Sometimes, keeping up with the outstanding achievements of BW's Conservatory of Performing Arts alumni feels almost impossible. Take Matt Chidsey ’21, for example. Just four years after graduating from Baldwin Wallace, he has already been named the 2024 Young Teacher of the Year by the Ohio String Teachers Association.
"It was a great feeling!" Matt shares. "I was incredibly honored to be nominated by my colleague, Julie Ellis. As part of the award, I attended the Ohio String Teacher Association (OSTA) reception at the Ohio Music Education Association Conference. It was truly a humbling experience to receive the award in the presence of such wonderful string teachers, mentors, and friends. I think it is really amazing that OSTA recognizes young and seasoned teachers every year."
With Dr. David Pope, Associate Professor of Music Education, and Julie Ellis, Orchestra Director at Worthington City Schools, receiving 2024 Ohio String Teachers Association "Young Teacher of the Year" Award.
Dr. Robert Mayerovitch, Professor of Piano at BW, was Matt's piano professor for all four years. He was happy to share his experience working with Matt:
"Matt Chidsey was an ideal student. He maintained an active curiosity about how he was learning as we worked together. I always felt that he was dedicated to finding the best ways to reach and teach himself. To me, that's the real partnership in a student-teacher relationship: a sharing of the successes and occasional failures, of the frustrations and triumphs.
"Matt always celebrated his musical skills with style. I was as impressed watching him play violin in the orchestra as watching him succeed in a piano performance. His public playing always demonstrated musical integrity, excellent preparation, and a fine plumbing of emotional depth. He was simply a delight to teach and learn with, and I'm equally pleased that he is sharing his personal and professional gifts with his students.
"It doesn't hurt that Matt has an easily engaged sense of humor. It has and will continue to serve him well in his chosen field."
Matt Chidsey
Orchestra Teacher, Worthington Kilbourne High School and McCord Middle School
Current teaching position, years at this job, and responsibilities: I am currently in my fourth year teaching orchestra in the Worthington City School District (Columbus, OH). I teach 6th-grade orchestra, 7th-grade orchestra, 8th-grade orchestra, and two high school orchestra classes. Additionally, I direct the pit orchestra for our two musicals each year.
What are some specific difficulties that you face teaching middle schoolers vs. high school students? I think the whiplash of moods and figuring out how each grade and class is feeling from day to day, hour to hour, or even minute to minute. The only constant is change.
When were you first introduced to music and how? My earliest memory of music is from piano lessons, which I started when I was four. I remember best getting to feed my instructor’s pet turtle at the end of each lesson.
What musical activities did you pursue in high school? I played violin and piano in orchestra, piano and trumpet in jazz band, bass and piano in pit orchestra, trumpet in marching band, euphonium in symphonic band, and I occasionally accompanied our HS choirs for concerts and other events. However, my greatest musical high school achievement was carrying the marching band banner while leading our parade through Main Street, U.S.A. in Disney World.
What made you decide to go to BW? Hands down the community and professors, simple as that.
When did you graduate from BW and with what degree: May 2021 with a BME degree.
BME class of 2021 at our very first Ohio Music Education Association Professional Development Conference in Columbus, OH (2018)
Favorite professor: Dr. Bob Mayerovitch. Seldom a day goes by where I do not see evidence of his influence on my teaching, musicianship, and/or character.
Dr. Soo Han would be a close second :)
Dr. Soo Han, now the Director of Orchestral Studies at the Dewberry School of Music at George Mason University, was eager to share his thoughts on his former student:
"Matt is everything we in the profession want in a musician, pedagogue, and as an individual. He leads with his heart and compassion in everything he does, while remaining humble and down-to-earth.
"Years after having worked with Matt as a conducting student, I still refer regularly to one of my favorite conversations that I had with him, which was his philosophy that a well-crafted technique is more than just playing the right notes at the right time, but rather when the audience can understand the artist's intentions and begin to feel what the artist feels through the medium of music.
"I believe Matt has mastered this technique in artistry and pedagogy, is an asset to our world, and am proud to call him a friend and colleague."
What are some musical activities you participate in now to stay active as a musician outside of teaching? I do a lot of piano accompaniment gigs for solo and ensemble, choirs, studio recitals, and other events. I also love collaborating with the band, choir, and theatre students and teachers to put together our musical productions! This year, we performed “Bright Star” and “Anastasia.”
Making music with old BW friends: BW jazz a capella group, Moondaze, circa September 2018 
Collaborating with new musician friends, including Dr. Khari Joyner, Assistant Professor of Cello at Baldwin Wallace
Favorite piece of music you learned or performed while at BW? All movements of Fantasien, Op. 116 by Johannes Brahms.
Favorite music that you listen to currently? Is Breathe (2 AM) by Anna Nalick a wrong answer? No, that sounds right.
I also listen to a lot of nerdy classical art music, Mitski, and Laufey.
What class was most difficult for you? Secondary violin lessons. How's that for an orchestra teacher?
First orchestra concert at Baldwin Wallace in 2017, with Michael Heid '21
Who was the very first person you met at BW? I did a sample piano lesson with Dr. Sungeun Kim while I was still in high school. The lesson was supposed to be 30 minutes—it lasted closer to two hours, and I loved every second of it!
Is there someone from BW that you stay in touch with now? I keep in touch with quite a few BW folks, but Nick Harwas ’21 and I actually teach in the same district and even collaborate on events!
Valuable lesson you’ve learned since you graduated: Kindness goes a long way. In truth, I think I was learning this throughout my time at BW.
What is something new that you took interest in or started doing after graduating? Brewing loose-leaf tea in the gong-fu style. Don’t even get me started, that’s an entirely different post.
If you could go back and give yourself advice BEFORE you started college, what would it be? Learn your scales and arpeggios… (better)
What was one thing about teaching that was most surprising? How ardently I appreciate Gmail compared to Outlook.
What was one thing about being a musician that was most surprising? How much I enjoyed it! Seriously, music just kept getting better the more I learned and interacted with both the music and my fellow musicians.
If the Conservatory hired you to teach, what class would you teach? Tonal Harmony 3, through and through. Dr. Hirt, I’m looking at you!
CSI Piano Camp, Summer 2019—three of the students pictured, Maeve Woehrman, Jacob Lisiewski, and Declan Messner, are currently attending BW.
If you could give advice to a graduating BW senior, what would you say? Start building your credit score (responsibly) two years ago!
What is your favorite book? 11/22/63 by Stephen King
What is your favorite show to binge on TV? Currently binging Maid
What is your favorite movie? Ratatouille
Favorite quote: "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift which is why they call it the present" - Eleanor Roosevelt
If you are a Conservatory alum, please join our ever-growing BW Conservatory of Performing Arts Facebook group. If you have questions, would like to reach out, or would like to nominate a Conservatory alum for a feature, please do not hesitate to e-mail Dr. Zarina Melik-Stepanova at zmelikst@bw.edu.
To check out our previous feature on Stephen Tsambarlis '20, Kalee Bondzio '14, Rayna Brooks '16, Hillery Needham '03, Hailey Bryson '12, David Croglio '15 and Patrice Croglio '17, Max Nolin '13, or Kelly Roller '00 please go to HIVE MIND homepage.
