Matthew Vacanti returns to Syracuse’s Solstice at the Cathedral as Musical Director. He earned his degree in music education at SUNY Fredonia State and did his masters work at Eastman School of Music and SUNY Oswego State.  Vacanti’s training in classical bass has helped him become a first-call bassist in Central New York for string bass, fretless and fretted electric bass.  He has worked with Joey DeFrancisco, Ron Jackson, Kevin Mahagony, Willie and Lobo and Martha Reeves and the Vandellas.

Vacanti is a 20 year veteran public school educator, clinician and orchestra conductor.  He taught classroom music at Buffalo Waterfront Elementary, as well as directed orchestras and lessons at the elementary, junior high and high school level, in Fulton NY school district.  Additionally, he was an adjunct bass professor at Oswego State.  In 2000 he was awarded “Teacher of the Year” from the chamber of commerce and has directed the All County Orchestra in Onondaga County and Oneida County.

Matthew Vacanti is the co-founder, composer and arranger for the modern jazz group E.S.P.  This highly successful central New York group plays at clubs and festivals around the northeast and has won two SAMMY awards for outstanding jazz recordings, and a Syracuse NewTimes “Best of Syracuse” award.

Matt is a skilled recording engineer and record producer. He started Spider Records back in 1990 and has produced several SAMMY (Syracuse Area Music) award-winning records for Central NY musicians as well as his own group.