Dr. Matthew Harder

Matthew D. Harder is Assistant Professor of percussion and music technology at West Liberty State College.  Dr. Harder teaches Electronic Music, Recording Techniques, Music Appreciation, Fundamentals of Percussion, applied percussion and composition, and leads the WLSC Percussion Ensemble.  Dr. Harder has been employed at institutions of higher learning in Illinois, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Florida.  He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Illinois Wesleyan University, Masters degrees from Bowling Green State University in Percussion and Composition, and a Doctor of Music in Composition from Northwestern University.

Dr. Harder is active as a performer, clinician, and composer and has had his works performed in numerous cities around the country.  The Cleveland Chamber Symphony performed his orchestral work Catharsis in 1998.  His compositions have received numerous awards, including the William T. Faricy award for creative composition from Northwestern University in 2000 for his piece Chin Music (percussion quartet and saxophone quartet).