Mathew Rakers is a Southern California improviser, composer, writer, pianist, guitarist, sound tech, piano tech, and business owner.
Since beginning work as a piano instructor in his late teens, Mathew has had many students enter competitive college programs for music and has worked with many professional musicians to develop skillsets and businesses post-college. As a solo performer, he has had over a thousand performances in a variety of genres since starting piano at the age of 5 years old. As a composer, he’s written several hundred pieces for a variety of instruments and ensembles.
Performance Pricing:
$1000 for up to 3 hours of free improvisation in impressionist, romantic, and modern classical styles
$1000 to rent and deliver a grand piano along with the performance
Lesson Pricing:
30min $60, $240 a month
45min $80, $320 a month
60min $100, $400 a month
Bands:
Fistfights With Wolves $600
Phantom Twins $400
Composition:
Email for a custom quote on your project.
CURRENT PROJECTS AND ROLES
2023 - Present: The Musicians Empowerment Collective 501c3, CEO
2021 - Present: Move Your Piano San Diego, Co-Owner
2021 - Present: The Escondido Music And Art Company, Co-Owner
2019 - Present: Phantom Twins, Band Leader and Composer
2019 - Present: Moonquake Records, Owner
2014 - Present: The San Diego Music And Art Company, Owner
2012 - Present: Fistfights With Wolves, Band Leader and Composer
PAST PROJECTS AND ROLES
2018-2022: Bottom Feeders Quarterly, long form music review, Writer
2020 - 2022: Bardic Management, COO
2014-2019: Latifahtron, funk
2013 - 2014: The Foundation Music Center, Director
2006-2012: gunghoseesaw, bedroom pop
2006-2008: 18th Century Fashion, psych rock
2004-2006: The Green Water District, folk rock
PRESS
“Fistfights With Wolves produces a musical sound that stirs the imagination with their lightly psychedelic, totally artistic, progressive rock.” - Kristy Walker, ListenSD
“A proposal as captivating as it is challegning. The Sheep That Eats The Wolf offers a series of classical and modern influences highlighting Magma’s Zeuhl and Japanese currents such as Koenji Hyakkei.” - Prog Jazz
“… influences of expressionism, neo-folklore, post-modernism, and avant prog rock are organically intertwined… dynamic, emotional, and moving composition…” - Igor Gorely, Recyclable Sounds
“Smart, and truly very good.” - Rock Progressif, Sorties de l’Annee Courante
“Wow… that was beautiful.” - Not So Serious Radio
“… everything I’ve listened to by you guys is epic. There’s a lot of different themes and parts to it, not just your typical verse, chorus, bridge, outro… it’s more structured like a classical piece.” - Sunshine Sound Podcast
“(They) take cues from prog rock, video games, and gypsy jams to dizzying and delightful ends.” - Chad Deal, The San Diego Reader