Matthew Kufchak began playing cello at age 4. He currently studies with Lynn Harrell at Rice University in Houston, Texas. His past teachers include Wendy Morton, Michael Carrera, Alice Ann O’Neill, and Muriel Bodley.

In summer 2006 and summer 2007 he studied with Michael Carrera at the Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival in Burlington, VT. In summer 2008 he attended the Domaine Forget Music Academy in Saint-Irénée, Québec, Canada, studying with Paul Marleyn and Tom Wiebe. Matt has also performed in masterclasses at summer festivals with such distinguished musicians as David Ying, Lawrence Dutton, Matt Haimovitz, and Phillipe Müller.

Matt is a recipient of From the Top’s prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award.

Matt was a member of the Chamber Music Connection for seven years, serving four years as a CMC Fellow. He was a member of both the 2005 and 2007 Ohio Music Education Association All State Orchestras, and he was a 2006 Columbus Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition Senior Division finalist.

He enjoys playing Frisbee, playing chamber music, and hanging out with his friends.