A dynamic violinist and entrepreneur, Stephanie Matthews is a modern-day citizen artist championing artistic excellence and social consciousness.
She is the Co-Founder of the Re-Collective Orchestra, an all-black orchestra dedicated to raising the visibility and profile of black musicians and to present culturally relevant work to engage diverse audiences. Ms. Matthews is the former Director of Artist Development for the Sphinx Organization, cultivating the careers of some of the nation's top Black and Latino artists through professional development initiatives, including the Sphinx Competition, Sphinx Soloist Program and the Sphinx Virtuosi tour. She has served as the Assistant Dean and violin faculty with the Sphinx Performance Academy and served as Artist in Residence at the National Academy of Performing Arts in Trinidad and Tobago.
In 2022, Ms. Matthews became the first Black Concertmaster of the Academy Awards Orchestra, under the musical direction of Adam Blackstone. She made history again that year with the Re-Collective Orchestra as the first all-Black orchestra to perform at the Hollywood Bowl for their Juneteenth celebration, live broadcast by CNN. Ms. Matthews has written, recorded and contributed to various music, television and film soundtracks. As the Owner and Executive Creative Director of StringCandy, she has engaged musicians throughout the US, Europe, the Middle East and Australia for various tours, music festivals, and for live and recorded television shows. Most recently, Ms. Matthews contracted and recorded for Beyoncé’s “Be Alive” performance at the 2022 Academy Awards and for Adele’s Emmy-nominated “One Night Only” television special in Los Angeles.
Her work has been featured on many award shows and late night television including the American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, European Music Awards, the Grammy Awards, Saturday Night Live, Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, VH1 Storytellers, the BET Awards and the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. She has collaborated with many notable mainstream performing and recording artists including Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, Earth Wind & Fire, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Chloe x Halle, The Roots, Nicki Minaj, Eminem, John Legend, Coldplay, Ariana Grande, Alicia Keys, Lizzo, Camilla Cabello, Justin Timberlake, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Pharrell, H.E.R., and Bastille.