Matthew JC Ward
Dr Matthew JC Ward is a musician with over twenty years experience of leading choirs in the performance of sacred music, especially chant and polyphonic music of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. He has worked, particularly, with amateur choirs, both adults and children, and really enjoys introducing people to Gregorian chant and related music of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Matthew is also an experienced conductor of music, choral and orchestral, from the Baroque to the Modern, including Handel, Bach and Mozart up to and including the music of Sir James MacMillan. Matthew is a founder-member of the vocal trio Evovae and a Regional Director of the Schola Gregoriana of Cambridge.
Matthew has lectured widely on music and taught at secondary and university level. His areas of interest range through topics in the history of music to the theology of liturgical music, and his lectures are often accompanied by a practical workshop or concert performance.
As a composer, Matthew is known for 'Psalms for All Seasons', a new setting of the psalms for the liturgical year published by the Catholic Truth Society in early 2025. He specialises in choral music but also enjoys composing instrumental music and art songs.
Matthew accepts composition commissions from Parishes, performance groups and individuals, and is able to write in a variety of styles and genres.
Speciality:
- Gregorian chant workshops for groups or parishes
- Choral direction
- Lecture-workshops on topics in Medieval music
- Talks on music history or theology of music
- Choral and liturgical composition
- Instrumental composition
UK Coverage: London & the South East
Availability: Saturdays
ENDORSEMENTS
A very warm message of thanks for your wonderful teaching and conducting last Saturday. It was an amazing experience. I loved it, and I know everyone else did too!
- Penny Tyack, St Mary's Church, Iffley, on a workshop exploring chants for the Feast of St Dunstan (May 2025)
Thank you for bringing Heaven to earth on Saturday. ... James MacMillan is one of my favourite composers, not least because he makes tangible God's Presence among us. ... It was one of the most joyful days of my life.
- Participant in a rehearsal and performance of music by Sir James MacMillan
Matthew Ward effortlessly sang, arranged and conducted several items of Medieval music for the Arts Council of England feature film, *Labours of the Months*. He was an extremely capable and sensitive collaborator who carefully responded to the vision of the project and inventively shaped its soundscape.
- Peter Treherne, director of *Labours of the Months* (2025)
Matthew's gift for orchestrating a choir from a range of abilities/voices under pressure whilst maintaining high liturgical standards is exceptional and perhaps unrivalled. In his talks he makes sacred music interesting and exciting and also opens new windows for the mind and heart.
- Canon Marcus Holden, founder and convenor of the Evangelium Conference.