Matthew Krell from Campbell River is the recipient of the 2019 Keen-Halleran Memorial Scholarship, awarded to a student studying music at the post-secondary level.
The Keen-Halleran Scholarship was first established in May 2003 as the Halleran Scholarship by Frances Keen (1955-2006) in recognition of her highschool band and choir, and her piano teachers, Noreen and Mickey Halleran of Quesnel, B.C. Unfortunately, Keen passed away before she could finish her project. Her name was added to the scholarship in recognition of and as a tribute to her contributions as an elementary choir and band teacher, community choir director, and advocate for music education in the community.
Matthew Krell, son of Dr. John and Carolynne Krell, grew up in Campbell River where he studied piano with Shelley Roberts for 14 years and advanced theory with Sandy Havelaar for five years. He has won numerous awards and scholarships including the Virginia Graczak Piano Scholarship, the Ruth Scott Chopin Competition and the Dorothy Brealey Memorial Scholarship. Krell represented the North Island Festival of the Performing Arts at the provincials for four years. In 2014 he represented the North Island branch of the B.C. Registered Music Teachers Association at the Young Artists Piano Competition where he won second prize in all of B.C.
Krell holds his Associate Diploma of the Royal Conservatory of Music (ARCT) with an advanced certificate of theory and the Licentiate of the Royal Conservatory (LRCM) in Piano Performance with Distinction, the highest academic standings awarded by the RCM Certificate Program. He also holds Associate Diplomas from the Trinity College London in Speech Arts & Drama and Musical Theatre with Distinction. In addition to piano, he has been successful as an actor on stages spanning local theatre productions to Off-Broadway in New York City.
In 2018, Krell completed his Bachelor of Music Degree in Piano Performance from the Masters University in California. He is currently working towards his Masters Degree in Piano Performance at the University of Southern California (USC) Thornton School of Music. In November 2019, Krell placed first in the prestigious Music Teachers National Association Competition for the state of California.