Matthew Bell is a composer, performer, and educator whose work connects musical understanding with musical experience. This interest informs both his creative projects and his teaching, shaping his approach to composition, curriculum design, and music theory.
His recent compositions include Heroes, Immortals, and Wonders — multi-piece collections that draw on history, mythology, and literature as sources for musical storytelling. These projects reflect Bell’s broader interest in the relationship between musical structure, expression, and performance, while creating opportunities for students and audiences to engage with new repertoire.
He serves as Head of Music Theory at Oclef and editor of 8VA Music, where he develops curricula, assessment systems, and educational software in theory, musicianship, and keyboard skills. As a conductor, he regularly leads performances of new music through the Oclef Contemporary Music Festival.
Bell holds a PhD in Music Theory from the University of Texas at Austin. He has taught at Florida State University (College of Music and Department of Dance) and the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance. His research on rhythm, meter, musical meaning, and dance has been presented nationally and published in the Journal of Music Theory.
Matthew Bell 