Hailing from West Fargo, North Dakota, Matthew Jahnke teaches orchestra at Cheney Middle School in addition to running his own private bass studio. He has most recently appeared with the bass sections of the Fox Valley Symphony, Fargo Moorhead Symphony, and the Fargo Moorhead Opera

Jahnke is often asked to share knowledge and instruction to the next generation of musicians. He has served as a coach for the bass section of the Fox Valley Youth Symphony and on the faculty of Pioneer High School’s summer string camp as their double bass specialist where he taught lessons, coached chamber ensembles, and led bass sectionals.

Matthew earned his B.M. in Double Bass Performance from the Lawrence Conservatory of Music where he studied with Mark Urness. While at Lawrence, he was Principal Bassist of the Lawrence Symphony Orchestra for two years. In addition to his achievements in the orchestra, he commissioned a work for double bass and mixed ensemble for his senior recital from composer Tom Mueller at Concordia University Irvine. The Lawrentian newspaper described his recital performance as having a “confident expressivity” and his ability to “bring forth music out of the depths of chaos, to beauty”.