Dr. Nicholas Mathew

Biography

Nicholas Mathew is a Professor of Music specializing in musicology at the University of California, Berkeley, where he joined the faculty in 2007. He has extensive academic training with degrees from Oxford University, Guildhall School of Music, and Cornell University where he completed his PhD focusing on fortepiano studies. His publications include acclaimed books like "Political Beethoven" and "Haydn Economy", addressing the intersections of music and politics, and the cultural and economic implications of musical production. Mathew has also contributed significantly to various interdisciplinary journals and has served on editorial boards for journals such as 'Representations' and 'Journal of Musicology'. His teaching encompasses a wide range of courses that delve into music history and performance, encouraging student-led initiatives and inquiries in the realm of music politics and aesthetics. Mathew is passionately engaged in promoting historical understanding through the performance of early music, and he oversees a collection of nineteenth-century pianos at the university, lending them for performances and educational purposes. His research interests are broadly focused on the political aspects of music, cultural production, and the impact of music on collective identity, reflecting on themes such as political appropriation and the socio-economic contexts affecting musical aesthetics.

Research Interests

Courses