Matthew Compton is Bells of the Cascades’ music director. A Colorado Springs native, he has been composing, arranging, and conducting music for handbells since 2007 when he was in the eighth grade. He had his first composition published at the age of fifteen, making him one of the youngest published handbell composers. Matthew has numerous compositions and arrangements in print or in the publishing process (Sonology, Hope, From the Top, Lorenz, Jeffers).

An avid performer, player and student of handbell music, Matthew is known for his high-energy original compositions and arrangements, and beautiful harmonies.

In addition to being a guest clinician at handbell festivals across the country, his music is used frequently at local and national handbell festivals, like the Bay View Week of Handbells, Distinctly Bronze East and West, and the International Handbell Symposium. He has been the recipient of the Donald E. Allured Composition Award.

His music has been performed across the world by many elite groups, including The Agape Ringers, Pikes Peak Youth Ringers, Hong Kong Youth Handbell Ensemble, and the Alleluia Ringers of Concordia University Wisconsin.

Matthew graduated in 2016 from Concordia University Wisconsin with a degree in music and a focus on composition and conducting. In his spare time, Matthew can be found streaming a variety of games and music performances on Twitch, going hiking, or enjoying any number of movies, anime, or TV shows!