Mathis Picard

BIO

Mathis Picard is a New York City–based pianist, composer and producer whose work bridges jazz, classical, and global influences shaped by his French and Malagasy heritage.

He has shared the stage with artists including Ron Carter, Wynton Marsalis, Christian McBride, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Veronica Swift, Lee Ritenour, Etienne Charles, Lillias White, and Kindness. Alongside these collaborations, Picard has developed a distinct voice as a bandleader and recording artist.
Mathis’ most recent studio album ‘Heat of the Moment’ has received 5* reviews from The Times among others and features Joel Ross, Melanie Charles, Braxton Cook, Giveton Gelin among others.

An ASCAP Next Generation of Songwriters recipient, member of the Montreux Jazz Foundation, and alumnus of The Juilliard School under the mentorship of Kenny Barron, Mathis began building international recognition early. At age 10, he was named a “rising star” by The Scotsman and became the youngest finalist at the Montreux Jazz Piano Competition.
Mathis leads The Sound Orchestra (formerly M.S.O), a large-scale ensemble that has performed at venues including NuBlu and Dizzy’s Club in New York City and Black Cat in San Francisco. The group’s debut EP, ‘World Unity’ (Outside In Music, 2020) introduced his genre-crossing compositional approach to a wider audience.

As a solo artist, Mathis released ‘Live at the Museum’ (2022), recorded before a live audience at the National Jazz Museum of Harlem. The album presents a program of original music shaped by his varied musical upbringing and formal classical foundation. During a 2022 U.S. solo tour, he recorded ‘Live at Blue Llama’, followed by the release of his fugue ‘Mysticism of Money in D Minor’ in partnership with NPR Live Sessions and WRTI 90.1 for International Jazz Day. That same year, he served as resident artist at Umbria Jazz Festival.

Mathis’ musical training began at age four in Pittsburgh and continued through the Pittsburgh Suzuki Academy, the Conservatoire of Fontainebleau, the Centre de Musique Didier Lockwood, and Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester. While in the U.K., he composed ‘Akire’ for jazz trio and orchestra, commissioned by the Northern Chamber Orchestra, and was included in the North West Real Book for his composition “Why Don’t You See?”