Dr. Matthew Arau (b. 1973) is the Chair of the Music Education Department and Associate Director of Bands at the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music in Appleton, Wisconsin where he teaches instrumental music education courses and is the conductor of the Symphonic Band, associate conductor of the Wind Ensemble, and guest conductor of the Symphony Orchestra. His repertoire research focuses on the chamber music of the Taffanel Society for Chamber Wind Music in Paris (1879-1893) and bringing back to life lost and forgotten chamber music of the past.

Dr. Arau has presented on rehearsal techniques, student leadership development, and growth mindset at the International Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, the Western International Band Clinic, numerous State and National Music Education Association Conferences, the Conn-Selmer Institute, Pan-Hellenic Wind Band Conferences in Nicosia, Cyprus and Kalavrita, Greece, the University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki, Greece, the National Band Directors Association of Malaysia, and various school districts and schools in over twenty states. Dr. Arau also serves as a Conn-Selmer Education Clinician.

In addition, Dr. Arau conducts and clinics all-state bands and honor groups across the United States and around the world. Most recently he conducted the Greece All-Nation Honor Band in Kalavrita, Greece, Catholic High School Band in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and All-State Bands in South Carolina and Michigan. The Instrumentalist Magazine, Bandworld Magazine, The Saxophone Journal, and Conn-Selmer have published his articles on teaching music. Dr. Arau draws on a deep reservoir of fifteen years of experience as a successful middle school and high school band director in Loveland, Colorado, where he led his groups at Loveland High School to numerous championships and pioneered the Leadership Symposium.