Matthew Stuart-Street;
professional Cellist &
Teacher

Biography

2022’s Raymond Gillmore Scholarship winner Matthew Stuart-Street is a professional cellist, respected cello teacher, and a hard-working member of Animato Strings Sales Management. Matthew was born in Mount Isa on the 23rd March 2004, and was immediately surrounded by music. Matthew grew up in a musical household, with his mother Jan (viola), and his Uncle Ian Bofinger (cello) always playing chamber music in their house. Matthews mother always mentions that at 8 months old, they were playing chamber music, and he only spent time next to his uncle, who was co-incidentally playing the cello. At the age of 4, Matthew was forced onto the violin by his mother, and immediately a year later when he was 5, he switched to the cello as he didn’t like the violin. At age 6, his family started flying to Brisbane weekly to see family, and that’s where he started his 11 year cello journey with Matthew Kinmont. He learned from Matthew Kinmont till the age of 17 where he attended the con. In that time, Matthew won and placed in multiple eisteddfods, including the Enoggera and Sunshine Coast eisteddfods (2018 U18 Bach prize 1st place Enoggera Eisteddfod, 2019 Sunshine coast Eisteddfod U15 Winner String Category). Matthew also completed his CMus in 2020. Between 2019 – 2021, Matthew spent multiple years leading the Mansfield State High School ensembles and the Grammar Fest Ensemble in 2021. In 2022, Matthew Started His first year in his bachelor’s degree in music, majoring in cello (performance). He also won the Raymond Gillmore Scholarship, which entitled him to a fund of $2000 and a concerto opportunity with Redlands Sinfonia. He played Henri Casadesus Cello concerto, followed by the show encores Gabriels Oboe by Morricone, and Schindlers List by John Williams. This concerto, guided by Gyorgy Deri is a definite career highlight of Matthews so far.

He is now regarded as an emerging performer in the Brisbane scene, frequently playing with Leanne Kenneally and his mother in a chamber group. Outside of performing, Matthew has spent hours teaching students from Carina, Carindale, West End, Southbank, and Woolongabba. Matthew currently has one student doing grade 7 AMEB, and one doing 6th Grade. He specializes in taller cellists, as he has developed a technique specific to his height and his issues with his hand size.

Matthews career aims are to pursue his performing desires, in either an orchestral form or chamber form, as well as keep his passion for teaching alive along the way, privately nurturing cellists to persue their dreams too.