Tom Matrone, chair of the Department of Music at Evangel University, recently earned his Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of South Carolina.
In addition to leading the department, Matrone conducts the University Chorale and the University Women’s Chamber Ensemble. His classes range from choral conducting to piano improvisational skills.
His focus is on students who are pursuing a career in music, especially in the field of music education and church music.
Active in the Springfield community, Matrone also serves as the artistic director for the Mid-America Singers.
Doctoral writings
Throughout his career, Matrone has worked to bridge the gap between traditional and contemporary worship formats in church music.
His doctoral research paralleled that interest with a focus on choral literature — primarily in the area of transition from Romantic to modern music in Paris through the eyes of the composer Camille Saint-Saens.
His study evaluates and demonstrates the composer’s ability to maintain traditional form and yet experiment with contemporary musical stylings to appeal to an ever-changing French audience.
“Lastly, and more importantly,” said Matrone, “this document reviews and guides the conductor through the challenges of conducting the Messe de Requiem, in respect to harmonic language, dynamic contrast, language considerations, and unique orchestral requirements.”
The title of the dissertation is “A Conductor’s Guide to Camille Saint-Saëns’s Messe de Requiem op. 54.”
A servant leader
“Tom Matrone is a highly-valued faculty leader at Evangel University,” said President Carol Taylor. “He skillfully leads our music program with focus on the highest performance quality as an act of worship, which results in a rich ministry that also equips students to continue their professional development.
“He is a nationally respected choral music expert and has been a worship arts director for 40 years within the Assemblies of God. Tom continues to serve as a valued liaison to music pastors and district music directors nationwide,” she said.
Matrone has been a guest conductor and seminar speaker at the local level, as well as on national and international platforms in the United States, Canada, South Africa, Asia and Europe.
In addition to his DMA, he holds a Master of Music in choral conducting from Drake University, a Bachelor of Arts in biblical studies from Northwest College, and a ministerial degree from Northpoint College.
The Evangel University Department of Music offers a variety of degree programs in music, including music performance, music education, recording technology and worship leadership. The department has been accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) since 1970.
For more information, contact the Music Department at (417) 865-2811, ext. 7212.
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