Press Kit
Everything you need to feature or book Matěj Číp — biography, photos, performance offerings, and press materials. For inquiries: info@cimbalomguy.com.
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Biography
Short bio
Matěj Číp — "Cimbalom Guy" — is a Czech cimbalom virtuoso and cultural ambassador, Grand Prize winner of the 2025 International Cimbalom Competition and President of the International Dulcimer Arts Alliance. Originally from the village of Hodslavice, he became the first university-level cimbalom student in the United States, performed at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, and earned a master's degree from Berklee College of Music in New York. Now based in Beijing, he performs internationally across Asia, Europe, and North America, building a living bridge between the cimbalom and its Chinese cousin, the yangqin.
Medium bio
Matěj Číp, known worldwide as "Cimbalom Guy," is a Czech cimbalom virtuoso and cultural ambassador on a mission to show that the cimbalom is not a historical curiosity but a living, limitless instrument for the 21st century. Born in the village of Hodslavice, he trained under leading Czech masters before becoming the first university-level cimbalom student in the United States. He performed at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and completed a master's degree at Berklee College of Music in New York. In 2025 he won the Grand Prize at the International Cimbalom Competition, the field's highest honor. Now based in Beijing, he serves as President of the International Dulcimer Arts Alliance and performs across Asia, Europe, and North America.
Full bio
Matěj Číp is a cimbalom virtuoso and cultural ambassador originally from Hodslavice, Czech Republic. He discovered his passion for the cimbalom at the age of eight and trained under the country's foremost educators, including professors Růžena Děcká and Daniel Skála, earning numerous awards — most recently the Grand Prize at the 2025 International Cimbalom Competition, the highest honor in the field.
Matěj began his academic journey in the United States at Northern State University, becoming the first-ever university-level cimbalom student in the country. He later expanded his artistic and cultural horizons at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, where he pioneered collaborations between the cimbalom and traditional Chinese instruments, including a celebrated performance at the 2022 Winter Olympics. In 2024, he completed his master's degree at Berklee College of Music – BerkleeNYC.
Matěj has performed at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall and Trinity Church Wall Street, and has presented lectures and concerts at institutions including The Juilliard School, NYU, Berklee, and the University of Chicago. He actively contributes to events organized by the Czech Center New York and the Consulate General of the Czech Republic, and has collaborated with avant-garde Czech icon Iva Bittová.
In 2024, he was appointed President of the International Dulcimer Arts Alliance (based in Hong Kong), where he works to promote global appreciation and collaboration among artists playing dulcimer-type instruments.
Now based in Beijing, Matěj performs internationally across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Through each appearance, he shares his mission: to show that the cimbalom is a living, limitless instrument for the 21st century — one that brings people and cultures closer together, building a bridge between the cimbalom and its Chinese cousin, the yangqin.
Concerts
Lectures
Masterclasses
