By Sue Moore
From a boy who was sometimes hired to play background music at local events, Matt Weddon of Vicksburg has come a long way– a recent first place in the Michigan State University Piano Honors Competition. A $1,000 scholarship and an appearance with the MSU Symphony Orchestra on March 25, were part of his prize.
Weddon, now a junior in MSU’s music school, started taking piano lessons at age 8.
For the competition, he played Tchaikovsky’s First Concerto in B Minor on the stage of MSU’s Fairchild Theatre, competing with a number of graduate level students.
While at Vicksburg High School before his 2013 graduation, Weddon played concerts, gave lessons, and was involved in many of the high school musicals. He traveled to Europe the summer of 2014 with a group of musicians from the university under the direction of his teacher Deborah Moriarty, who is professor of music and chair of MSU’s piano area.
Flying fixed-wing aircraft is Weddon’s other passion. He has passed his requirements for daylight navigation and is working on his instrument flying requirements. While home this summer, he helped as a groundskeeper at Kline’s Resort.