Matthew Kelley is an organist and composer from Worcester, currently working as the Graham Rogers Organ Scholar at Chelmsford Cathedral through 2021/22. Educated at The King’s School in Worcester, he began learning the organ in 2010 under Christopher Allsop during his tenure as a Chorister with Worcester Cathedral Choir. He took on his first playing role as Senior Organ Scholar at Great Malvern Priory in 2015, and was later the 2017/18 Organ Scholar of Guildford Cathedral under the directorship of Katherine Dienes-Williams. More recently, Matthew graduated from Durham University during the summer having studied Music for three years. Whilst there, he held the post of Musical Director at St Chad’s College, and directed the Durham University Choral Society through 2020/21. 

Matthew is recognised as an Associate of the Royal College of Organists (ARCO) and has also gained a DipABRSM for Music Performance on the piano. As well as a performer, Matthew is an award-winning composer, winning the junior category of the BBC Proms Inspire Young Composers Competition in 2015 with his piece Fantasia for Strings. He has since been commissioned to write for groups such as the BBC Singers and the RSCM Millennium Youth Choir, and has one choral work, Morning Thoughts, published through the RSCM Press. 

Away from music, Matthew is a keen reader and cyclist, and spends most summer holidays sailing with his family along the south-west coast of England (with occasional trips across the Channel!)