Dartmouth Events

Sponsored by the Department of Music and the Wm. S. Haynes Flute Company

"Can you learn a piece without practicing it? An examination of mental practice"

Have you ever been instructed to engage in "mental practice" by your teacher but found yourself uncertain about where or how to begin? Or perhaps you're facing a situation where practicing your musical instrument is challenging or even impossible. This workshop/presentation aims to equip you with valuable tools to enhance your repertoire of practice strategies.

We will guide participants in the process of initially understanding what practicing truly entails, with a particular focus on effective practice. We'll also explore the crucial questions that need to be addressed in the practice room. Within this context, we will delve into what I refer to as the two aspects of mental practice: concrete and abstract.

Quickly becoming one of New England’s busiest flute players, Matthew Lee is a Boston-based flutist, conductor, and educator originally from New Zealand. Matthew has performed on the stages of Boston's Symphony Hall, New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall, and the Sydney Opera House. Matthew can be heard frequently performing with the Portland (Maine) Symphony Orchestra, Boston Landmarks Orchestra, and Boston Ballet Orchestra. He also has performed with the Albany Symphony Orchestra, the Springfield (Mass.) Symphony Orchestra and served as the primary substitute for the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra for many years, frequently stepping into roles as principal flute and principal piccolo.

Dedicated to education, Matthew is currently a teacher with Wellesley Public Schools while concurrently managing a thriving private studio catering to students of all ages and skill levels. His commitment to sharing his expertise extends to conducting, as he has conducted the Boston University Wind Ensemble, Boston University Concert Band, University of North Texas Wind Symphony, and briefly assumed the role of interim director for the Gisborne (NZ) Concert Band. Matthew has also led sectional rehearsals with the Boston University All Campus Orchestra.

His teaching experience includes giving masterclasses and presentations at Boston University, the University of Rhode Island, Plymouth State University, and University of Nebraska-Omaha. In 2024 he was invited to be a guest artist for the Cornell College Summer Flute Camp and the Easton Chamber Music Festival. He also served as a teaching assistant at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute in 2022. In the past, he held the position of instructor of flute and chamber music at Boston University, where he provided private lessons and coached chamber music for non-major students.

Matthew earned both his undergraduate and master's degrees at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand and continued his studies at Boston University. His musical journey has been profoundly influenced by esteemed teachers such as Anthony Ferner, Linda Toote, Ann Bobo, Sharon Sparrow, Elizabeth Rowe, and Diana Morgan. Matthew has further enriched his musical perspective through participation in masterclasses led by artists such as Lorna McGhee, Emily Beynon, Julien Beaudiment, Alberto Almarza, Leone Buyse, Cynthia Meyers, Jim Walker, and Mark Sparks.

Since 2012, Matthew has been playing on Haynes flutes. In 2023, he acquired his 14k Custom Flute with a 14k headjoint and platinum riser from Flutistry Boston. He is honored to be recognized as a Haynes Young Artist.