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 internationally as “Cimbalom Guy,” is a Czech cimbalom virtuoso and cultural ambassador dedicated to expanding the instrument’s place in contemporary musical life. Originally from the village of Hodslavice, he trained under leading Czech cimbalom educators before becoming the first university-level cimbalom student in the United States. He later studied at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, performed at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, and earned a master’s degree from Berklee College of Music in New York. In 2025, he won the Grand Prize at the International Cimbalom Competition.
Beyond performance, Matěj actively expands the cimbalom repertoire, commissioning new works from recognized American composers including Anthony Plog and Alan Kryszak. He serves as President of the International Dulcimer Arts Alliance and was recently appointed Vice Secretary-General of the Asian Yangqin Association, strengthening artistic connections between the European cimbalom and related dulcimer traditions across Asia.
Now based in Beijing, Matěj performs and lectures internationally across Asia, Europe, and the Americas, pursuing his mission to establish the cimbalom as a living, versatile, and truly global instrument for the 21st century.
Full bio
Matěj Číp, known internationally as “Cimbalom Guy,” is a Czech cimbalom virtuoso and cultural ambassador whose career is dedicated to expanding the artistic possibilities and global presence of the cimbalom. Originally from Hodslavice in the Czech Republic, he discovered the instrument at the age of eight and trained under leading Czech educators including Růžena Děcká and Daniel Skála. His achievements include numerous international awards, most recently the Grand Prize at the 2025 International Cimbalom Competition.
In 2018, Matěj moved to the United States to study at Northern State University, where he became the first university-level cimbalom student in the country and later graduated Summa Cum Laude. His interest in Asian music subsequently brought him to the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, where he studied yangqin and explored new connections between the European cimbalom and traditional Chinese instruments. This period culminated in a performance at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. He later earned a master’s degree from Berklee College of Music – BerkleeNYC in New York. His academic path from Northern State through Beijing and Berklee is documented throughout his professional materials.
Matěj has performed at venues including Carnegie Hall and Trinity Church Wall Street and has presented lectures and performances at institutions such as The Juilliard School, New York University, Berklee College of Music, and the University of Chicago. He has also collaborated with artists including renowned Czech violinist, singer, and composer Iva Bittová.
A central part of Matěj’s work is expanding what can be written and imagined for the cimbalom. He has commissioned new works from recognized American composers Anthony Plog and Alan Kryszak, helping develop contemporary repertoire for the instrument and introducing it into new orchestral, chamber, interdisciplinary, and cross-cultural contexts. His collaboration with Plog includes Eight Moods for Cimbalom and Wind Ensemble, whose world and European premieres became important milestones in Matěj’s work in the United States and Europe.
Matěj also plays an active role in the international dulcimer community. Since 2024, he has served as President of the International Dulcimer Arts Alliance, promoting collaboration among musicians working with dulcimer-family instruments around the world. He was recently appointed Vice Secretary-General of the Asian Yangqin Association, further strengthening his role as a bridge between the European cimbalom tradition and the wider Asian yangqin community.
Now based in Beijing, Matěj performs, teaches, lectures, and develops international collaborations across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Through his work as “Cimbalom Guy,” his broader mission is to demonstrate that the cimbalom is not merely a historical or regional instrument, but a living, versatile, and limitless voice for the 21st century — capable of connecting musical traditions, artists, and audiences across cultures and continents.
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