FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Nancy Lesley 970-429-2092

[email protected]

Craig Boleman 972-717-5181 [email protected]

WHEELER OPERA HOUSE ANNOUNCES VIRTUAL ARTIST RESIDENCY AND FREE FACEBOOK LIVE CONCERT WITH SINGER-SONGWRITER MATT BEILIS

Aspen, CO (August 5, 2020): Next week, the Wheeler Opera House goes virtual with singer-songwriter Matt Beilis. The YouTube favorite will be leading a singalong for students at the Red Brick Center for the Arts, conducting a workshop for aspiring songwriters and performing a Facebook live concert from his home studio. The full schedule follows.

Matt Beilis Singalong | Wednesday, August 12, 2020 at 1:30 PM
Matt will lead a singalong for elementary school aged children attending the Red Brick Center for the Arts Kids Camp.

Aspen Songwriting Workshop | Wednesday, August 12, 2020 at 6:30 PM
Matt will lead aspiring Aspen songwriters through a workshop conducted virtually via Google Meet. Free to songwriters, this creative workshop is for songwriters at all levels (beginning, intermediate, expert) but spots are limited and will be filled on a first come, first served basis. To register, please send an email to [email protected] and include your name, phone number and email address. Sign-ups will close on Tuesday, August 11 at 12 noon.

Matt Beilis LIVE on the Wheeler Facebook | Thursday, August 13, 2020 at 7:30 PM
Matt will perform his signature piano rock LIVE on Facebook! This event will be free and can be enjoyed from the comfort of your own home. Grab a soda, some popcorn and throw on your pajamas (or wear whatever you want – you’re at home!) and enjoy some live music together. Just tune in to the Wheeler Opera House Facebook page at 7:30 PM. www.facebook.com/wheeleropera

Wheeler Interim Director Nancy Lesley states, “Collaborations and partnerships are the name of the game as we work to continue presenting art and artists during these challenging times of COVID-19. We are thrilled to partner with Matt on these virtual opportunities for our community.”

These residency events and complimentary concert enable the Wheeler Opera House to continue to present performances and keep artists working during the current pandemic. For more information and to sign up for the songwriter workshop, please visit www.wheeleroperahouse.com.

About Matt Beilis:

New Yorker Matt Beilis was born with his distinct voice. Some would say it's unconventional, which would fit the personality of this singer/songwriter/pianist. Matt traded in his Ivy League education along with a lucrative finance career--for a gig in a piano store, betting that his artistic talents would propel him beyond the comfort that his academic achievements all but guaranteed.

Like many young singers, he set up a YouTube page and started covering his favorite songs - just him and a piano. He quickly found an audience of adoring fans and famous folks who loved his take on Top 40 hits. Since then, his YouTube page has gained over 30,000 subscribers and is recognized by celebrities like Bruno Mars, Ashton Kutcher, and Ariana Grande. Matt's wide-ranging appeal as a singer and performer also garnered him support slots for a mixtape of artists including Smokey Robinson, REO Speedwagon, Secondhand Serenade, Javier Colon and even legendary Wu-tang Clan member Inspectah Deck. The video for his single, Dial-Tone, caught the attention of Ryan Seacrest and his team, who decided to premier the song exclusively on Seacrest's website RyanSeacrest.com. This led to Matt's latest music video for his single, "Perfect for Me," which was picked up by the blogworld, and called one of "the most important things on the internet" by People Magazine.

By choosing his dream over a career on Wall Street, Matt already walked away from a sure thing. Believing 100% in his own talent is the only bet he could make. And he's all in.

For more information about the Wheeler Opera House, please visit www.wheeleroperahouse.com.