“Thank you so much! I start back to teaching on Monday and I am SO looking forward to some new music to inspire with and be inspired by! I have many class recordings that I use and no matter how many I have, after a while it feels like I play the same ones over and over again. I loved all the samples I listened to on your website and can’t wait to see what new combinations come to mind with them!”

Laurie LeBlanc – California Dance Academy

“I have just received music for ballet classes vol 1 , 2 , 3 CDs from mr Charles Mathews ! I am very grateful for receiving these CDs from a very high quality pianist ! I will be using these CDs to inspire my cecchetti ballet pupils when doing lots of free unset work and choreography ! Many many thxs”

Jayne Chidlow – jaynechidlowschoolofdance.co.uk

“I have been very lucky to have ballet CDs played by Mr Mathews, it is a very professional work. I am a ballet teacher and both CDs are incredible useful for a ballet class, everything you need is there. Mr Mathews is a wonderful pianist with great knowledge. I suggest to every ballet school and ballet teacher to get the CDs. Mr Mathews is not only a wonderful pianist but he also knows very well what a teacher needs in class. Good variety of music, rhythm and very inspiring. I love it :-)”

Gloria Grigolato
Former ballet dancer with English National Ballet and now ballet teacher with Elmhurst School for Dance

“Music for Ballet Classes Volume 1 is a lovely CD that will work for most classes. Filled with well-played and often familiar tunes, Charles Matthews plays expertly and there is plenty of music to choose from.
The barre portion of the CD has repeated tracks, convenient for the instructor. There is also music for a warmup and stretching included here. Music for the center exercises includes an adagio, tendus, pirouttes,and a reverance as well as selections for small jumps (assemble, petite changement, sissones), grand allegro, tour en l’air and sur les pointes.
Some of the choices here are simply marvelous for motivating dancers. “Nocturne in G” by Chopin was practically made for rond de jambe and Scott Joplin’s “The Entertainer” works wonderfully for battement frappe. Other great selections include “Dance of the Knights” from Romeo and Juliet, “Coda from Don Quixote” and Habanera” from Bizet’s Carmen.
The pacing of the music here is good, making it the perfect choice for beginner and intermediate ballet classes. Matthews does a nice job of choosing tunes that are well-suited to dance, and they are fun without being silly or overworked–and this is easier said than done, as any ballet teacher who has looked for classroom music can certainly tell you.”

Catherine L. Tully – 4dancers.org