Matthew Cochran
Guitarist/Composer
“Commanding stage presence, intimate expression and inventive interpretation” Soundboard
American Guitarist/Composer Matthew Cochran is establishing a bold new repertoire for the guitar in the 21st century. Combining elements of romanticism, minimalism and popular music, Cochran’s compositions are performed by a growing list of leading concert artists and ensembles. No Depression raves “The pure emotive quality of Cochran’s music pulls you into its embrace and empties your heart with every note.” Cochran’s original works are published by Les Editions d’Oz.
As a performer, Cochran is praised for his “commanding stage presence, intimate expression and inventive interpretation” (Soundboard). In addition to his own music, Cochran performances often include works by luminaries from Bach to Rodrigo to Richter, plus frequent collaborates with exciting, original compositional voices including Steve Reich, Edie Hill and Jacob Ter Veldhuis, who writes “I’m so impressed with Matthew’s performance [of my music]. The sounds he gets out of his guitar are gorgeous, the overall interpretation is splendid, his technique is fabulous, plus the mix is much to my taste. Bravo!!”
"Artfulness in composition is almost a trademark of Cochran’s work” No Depression
In the 2022-2023 season, Cochran premiered Sean Hickey’s Arroyo Secco for solo classical guitar and Jim Stephenson’s Unfettered concerto for guitar and wind ensemble. In 2023-2024, Cochran will premiere Sean Hickey’s Congregant Settings for guitar and wind ensemble, Thomas Childs’ Circumspection for solo guitar, two original works for solo guitar (Two Young Fish, written for Stephen Mattingly, and a currently untitled sonata) and two major works for guitar duo (Pale Blue Dot and Like Tears from a Star, written for and recorded by Cochran & McAllister).
Cochran’s many recordings, performances and interviews have been featured on National Public Radio (NPR), British Broadcasting Company (BBC), Radio Poland and Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC); podcasts and web series including Gallery of Guitar, One-Track Podcast, This is Classical Guitar, and Classical Guitar Insider, syndicated radio programs such as Latino USA and Classical Guitar Alive. He is a frequent guest on Interlochen Public Radio’s In Studio A and Kids Commute and Cochran’s performance of Rodrigo’s Concerto de Aranjuez has been featured on Great Lakes Concerts. Cochran is often sought out by recording artists for his work as an audio and video producer.
Featured on National Public Radio (NPR), British Broadcasting Company (BBC), Radio Poland and Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)
"Strong, nuanced, textured performances with compelling dynamics and a beautiful sound” Classical Guitar Magazine
From 2014-2016, Cochran wrote, produced and hosted Goes2Eleven, a popular podcast about the world of the guitar which reached over 10,000 weekly listeners. Cochran currently co-hosts the YouTube series Duo Talk, a lively, informative and at times irreverent exploration of the world of the guitar with his partner, Scottish virtuoso Matthew McAllister. Cochran & McAllister premiered their duo project in 2023 with tours in Scotland and the U.S. The pair quickly established themselves as a major new voice in the guitar world through a combination of unique, accessible programming and their easygoing onstage rapport.
Cochran is an in-demand lecturer, ensemble coach and conductor. He has presented at guitar festivals, performing arts high schools and colleges throughout the U.S., U.K., Europe and Canada, including the Eastman School of Music, Louden All-County Guitar Festival, and the Classic Art Festival (Serbia). Dr. Cochran is Guitar Instructor at Interlochen Arts Academy, and he directs the Interlochen Classical Guitar Summer Intensive. Dr. Cochran’s students have been awarded scholarships to some of the finest Universities and Conservatories in the U.S. including the Juilliard School, Peabody Institute, Eastman School of Music, New England Conservatory, San Francisco Conservatory, University of Southern California, Berklee College of Music, Manhattan School of Music, Cleveland Institute of Music, University of Miami, California Institute of the Arts, Oberlin College, Belmont University, University of Texas Austin, Florida State University, Columbus University, Stetson University, and many more. Dr. Cochran's students have been featured on National Public Radio's From the Top and performances from the Interlochen Guitar program have been featured on American Public Media's Performance Today.
An active member of the classical guitar community, Cochran serves on the Board of Trustees of the Guitar Foundation of America. Cochran holds a Doctorate in Classical Guitar Performance from the Florida State University College of Music, and a Masters and Bachelors in Classical Guitar Performance from the Eastman School of Music. His primary teachers were Bruce Holzman and Nicholas Goluses.