Matthew Pauls
Assistant Professor of Music

Dr. Matthew Pauls is Assistant Professor of Music at Canadian Mennonite University, where he teaches voice, aural skills, and vocal pedagogy, and is the director of CMU Voices (TB). A dedicated performer and educator, he is passionate about equipping students with the skills to explore a wide range of vocal repertoire and to develop their unique artistic voices.
Matthew completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Vocal Performance at the University of Western Ontario, where his research focused on Argentine Art Song—a body of repertoire rich with musical gems that remains largely unknown in North America.
As a performer, Matthew has been praised for his on-stage poise and magnificent singing (Opera Canada). Matthew's stage credits include, Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro, the Speaker and second Armoured Man in Die Zauberflöte, Dr. Falke in Die Fledermaus, Don Inigo Gomez in L’Heure Espagnole, Benoit in La Bohème, Marullo in Rigoletto, Father Christmas in Merry Christmas, Stephen Leacock, the Mysterious Man in Sondheim's Into the Woods, Frank Maurant in Street Scene, and Masetto in Don Giovanni. On the concert stage, Matthew has performed numerous works such as Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Handel’s Alexander’s Feast and Messiah, Haydn’s Creation, Mozart’s Requiem and Vesperae solennes de confessore, Brahms' Ein Deutsches Requiem, Fauré’s Requiem, Durufle's Requiem, Grieg’s Four Psalms, Ramirez's Misa Criolla, J. S. Bach’s Weihnachtsoratorium, Johannes Passion, and cantatas Wachet! Betet! Betet! Wachet! (BWV70), Gott, der Herr, ist Sonn und Schild (BWV 79), Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott (BWV 80), Gottes Zeit is die allerbeste Zeit (BWV 106), as well as Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem and Five Mystical Songs.
Appearances as a featured soloist with ensembles across Canada and beyond have included the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Nova Scotia, Windsor Symphony Orchestra, Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional del Paraguay, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Guelph Chamber Choir, Windsor Classic Chorale, Windsor Symphony Chorus, and the CEMTA Cantores. Matthew has also performed with leading Canadian chamber choirs such as Pro Coro Canada, the Winnipeg Singers, Polycoro, Saskatoon Chamber Singers, and the Canadian Chamber Choir.
At CMU, Matthew integrates his experiences on stage and in research into his teaching, helping students engage deeply with music as both a scholarly and a performing art.
When not in the classroom or on-stage, Matthew enjoys spending time with great friends, good coffee, stimulating board games, and the challenge of parenting two wonderful children, Michaela and Levi, with his wife Laura.
Areas of Teaching
Voice Performance, Choral Performance, Aural Skills, IAMS Coordinator
Education
DMA, University of Western Ontario (2018); MMus in Literature & Performance, University of Western Ontario (2011); BMus in Voice Performance, Canadian Mennonite University (2005)
Work in Detail
Teaching
- CMU Men's Chorus
- Music Skills I–IV (Aural Skills)
- Individual Applied Music Studies (Voice)
- IAMS Coordinator
Performance
Oratorio/Sacred Repertoire
Bach Gottes Zeit is die allerbeste Zeit (BWV 106)
Ich habe genug (BWV 82)
Daley Requiem
Fauré Requiem
Handel Alexander's Feast
Messiah
Haydn The Creation
Mendelssohn Elijah
Mozart Coronation Mass
Requiem
Vesperae solennes de Confessore
Nickel Requiem for Peace
Vaughan Williams Dona Nobis Pacem
Five Mystical Songs
Opera Roles
Mozart Don Giovanni Masetto
Le Nozze di Figaro Figaro
Die Zauberflöte Sprecher
2er geharnischter Mann
Puccini La Bohème Benoit
Ravel L'Heure Espagnole Don Inigo Gomez
Strauss Die Fledermaus Dr. Falke
Verdi Rigoletto Marullo
Weill Street Scene Frank Maurant
Music Theatre
Sondheim Into the Woods Mysterious Man
Recital Repertoire
Brahms Vier Ernste Gesänge, op. 121
Finzi Let us garlands bring, op. 18
Ginastera Dos canciones, op. 3
López Buchardo Cinco canciones argentinas
Quilter Three Shakespeare Songs, op. 6
Schubert Der Taucher
Smallman Epitaphs
Vaughan Williams Songs of Travel