Matt DeChamplain

Matt DeChamplain serves as Assistant Professor of Jazz at the Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz within The Hartt School at the University of Hartford, while also teaching at the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts and directing Glastonbury High School's big band.

His academic credentials include:

• Master of Music (MM) from the University of Toledo
• Bachelor of Music (BM) from The Hartt School, University of Hartford

Artistic Focus: DeChamplain specializes in synthesizing historical jazz traditions with contemporary expression. His creative work centers on fusing Harlem stride piano techniques with bebop and hard bop language, emphasizing rhythmic innovation and harmonic sophistication. He actively explores the continuum between early jazz pioneers like Fats Waller and modern innovators including McCoy Tyner, seeking to honor jazz heritage through original compositions and arrangements that integrate stride, swing, bebop and blues elements.

His recorded output reveals an artistic trajectory from collaborative sideman work to leadership roles, consistently investigating the dialogue between historical jazz forms and modern sensibilities. Key thematic threads include reimagining jazz standards through stride-bebop synthesis and developing original compositions that bridge traditional piano techniques with contemporary ensemble concepts.

Notable recognitions:

• Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Program selection (2008)
• Semifinalist in Martial Solal Jazz Piano Competition (2010)

DeChamplain mentors students across multiple institutions including The Hartt School, Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts, and Glastonbury High School where he directs the big band program. His pedagogical reach extends to summer intensives at Litchfield Jazz Camp and New Hampshire’s Jazz All State. While specific research grants aren't detailed, his active performance schedule and recording projects demonstrate sustained professional development funding.

He leads Glastonbury High School's big band and performs regularly with ensembles that have shared stages with jazz legends including Hank Jones, Wynton Marsalis, and Dave Brubeck.