Local cellist wins international music competition

CLEVELAND -- He's only 17-years-old, but he's already made a name for himself as a world class musician.

Matthew Allen is a cellist at the Cleveland Institute of Music. He studies with Melissa Kraut and has been solo performer with several orchestras around the United States.

Matt recently won a prestigious international music competition in Japan.  He beat out 57 musicians from 22 different countries to win the 2009 Gaspar Cassado International Cello Competition.

Matt is from Tallahassee, Florida, where he played high school football as well.  But when it came time to choose a college, Matt only auditioned for the Cleveland Institute of Music.

Matt came to Channel 3 studios to show off his amazing talent and beautiful music this morning.