FAQ
The Basics
Who are you?
Glad you asked! My name’s Zachariah Matteson but most people call me Zach. Beyond my main ventures in music, art, and poetry, I have deep interests and questions about sourdough baking, Chartreuse (the liquor), cocktail creation, hummingbird watching, lithop husbandry, nanoreefing, and really, the list goes on.
Where are you from?
I was born in Washington D.C. but am really a native of College Park, MD. When I was around two years old, my parents took a daring leap and moved the family (five in total) to Barnaul, Russia. From there it was off to Irkutsk, Russia; Kalispell, MT; back to College Park, MD (for my undergraduate degree); and finally, Austin, TX, where I currently reside.
Where did you study violin?
I began my studies at the age of five in Barnaul, RUS and continued learning throughout my travels. More recently, I studied at the University of Maryland – College Park for my Bachelor of Music (2014) and Master of Music (2016) studying with David Salness, Kim Fischer, and Irina Muresanu. Following that, I moved with my band, Invoke, to Austin, TX to complete an Artist Diploma in Chamber Music (2018) at the University of Texas where Invoke studied with the Miró Quartet as a group and I studied with William Fedkenheuer privately.
Teaching
Do you teach?
I do teach – I am very interested in working with my students and groups on discovering their “Why,” connecting it to any project they’re currently pursuing, and giving them the tools they will need to be successful. Because of the pandemic, I can accept students for virtual lessons.
What do you teach?
My primary instrument and training revolves around the violin but I have also picked up several tips and tricks in other areas including:
Viola
Basic recording skills using Garageband or Reaper
Project Management
Social Media Content Creation
Adobe Draw
Haiku
Bread baking
Jam making
Avant-garde Improvisation
How can I schedule a lesson?
You can reach out to me on my contact page to schedule a free lesson or consultation.
What do I need for a virtual lesson?
I will be running our lessons through the Zoom platform. Here’s what you’ll need:
Computer, phone, or tablet (flexible depending on our needs)
A dedicated space for our lesson
Optional equipment (guaranteed to be a higher quality session):
A USB Microphone or audio interface (with microphone)
Headphones
Other Burning Questions
Where can I buy your art?
You can contact me directly on my contact page to purchase my artwork.
Where can I read your poetry?
Right here on my portfolio page. I’ll also update the portfolio page when my poetry is published.
I’m looking to commission art for…
Whatever your needs are (posters, birthday cards, custom prints, etc), I’m here to make it happen. Please reach out to me on my contact page and we’ll get started on making your vision come to life.