Matthew Taylor (born 6 December, 1964) is an English composer and conductor.^[1]

Taylor was born in London and attended the Junior Royal Academy of Music. He first studied composition with Robin Holloway at Queens' College, Cambridge University and later at Guildhall School of Music and Drama and at the Royal Academy of Music. He later continued his composition training with Robert Simpson and Sir Malcolm Arnold.^[2] As a conductor he trained with Robin Page, Vilém Tauský, and with Leonard Bernstein at the Schleswig-Holstein Musik festival.

Taylor appeared as Guest Conductor with the English Chamber Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, City of London Sinfonia, Royal Ballet Sinfonia, European Community Chamber Orchestra and St Petersburg State Academic Orchestra and has recorded for Hyperion Records and Dutton. Matthew Taylor has conducted first performances of pieces by Robert Simpson, Vagn Holmboe, David Matthews and James Francis Brown.^[3]

Taylor's compositions, which include six symphonies,^[4] eight string quartets and a considerable body of other chamber music, have been performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, John McCabe, Martyn Brabbins, George Hurst, Richard Watkins, Raphael Wallfisch and Kenneth Woods. He has been Artistic Director of the Malvern Festival, Composer in Residence at the Blackheath Halls, Associate Composer of ensemble Sound Collective, Artistic Director of the Royal Tunbridge Wells International Music Festival and Artistic Director of the St Petersburg British Music Festival.^[3]

Taylor was a lecturer in composition at the Royal Academy of Music and currently teaches composition at the Junior Academy.^[3]

Matthew Taylor's works are published by Edition Peters.