Available to hire
I am a pianist, composer, and arranger with an international career that blends classical, jazz, and contemporary repertoire. A graduate of The Juilliard School (Master of Music, with a Professional Studies Certificate) and the Curtis Institute of Music (Bachelor of Music), I have performed as a soloist and collaborator with orchestras, chamber ensembles, and festivals around the world. I also write and arrange original works and adaptations, and I lead innovative projects that fuse styles across time and genres.
Beyond performing, I create scores and orchestrations (including Bach Reimagined and the Jerusalem Trilogy) and lead the Trio Matt Herskowitz in jazz-classical collaborations. My work spans solo recitals, chamber music, and theatre musical collaborations, and I teach masterclasses on arranging, improvisation, and cross-genre performance.
Experience Level
Language
English
Fluent
French
Fluent
Work Experience
Pianist, Composer (Concerto) at Absolute Ensemble
January 1, 2009 - PresentPremiered the piano concerto Undertow with the cross-genre Absolute Ensemble in Köln, 2009, and continued cross-genre collaborations with the ensemble across Europe.
Pianist, Arranger at Justin Time Records
January 1, 2010 - PresentJerusalem Trilogy: an album of original compositions and arrangements blending contemporary jazz with Arab and Jewish grooves.
Pianist at Lara Fabian
January 1, 2001 - October 8, 2025Collaborated on Lara Fabian’s Nue, performing Piano Nocturne and expanding fan engagement.
Arranger/Performer at The Triplets of Belleville (Film)
January 1, 2003 - PresentArranged Bach à la Jazz for the animated film’s soundtrack.
Pianist, Arranger at Medici.tv – Gershwin’s World
January 1, 2017 - PresentGershwin’s World: original arrangements of major works by Gershwin, Ravel, Stravinsky and Schoenberg with Paul Merkelo.
Pianist/Arranger at Lara St. John & A Journey Through North American Jazz and Folk
January 1, 2018 - PresentArrangements of seminal jazz tunes and North American folk tunes with violinist Lara St. John.
Solo Artist at Nettwerk Music Group
January 1, 2024 - PresentRecording a revised version of the Transcendental Jazz Etudes; scheduled for release fall 2025.
Pianist at Justin Time
January 1, 2019 - PresentMirror Image: solo jazz album integrating Ravel, Satie, Schubert and Gottschalk with original compositions.
Pianist, Composer, Arranger at Chopin Transcendental Jazz Etudes
January 1, 2021 - PresentChopin Transcendental Jazz Etudes: first incarnation filmed at Salle Bourgie, Montreal in 2021; available on Medici.tv.
Soloist at L’Orchestre Nouvelle Génération; Festival Les Printemps Slaves; Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal
January 1, 2024 - November 1, 2025Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, arranged for piano and orchestra by Matt Herskowitz.
Soloist at Kingston Symphony Orchestra; Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts
January 1, 2024 - November 1, 2025The Bach Connection: Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 (harpsichord); Concerto in D minor with original cadenzas; original Bach-based jazz arrangements for piano and orchestra.
Soloist at Hong Kong Next Generation Arts Orchestra; Music on the Harbourfront
January 1, 2022 - November 1, 2025Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue with original improvised sections, arranged by M. Herskowitz.
Soloist at Orchestre Classique de Montréal; Oscar Peterson Hall
January 1, 2020 - November 1, 2025Jewish Jazz - songs by Bernstein, Sondheim, Legrand, Gershwin and Herskowitz, arranged for piano, soprano and chamber orchestra by M. Herskowitz.
Soloist at Composers Concordance String Orchestra; The Dimenna Center for Classical Music (NYC)
January 1, 2019 - November 1, 2025Matt Herskowitz: Caanonic Odyssey (for piano and string orchestra); Gene Pritsker: Life Speeds Away As Time Here Becomes Space (for piano and string orchestra).
Soloist at Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra (SFSO); Ft. Myers, FL
January 1, 2019 - November 1, 2025Bach: Concerto in D minor and Bach Reimagined, Matt’s original arrangements of selected Bach pieces.
Piano Soloist at Lyric Chamber Music Society of New York
January 1, 2023 - January 1, 2023World premiere of Lyric Trilogy 2.5 for flute and piano with Robert Langevin; commissioned for the 25th anniversary of the Lyric Chamber Music Society of New York.
Soloist (Piano) at Northwest Bach Festival
January 1, 2023 - January 1, 2023Performances including Bach en Jazz and Russian Virtuosity with Zuill Bailey.
Soloist at Le Gesu, Montréal
January 1, 2023 - January 1, 2023Concert with Dawn Tyler Watson; program featuring Gershwin, Legrand, Shearing, Weill and Herskowitz arrangements.
Piano Soloist at Festival Bach Montréal
January 1, 2022 - January 1, 2022Solo recital with original jazz arrangements of J.S. Bach’s music.
Masterclass Instructor / Performer at Hanoi Music Academy / Canadian Embassy
January 1, 2022 - January 1, 2022Masterclass and solo concert in Hanoi, with a final performance at the National Academy of Music Grand Concert Hall.
Piano Soloist / Masterclass Leader at Calgary Pro Musica
January 1, 2022 - January 1, 2022Masterclass sessions and concert with Lara St. John; repertoire included Beethoven, World Dances and Herskowitz originals.
Piano Soloist at El Paso Pro Musica Festival
January 1, 2022 - January 1, 2022Solo performances featuring Chopin Jazz Etudes, Ravel, Gershwin; educational visits at UTEP and local venues.
Piano Soloist at Juneau Jazz and Classics Festival
January 1, 2022 - January 1, 2022Recital including Ravel-Gershwin; collaboration with Lara St. John on Nord American jazz routes and Zuill Bailey.
Piano Soloist at Lara St. John / Montreal (various venues)
January 1, 2021 - January 1, 2021Recitals with Lara St. John in Istanbul, Montevideo; showcases including Chopin etudes with jazz reinterpretations (filmed for Medici.tv).
Piano Soloist at New York Piano Society / Merkin Hall
January 1, 2019 - January 1, 2019Guest soloist: Bach/Herskowitz, Chopin/Herskowitz, Brubeck/Herskowitz program.
Piano Soloist at Festival Classica Montréal
January 1, 2019 - January 1, 2019Concert: Bach Réimaginé with Charles Papasoff; collaboration with Papasoff and ensemble.
Piano Soloist at Ottawa Chamber Music Festival
January 1, 2018 - January 1, 2018Performance with Buzz Brass: Rhapsody in Blue, Cuban Overture.
Piano Soloist at Kosciuszko Foundation, New York City
January 1, 2017 - January 1, 2017Solo recital: De Gottschalk à Gershwin.
Soloist at Fifth Avenue Chamber Orchestra
January 1, 2016 - January 1, 2016Bach: Concerto in D minor and Bach XXI; world premiere arrangements.
Soloist at Philharmonie Köln (Köln Philharmonie) / Trio Matt Herskowitz
January 1, 2016 - January 1, 2016The Bernstein Messe; performance with Trio Matt Herskowitz at Köln Philharmonie.
Soloist at Orchestre Nouvelle Génération / Montreal
January 1, 2016 - January 1, 2016Rhapsody in Blue; orchestral solo and collaboration.
Soloist at Leipzig Bach Festival / Absolute Ensemble
January 1, 2013 - January 1, 2013Undertow: concerto for piano, bass, drums and orchestra.
Soloist at The Knights
January 1, 2012 - January 1, 2012Concerto Grosso performance at Naumburg Bandshell, Central Park, NYC.
Soloist at BBC Wales Symphony Orchestra / BBC Proms
January 1, 2012 - January 1, 2012Messe Bernstein; performance at Royal Albert Hall.
Soloist at Orchestre de Saguenay Lac St-Jean
January 1, 2011 - January 1, 2011Variations sur I Got Rhythm (Gershwin).
Soloist at Absolute Ensemble
January 1, 2009 - January 1, 2009Undertow and Reinventions; WDR broadcast in Europe.
Soloist at Hong Kong Next Generation Arts Orchestra
January 1, 2022 - January 1, 2022Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue.
Soloist at Orchestre Classique de Montréal
January 1, 2020 - January 1, 2020All That Jazz: Gershwin, Legrand, Shearing, Weill, Sondheim and Herskowitz; with Sharon Azrieli, soprano and André Moisan, clarinet; arrangements by Herskowitz.
Soloist at Composers Concordance String Orchestra
January 1, 2019 - January 1, 2019Matt Herskowitz: Caanonic Odyssey (piano et orchestre à cordes); Gene Pritsker: Life Speeds Away As Time Here Becomes Space (pour piano et orchestre à cordes).
Soloist at Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra
January 1, 2019 - January 1, 2019Bach: Concerto en ré mineur et Bach Réimaginé, arrangements originaux de Matt Herskowitz sur des pièces sélectionnées de J.S. Bach.
Soloist at Buzz Brass / Ottawa Chamber Music Festival
January 1, 2018 - January 1, 2018Rhapsody in Blue, Cuban Overture.
Soloist at Royal Scottish National Orchestra
January 1, 2018 - January 1, 2018Trio Matt Herskowitz: Soliste avec l'Orchestre – Messe de Bernstein.
Soloist at Köln Philharmonie (Philharmonie Köln)
January 1, 2016 - January 1, 2016Trio Matt Herskowitz: Messe de Bernstein.
Soloist at BBC Wales Symphony Orchestra
January 1, 2012 - January 1, 2012BBC Proms – Messe de Bernstein.
Soloist at Orchestre Saguenay Lac St-Jean
January 1, 2011 - January 1, 2011Variations sur I Got Rhythm (Gershwin).
Soloist at Absolute Ensemble
January 1, 2011 - January 1, 2011Undertow: concerto pour piano, basse, batterie et orchestre; EU tour.
Soloist at Musikfest Bremen
January 1, 2008 - January 1, 2008Première mondiale de Undertow.
Soloist at Classical Sound (CSI) – KMFA
January 1, 2023 - January 1, 2023Chopin Réimaginé.
Soloist / Pianist at Hong Kong Next Generation Arts Orchestra
January 1, 2022 - January 1, 2022Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue performed as soloist with the Hong Kong Next Generation Arts Orchestra.
Soloist at Ottawa Chamber Music Festival
January 1, 2018 - January 1, 2018Soliste avec Buzz Brass: Rhapsody in Blue, Cuban Overture.
Soloist at The Knights (Chamber Orchestra)
January 1, 2012 - January 1, 2012Concerto Grosso (Matt Herskowitz).
Soloist at Absolute Ensemble
January 1, 2013 - January 1, 2013Undertow: concerto for piano, bass, drums and orchestra; performance with arrangement by Matt Herskowitz.
Education
Bachelor of Music at Curtis Institute of Music
September 5, 1982 - May 23, 1989Masters of Music at The Juilliard School
September 5, 1989 - September 15, 2025Masters of Music at The Juilliard School
September 5, 1989 - May 18, 1992I studies piano and composition
at The Juilliard School
January 11, 2030 - October 8, 2025 at Curtis Institute of Music
January 11, 2030 - October 8, 2025Graduate at The Juilliard School
January 11, 2030 - October 8, 2025Graduate at Curtis Institute of Music
January 11, 2030 - October 8, 2025Master of Music at The Juilliard School, New York City
January 1, 1989 - January 1, 1992Bachelor of Music at Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia
January 1, 1982 - January 1, 1989Maîtrise en musique; certificat Professional Studies at The Juilliard School
January 1, 1989 - January 1, 1992Baccalauréat en musique at Curtis Institute of Music
January 1, 1982 - January 1, 1989Maîtrise en musique, certificat Professional Studies at The Juilliard School, New York City
January 1, 1989 - January 1, 1992Baccalauréat en musique at Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia
January 1, 1982 - January 1, 1989Master of Music (Maîtrise en musique), Professional Studies Certificate at The Juilliard School
January 1, 1989 - January 1, 1992Bachelor of Music at Curtis Institute of Music
January 1, 1982 - January 1, 1989Qualifications
Industry Experience
Media & Entertainment, Education, Professional Services, Non-Profit Organization
I was hired to record the compositions of the late Claude Raza by his sister, working from his handwritten scores, some incomplete, to the best I could from the instructions he left on his scores. Sometimes I had to fill in with some original music myself, but always respecting the composer’s style and wishes. I had to orchestrate some of the pieces, and I realized the recordings using the instrument bank on Logic, downloading more instruments as I needed them. The sister, Lise, was extremely satisfied, and the recording is now commercially released. I would say my role was as an interpreter and co-arranger of the music.
Hire a Pianist
We have the best pianist experts on Twine. Hire a pianist in Montreal today.