Cleveland Pianist Matt Skitzki, Live at Dick’s Den on July 13th

By Tara Hawley,

Virtuoso pianist and competition winner Matt Skitzki will be in Columbus on Wednesday, July 13th at Dick’s Den. Skitzki’s comfort in a variety of styles – everything from classical to jazz to salsa to Motown – make for interesting originals and surprising set lists. On back to back days in 2010, Skitzki was featured as a soloist with the Cleveland State University Orchestra, performing Franz Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat Major, and headlined at Cleveland jazz hotspot Nighttown with his jazz trio.

A native Clevelander, Skitzki studied at the Cleveland Institute of Music, then Bowling Green State University. Skitzki was selected to represent the University with performances for alumni groups in New York City, Washington D.C., and other cities around the country. After receiving a B.M. in jazz studies and a B.M. in keyboard literature, Skitzki completed an M.M. at Cleveland State University. There he studied with Grammy Award-winning pianist Dr. Angelin Chang and Rock Wehrmann.

What began as part-time work during school developed into Professional Piano, a business that Skitzki operates out of downtown Cleveland. The Professional Piano studio offers lessons, coaching, and accompanying, and Skitzki maintains an active performance schedule, having appeared around the region with the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, Toledo Jazz Orchestra, Erie Philharmonic, Helen Welch, Sean Jones, Paul Ferguson, Dominick Farinacci, Ken Peplowski, and at festivals such as the Grand Rapids Sunset Arts Festival, Art Tatum Jazz Festival, Quarry Breakdown, Tri-C Jazzfest, and Lakeland Jazz Festival.

Columbus jazz titan Roger Hines will join Skitzki at Dick’s Den, along with Cleveland-area drummer Tony Kazel, a protégé of the Ernie Krivda big band school.

Learn more about Skitzki at his website: http://www.matthewskitzki.com/

Matthew Skitzki Live at Dick’s Den
Wednesday, July 13th 10:00pm
Cover: $4
No reservations necessary