Smyrna native Matt Nakoa will return to the EOH Main Stage at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 16. Tickets can be purchased online at earlvilleoperahouse.com or by calling 315-691-3550. (Submitted photo)

EARLVILLE — It’s the return of Matt Nakoa! Matt will play a hometown show on the historic Earlville Opera House Main Stage at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 16.

Matt is an internationally known, touring singer/songwriter, appearing at The White House and regularly with folk icon Tom Rush. Now, Matt is returning to his roots in Chenango County as one of our favorite musicians to help celebrate our milestone 50th anniversary!

Growing up on a small goat farm in rural Smyrna, NY, Matt discovered music as a means of teenage escape and trained to be a concert pianist. Matt was ultimately accepted as a vocalist to Berklee College of Music where he studied alongside soon-to-be Grammy winners St. Vincent and Esperanza Spalding, among others.

After school, Matt landed in NYC’s vibrant piano bar scene. There he quickly became a star performer at Manhattan’s famous Brandy’s Piano Bar, with lines waiting outside the door each Saturday night.

As if illustrating two sides of himself, Matt’s first album, Light In The Dark (2012), is a sweeping pop opus, while A Dozen Other Loves (2014) explores an intimate acoustic palette. Across the board Matt’s song craft has garnered awards, including a win at Kerrville Folk Festival’s prestigious New Folk Competition.

According to The Boston Globe: "On the ivories, think of a hot-handed phenom who can go from Chopin to beer-drenched honky-tonk in one set ... On guitar, a Jack Johnson-esque singer-songwriter ... Nakoa does not disappoint. Actually, between his piano chops, charismatic stage presence, and heartfelt originals on guitar ... he drops jaws.”

We can’t wait to welcome him back home to the EOH stage and hear what he’s been up to!

Tickets are $25 and $22 for members (become a member!), $10 for youth (17 and under), with college students half off general admission. Tickets are available at www.earlvilleoperahouse.com or by calling (315) 691-3550.

Thank you to our sponsors: Community Foundation for South Central New York; Live Music Society; NBT Bank; Preferred Mutual Insurance Company; sfcu; and Bruce Ward, Architect. Special thanks to our hospitality sponsor Fred’s Inn of Norwich.

The Earlville Opera House is located at 18 East Main Street in the charming Village of Earlville, NY and is handicap accessible. Vaccine proof is required at the door, masks worn inside. Please check our website for the latest updates and for further information on our programs and services, and like us on Facebook!

Events are made possible, in part, with public funds from New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor of New York and the New York State Legislature, and through the generosity of EOH members.

-Information from the Earlville Opera House