BIOGRAPHY
Matt Jelf is a choral conductor, music educator and baritone based in Sussex, UK
Matt studied for his BA(Hons) at the University of York (2004-2007) as a first study singer with soprano Yvonne Seymour. He was active as an accompanist for singers and instrumentalists, and conducted various projects as well as composing and arranging. After working at the Royal College of Music in an arts administration role, he gained his first full time teaching role as Assistant Director of Music at St Pauls Juniors, London shortly thereafter.
Matt worked with a number of different choirs including Shalford Choral Society (Guildford), The News International Choir (London), the London Gay Men's Chorus, Take Note Chamber Choir, The Blossom Street Singers and Thames Valley Gay Chorus. He held Bass Choral Scholarships at St Martin in the Fields Choir under Andrew Earis and Rochester Cathedral under Scott Farrell, where he also worked with the Rochester Cathedral Chorister Outreach Scheme. Later, Matt worked for Bedfordshire Music Service as an Animateur under Susan Cox, delivering singing workshops in various primary schools.
Matt went on to study for his Postgraduate Diploma in Music Education at the Institute of Education (2011-2014), gaining his first Director of Music position at Aldwickbury Prep, Hertfordshire shortly afterwards (2014-2016). He then relocated to Sussex where he worked as Director of Music at Prebendal School, the cathedral choir school for Chichester (2016-2020). Having spent a year teaching music at The English International School of Padua in North East Italy, and a year working as Director of Performing Arts at Taunton Preparatory School, Matt has returned to Brighton to begin his new role as Director of Music at Cumnor House School, Sussex in September 2022.
Matt is the Artistic Director of Brighton16, a sixteen voice chamber choir performing regularly in Brighton. Matt has recently composed a new cantata for upper voices, narrator and piano called 'The Legend of Tom Bawcock'. The upper voices version received its UK premiere in December 2021 and the SATB version is set to receive its premiere in due course. Publishing plans are underway for 2024 in the UK.