Matthew Fieldbinder

I bring over 15 years of professional experience as a musician, writer, producer, and educator, with a strong foundation in both performance and mentorship. I began playing guitar at age 12 and quickly branched into other instruments, songwriting, and music production. My musical journey gained momentum when I founded A Desperate Endeavor, an award-winning punk rock band in Orlando, FL. We recorded our debut album with the producer of Paramore’s first record and earned accolades such as Best Punk Band and Best Live Performance in Orlando. The band received attention from labels including Hopeless Records and Victory Records before disbanding after a three-year run.

Since then, I’ve worked independently as a songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. My work has included signing instrumental tracks to an Australian label and collaborating with a range of indie artists. In addition to my creative pursuits, I’ve accumulated over 5 years of formal teaching experience. I taught guitar, bass, drums, piano, and songwriting at the Winter Park Academy of Music and currently serve as Director of a Bach to Rock music school in New York. In this role, I teach students of all ages, manage curriculum and staff, and oversee school-wide performances and productions.

In the literary world, I’ve been writing novels and poetry since high school, with several completed manuscripts and countless poems to my name. I’ve tutored college students in writing and poetry, and for the past 10 years, I’ve been deeply involved in storytelling through tabletop roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons. As a professional Dungeon Master, I’ve led creative writing workshops and built immersive worlds for campaigns. Under the name TableFables, I hosted live D&D streams on Twitch and cultivated a supportive online community focused on storytelling and collaboration.

My teaching approach is student-centered, flexible, and creatively driven. I prioritize curiosity, confidence, and authentic expression, tailoring each lesson to the unique goals, interests, and learning style of the student. Before recommending any materials, I always take time to understand where the student is coming from—what excites them, what they want to achieve, and how they learn best.

In music lessons, that might mean focusing on songwriting, performance, theory, or production—or all of the above, depending on the student. Lessons are collaborative and project-based whenever possible, giving students the chance to create something meaningful while developing their skills. Whether we’re learning a riff, writing a full arrangement, or recording a track, the process is designed to feel personal and empowering.

In writing and storytelling, I take a similar approach—combining exercises, prompts, and discussions with the student’s own ideas and projects. I believe in nurturing voice over formality, and structure over rigidity. Whether it’s a poem, short story, campaign world, or full-length novel, we build it piece by piece, together.

Recommended Texts & Resources

I recommend resources based on each student's goals and learning preferences, but here are some trusted foundations I regularly draw from:

Music:

• Hal Leonard and Alfred series – for structured method books in guitar, bass, piano, and theory

• How Music Works by David Byrne – a unique look at music through culture, creativity, and structure

• Songwriters On Songwriting by Paul Zollo – interviews with iconic writers about their creative process

• Digital tools like GarageBand, BandLab, Soundtrap, and Chordify – for hands-on learning and creative experimentation

• Selected tabs, sheet music, and listening playlists tailored to the student’s musical style and inspirations

Writing & Storytelling:

• On Writing by Stephen King – part memoir, part masterclass in storytelling

• Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder – a straightforward breakdown of storytelling structure

• Wonderbook by Jeff VanderMeer – a beautifully visual guide to imaginative writing and worldbuilding

• The Anatomy of Story by John Truby – great for narrative structure and character arcs

• The Bell Jar or Ariel by Sylvia Plath – for exploring emotional depth and poetic voice

• The Poetry of Robert Frost (any collected volume) – for mastery of rhythm, imagery, and form

• Barely Amazing by Shane Koyczan – contemporary spoken word with heart, humor, and vulnerability

• Creative tools like Campfire, Scrivener, or a personal writing journal – to plan and build longer works

Ultimately, I believe the best learning comes from inspiration and connection. My goal is to help each student feel seen, supported, and creatively free.