A Vermont native, Matt Podd is a composer, arranger, and keyboardist currently studying at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. Matt is a graduate of Ithaca College, where he received a Bachelor's degree in Music Composition. He is currently pursuing a Master's of Music in Jazz Composition. As a composer, Matt has written many works of concert, jazz, and commercial music, including award-winning art song, the new moon. This setting of the poetry of e.e. cummings was awarded the Ithaca College 2006 Jack Downey Composition Prize. His compositions for jazz ensemble have received many performances, including a prominent feature in the Ithaca College 2008 Commencement Eve Concert.

Matt enjoys an active career as a freelance pianist, performing regularly in jazz settings, as a theatre pit musician/director, accompanist, and church organist/choir director. He has also enjoyed a wide range of work as an instructor. This experience ranges from private piano instruction, to full classroom instruction in professional development for music educators. In his teaching Matt has worked extensively with students of all ages in children's theatre, music camps, and music technology workshops. Matt often joins forces on musical and multi-media projects with his colleague, and twin brother Adam. The Podd brothers grew up performing together, and have collaborated on many recording projects, arrangements, jingles, and film scores.

Matt's primary composition teachers have been Bill Dobbins, and Dr. Dana Wilson. He has also studied with composers Maria Schneider, Paul Ferguson, Dr. Sally Lamb, Michael Colegrass, Joan Tower, George Tsontakis, and Jennifer Higdon, Matt studies jazz piano with Harold Danko and Paul Hofmann. He has also studied jazz improvisation, arranging, and performance with John Stetch, Steve Brown, Dr. Nicholas Walker, and Dr. Dana Wilson. Matt has studied classical piano with Dr. Deborah Martin, Dr. Diane Birr, and Dr. Charis Dimaris. Matt has played in master classes for such prominent figures as Dr. Billy Taylor, Dave Pietro, Chris Vadala, John Stetch, Aaron Goldberg, Stephan Harris, and Rich Perry.