The Maurice Duruflé Academy was founded in 2020 with the goal of reshaping classical music education
at all levels to better fit the needs of twenty-first century students. We emphasize artistic
individuality and holistic musicianship, and strive to cultivate an atmosphere of inspiration and
enrichment in every lesson, concert, and experience.
Our founders developed a set of five tenets which inform every aspect of our pedagogy:
These five principles might seem obvious, but in many ways, traditional music instruction has ignored
most or all of these for the last several decades. Conservatories have a tendency to value an artificial
construct of “perfection” over a unique artistic vision. Some students are dismissed as simply lacking
talent. Musicianship is treated as something that happens only when an instrument is being played.
Music is looked at as ‘merely an art,’ not as a practical skill. And most detrimentally, progress and
perfection are valued over the enrichment of the student.
We believe that these negative tendencies have no place in music education, and we founded the Duruflé
Academy to set an example of what classical music training should be. We value our students as humans,
and we view music as a powerful tool for good in the world.
During the early days of the COVID-19 lockdown, Joshua Sobel and Matthew Cates, then organ students
at UNC School of the Arts, founded an online community where music students and enthusiasts could gather,
study, and learn. What began as a small project soon evolved into a busy forum, hosting weekly online
masterclasses by world-renowned musicians, virtual lessons, and lectures.
Late that year, the founders set their sights on an ambitious target: to completely overhaul classical
music education at every level. With the help and support of Thomas S. Kenan III, and the blessing of
the Duruflé estate, the Duruflé Academy was legally incorporated, and the vision started to become a reality.
The Duruflé Academy is named for Maurice Duruflé (1902-1986), a French composer, organist, musicologist,
and teacher. His pursuit of artistic excellence in music for the enrichment of the soul was inspiring to
all who knew him. There was a personal element too – Matthew Cates, our CEO, studied his compositions
extensively under the tutelage of Frédéric Blanc, one of Duruflé’s last and most important students.
An immediate goal of the Academy was to formulate a curriculum framework for music education that was
adaptable enough to suit the most dedicated and advanced students as well as beginners and hobbyists
equally well. Armed with the firm belief that artistry is a natural trait in humanity, we are building
a robust pedagogical foundation incorporating the most cutting edge research in injury-preventative
technique and artistic philosophy.
Our eventual goal is to establish a top-tier music conservatory where our pedagogical philosophies
may be applied at the very highest levels.
In 2021, we partnered with Tabernáculo Bautista Agua de Vida in Winston-Salem, NC to open our first
physical location. The beautiful and historic building, once home to Southside Baptist Church, is
the perfect home for our new music school as we expand in size and scope. Joshua Sobel, co-founder
and COO currently serves as the Head Instructor for this location.
The sanctuary seats about 400 people, and is the primary space for lessons and recitals. It houses
a historic Baldwin grand piano and a two-manual organ by Schantz. The acoustics are intimate and clear.
Artistic Director & COO
Head Instructor Winston-Salem East
Piano and Organ Instructor
Artistic Director & CEO
Keyboard Technique Specialist
Violin and Viola Instructor
