Composition and/or Theory Lessons with
Mathew Arrellin
Are you looking to refine your compositional voice, improve your technique, or prepare for professional opportunities?
Work with award-winning composer Mathew Arrellín to develop your craft and bring your music to life.
Who This Is For
✅ Aspiring and professional composers seeking expert guidance
✅ Musicians preparing for competitions, applications, or commissions
✅ Composers struggling with form, orchestration, or musical clarity
✅ Artists looking for personalized mentorship beyond traditional academia
What You’ll Get
🎼 Tailored Feedback – In-depth critique of your works-in-progress
🎵 Technical & Artistic Development – Improve your harmonic, contrapuntal, and structural writing
🖥️ Flexible Online Lessons – Work from anywhere with high-quality virtual sessions
Lesson Options
Start here to find the lesson option that’s right for you!
✍🏻 Private Lessons
$125/hr
$65/.5-hour
Focused, deep-dive sessions on your composition, technique, theory questions, orchestration, etc. Click the button for more info on lesson bundles and new student promos.
🎼 Group Lessons
$25/session
1-2 hour sessions over Zoom, where we meet in small groups of 5 composers from around the world for guidance to help you grow and refine your music.
🎵 Score Review
$40 for feedback on a piece of music
Send me a piece of music, up to 15 minutes long for any instrumentation that you’re looking for feedback on. I’ll get it back to you in 5-7 business days!
🤔 Not Sure Which Option Fits You?
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This is for you if...
you’re deep in the middle of a piece and want expert feedback
so that you can clarify your structure, harmony, and orchestration.you’re preparing for an audition, commission, or application
so that your work makes the strongest possible impression.you’ve hit a creative wall
so that you can move forward with clear next steps.you’re not in school (or wish your lessons went deeper)
so that you can receive guidance tailored to your artistic goals.you’re building a portfolio and want it to reflect your voice
so that you feel proud and confident in what you share.
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This is for you if...
you want consistent feedback on your music
so that you can grow faster and stay motivated.you’ve been writing alone without a musical community
so that you can hear others’ work and learn together.you’re on a budget but still want high-level guidance
so that you can improve without breaking the bank.you enjoy learning from how others revise and problem-solve
so that your own process sharpens over time.you miss having regular critique, like in a seminar or workshop
so that your music doesn’t stall out between deadlines.
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you just want a second set of ears on something
so that you can feel more confident before rehearsals or submissions.you’re not ready for ongoing lessons
so that you can still get meaningful feedback when you need it.you're wondering if your orchestration, form, or harmony is working
so that you can make smart revisions without second-guessing.you’re busy and want feedback on your own schedule
so that you don’t have to carve out a live lesson time.
What People Said About Lessons
About me
Mathew Arrellín (pronounced: A-rre-yín) is a composer and cellist from El Paso, Texas (b. 1993), currently based in Chicago.
His solo, chamber, and orchestral works have been performed by ensembles such as Ensemble Dal Niente, Mivos Quartet, Third Coast Percussion, ~Nois, and others, at festivals including VIPA (2016), June in Buffalo (2018), and the SCI National Conference (2019).
He is a 2023 Barlow Endowment commission recipient and has earned awards from the Illinois Arts Council and Northwestern University, among others.
As an educator, Mathew teaches music theory at Northwestern University and has led courses in composition, aural skills, and interdisciplinary arts. He also teaches masterclasses and private lessons online.
He holds a bachelor’s in music theory, composition, and cello from the University of New Mexico, and a PhD in composition from Northwestern University, where he studied with Jay Alan Yim, Alex Mincek, and Hans Thomalla.
My Music
Have a question? Don’t hesitate to reach out!
More Testimonials
“By a meeting, like, one hour, I learned something I couldn’t learn by six months.”
-Mahmoud, composer
“I feel like a composer again.”
-Joe, composer/violist
“The chances are that if you come with a piece of music, [Mathew] is going to point something out… that that person hasn’t heard before, and they’re gonna get some sort of benefit, and it might be a transformative benefit..”
-Guy, composer
“The suggestions were not vague, very specific, not heavy-handed... It’s a great alternative for someone that’s not in school studying composition.”
-Simmon, composer
“You would be surprised by the amount of good feedback you get and it really could help you, I think, grow as a composer.”
-Grace, composer
[The session] was awesome. It was awesome.”
-Larry, composer
“It’s very engaging, very friendly, very open. It’s a great experience.”
-Peter, composer
“I find it hard to imagine any kind of music that [Mathew] couldn’t improve with [his] insights. I think any composer could benefit from that.”
-Averyn, composer
“You’ll reap the benefits of not only making connections, but also you’ll have someone else hear your music and have coherence to that hearing.”
-Daniel, composer
“It’s amazing hearing your process… I think hearing someone else’s insight into your work is super valuable, super informative, and would definitely recommend for sure.”
-Wesley, composer
“By studying with Mathew, you’re definitely going to learn a lot.”
-Guang, composer
“You were able to identify what seemed to be the gold… I found that particularly helpful because you were able to do that very quickly.”
-Rob, composer
“It’s been very useful to see your process for composing… You’ve been really helpful!”
-Hazel, composer
“Mathew will give you what you need to get started on this journey of personal growth and empowerment.”
-Dan Galat, violinist/composer
“With your feedback, I feel like I can get somewhere with [my music].”
-Milly, composer
“You’ve been pretty helpful and understanding and it seems you know what you’re talking about.”
-Comet, composer