Canadian Matthew Eeuwes joined The Florida Orchestra as assistant principal viola in the fall of 2022. He previously served as a member of the viola section in the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. 

A graduate of the Eastman School of Music, Eeuwes earned his bachelor of music degree in violin performance under the tutelage of Renée Jolles. During his studies, he fell in love with the lower timbre of the viola and subsequently went on to earn his master of music in viola performance and literature under the guidance of Phillip Ying. 

In 2020, he was a recipient of the Ihnatowycz Emerging Artist Scholarship, which granted him a full scholarship to pursue an artist diploma at the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. In the summers of 2019 and 2021, he was a fellow at the Toronto Summer Music Festival, where he played and worked alongside members of the Dover String Quartet and New Orford String Quartet. 

Eeuwes served as lecturer in secondary viola studies at the Eastman School of Music and enjoys teaching private violin and viola lessons to all levels and ages. 

He also enjoys using his musical abilities to make a difference in his community and abroad. One organization close to his heart is Save the Mothers, a non-profit organization that focuses on decreasing maternal mortality in East Africa. Over the past few years, his performances have raised thousands of dollars for the organization.