Matthew Ivon Tifford is founder and owner of the Tifford Cello Studio in North Bethesda, Maryland and President-Elect of the MD/DC Chapter of the American String Teachers Association. Over the years, his students have won acclaim in local and state-wide competitions, and have been a constant presence in both the Maryland All-State Orchestras and the Maryland Classic Youth Orchestra for over a decade.

An accomplished performer, Mr. Tifford has been featured as a soloist for Pope John Paul II in Vatican City, and has recorded and performed live on stage with rock musician Dave Matthews. Mr. Tifford's most recent work can be heard on the soundtracks for National Geographic films "24 Hours after Hiroshima", and "Canyonlands", a collaboration with Emmy award-winning composer Christopher Biondo. Matthew has also performed at The Birchmere, The Barns at Wolf Trap, New York City's Irving Plaza, and on National Public Radio's "Mountain Stage" radio program. Matthew Tifford has taught Cello at the Salisbury University, the Selma M. Levine School of Music, and the D.C. Youth Orchestra Program. Mr. Tifford received his Master of Music in Cello from the Peabody Conservatory and his Bachelor of Music at the Catholic University of America. In the course of his training Mr. Tifford has been fortunate to have studied with many great teachers including Stephen Kates, Robert Newkirk, Christopher Von Baeyer, and Jeffrey Solow.

Matthew lives in the wonderful community of Randolph Hills with his wife and four children.