Matthew Rome
Clarinet

Has played with the Salina Symphony since: 2022

Hometown: Hays, KS
Current City: Wichita, KS

Education: BM, Music Education, Fort Hays State University, 2015; BS, Secondary Education, Fort Hays State University, 2015; MM, Wind Conducting, Wichita State University, in progress, anticipated 2026

Job Title: Graduate Teaching Assistant, Wichita State University; Adjunct Instructor of Single Reeds, Bethel College; Instructor of Single Reeds, Bethel College Academy of Performing Arts

Earliest musical memory:
My dad playing guitar for my sister and I when we were very young. That definitely sparked an interest in music and led me to playing in band in middle school.

Best part of being a Salina Symphony musician:
Getting to make great music with great people. The folks that play in the Salina Symphony are amazingly kind and gracious humans and are also fantastic musicians.

Most memorable performance with the Salina Symphony:
I’d have to go with my first concert with the Salina Symphony when we played Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances. Playing bass clarinet and also covering the alto saxophone solo in the first movement was a really fun challenge!

Favorite composers:
Too many to list!! Recently I’ve been enjoying the band music of David Biedenbender and Anthony Iannaccone.

What kind of music do you enjoy listening to?
My “guilty pleasure” music probably best falls under indie/alternative pop. Lately I’ve really been digging the bands Couch, Lawrence and Lake Street Dive.

How do you spend your free time?
It doesn’t happen often, but I enjoy writing music when I have time to commit to it. I’ve been fortunate to have a couple pieces for band performed over the years.

Whom do you admire?
I’ve been blessed to cross paths with many amazing people and musicians that are all worthy of admiration. That said, at the top of the list would have to be the late Dr. Jeff Jordan; he was a huge influence on me both as a musician and a person during my undergraduate work at Fort Hays State University. If I am ever a fraction of the educator he was, I will count myself lucky.

What is your greatest accomplishment?
I think I’m most proud of the decision my wife and I made to leave behind our longtime jobs and take a risk on a new career path/graduate school. We chose growth over comfort, and while it certainly hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows, I’m very glad we did it.