A native of New Hartford, NY, trombonist Matthew F. Russo is a graduate fellow at the Yale School of Music. He holds a Bachelor’s of Music with concentrations in Trombone Performance and Music Education from The Hartt School where he was a member of the Performance 20/20 Honors Chamber Music Program.

A devoted chamber musician, Matthew is the co-founder of the Northeast New Music Collective, initially a student-run contempyorary ensemble at The Hartt School, the ensemble now creates programs for new classical music to reach new audiences. His passion for new chamber music has allowed him to premiere more than a dozen new chamber works. In the fall of 2008, Matthew founded the West End Brass Quintet, which, in addition to winning the 2009 Paranov Concerto Competition, has gone on to perform as guest artists in several festivals through the United States, including the 2010 Chicago Brass Festival. Upon his arrival at Yale, he became a member of the Excalibur Brass Quintet. Accolades include winners of the 2011 Yale Chamber Music Competition, and an invitation to The Norfolk Chamber Music Festival in the summer of 2011.

A Connecticut certified teacher, Matthew maintains a dedication to music education currently through teaching artist programs in the greater New Haven area. As a member teacher of the Yale Music in Schools Initiative, Matthew currently teaches all instruments to students at John C. Daniels School in New Haven, CT. He has presented education programs throughout Connecticut and New England. Additional educational appointments include two public school placements in Connecticut, and lead teaching at the University of Hartford Magnet School Band Project.

In the fall of 2009 Matthew was awarded the Laureate prize in the van Rooy Competition for Musical Excellence, one of the few brass players to receive that distinction. His principal teachers are Scott Hartman, and Ronald A. Borror.