ ​biggest influences​ ​are​ ​the​ ​teachings​ ​of​ ​Dalcroze,​ ​Kodaly,​ ​and​ ​more​ ​theoretically,​ ​Paulo​ ​Freire.​ ​

These​ ​sources produce​ ​a​ ​pedagogy​ ​ripe​ ​with​ ​not​ ​only​ ​instrumental​ ​learning,​ ​but​ ​composition,​ ​improvisation,​ ​chamber music​ ​techniques​ ​and​ ​ear​ ​training.

Matthew’s​ ​doctoral​ ​research​ ​topics​ ​include​ ​classical​ ​guitar​ ​improvisation​ ​and​ ​guitar​ ​pedagogy however​ ​he​ ​began​ ​his​ ​studies​ ​with​ ​Mike​ ​Belajonas​ ​on​ ​Long​ ​Island,​ ​New​ ​York.​ ​He​ ​then​ ​went​ ​on​ ​to receive​ ​his​ ​Bachelors​ ​in​ ​Music​ ​in​ ​classical​ ​guitar​ ​performance​ ​from​ ​SUNY​ ​Fredonia​ ​studying​ ​under Evan​ ​Drummond​ ​and​ ​Jim​ ​Piorkowski.​ ​He​ ​received​ ​his​ ​masters​ ​degree​ ​in​ ​2016​ ​from​ ​the​ ​Manhattan School​ ​of​ ​Music​ ​under​ ​the​ ​tutelage​ ​of​ ​Mark​ ​Delpriora.

As​ ​a​ ​performer​ ​Matthew​ ​has​ ​performed​ ​at​ ​the​ ​collegiate​ ​level​ ​in​ ​festivals​ ​and​ ​has​ ​performed​ ​in the​ ​United​ ​States​ ​and​ ​Europe​ ​in​ ​both​ ​solo​ ​performances​ ​and​ ​with​ ​various​ ​ensembles​ ​including​ ​the Fredonia​ ​Guitar​ ​Quartet,​ ​the​ ​SCCC​ ​Jazz​ ​Ensemble,​ ​the​ ​Royal​ ​Irish​ ​Academy​ ​of​ ​Music​ ​Baroque​ ​Opera, in​ ​duo​ ​with​ ​voice,​ ​violin,​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​in​ ​an​ ​eclectic​ ​indie​ ​rock​ ​band​ ​Sleepyhead.​

​His​ ​solo​ ​performances include​ ​the​ ​standard​ ​classical​ ​guitar​ ​repertoire​ ​but​ ​Matthew​ ​specializes​ ​in​ ​new​ ​music​ ​and​ ​includes​ ​free improvisation​ ​as​ ​an​ ​artistic​ ​pursuit.