Matthew Court

MADISON- Matthew Elijah Julien Court was born in New Haven, Connecticut on February 7, 2004 and died in Madison Wisconsin on July 13th, 2015.

Matthew's parents are Kristin Phillips-Court, a professor of Italian and Ricardo Court a historian of Italy and faculty associate in Political Science at UW-Madison. Though he and his sister Claire (13) were born in Connecticut, Matthew considered himself a Californian and a Wisconsonite. The family spent time in Italy, working and playing; friends told him that he had a beautiful accent. He was working through DuoLingo in preparation for next year's trip. He loved the family friends' farm in Italy, visual art, and the Mediterranean Sea. Matthew heroically pushed the "two gelati per day rule." He ordered politely, saying vorrei rather than voglio.

Matthew loved Italy, soccer, swimming, his friends, and music. He recently graduated from 5th grade at Shorewood Hills Elementary. While some of his classmates envisioned being a cardiologist, or a professional soccer player, Matthew answered simply, "I want to be any kind of musician". Matthew was thrilled that this week he was going to sit down with a jazz saxophonist who promised to show him the instrument. When asked if the family needed to look for a sax for him, he said, "No, Dada, you can rent them."

Matthew studied piano with Wilder Deitz, playing a mix of jazz and classical pieces. Like any 11-year-old, he sometimes rushed through practice especially when playing other peoples' music. He would work through a piece once and say, "There, done!" But when he sat down for hours to write his own pieces, the depth and emotion would come through his hands. He could hold a room filled with world-weary graduate students rapt and in awe. Wilder was exactly the teacher he needed.

In lieu of flowers please consider donating to support the East High School Black Music Ensemble, founded by Wilder Deitz. It focuses on genres such as jazz, blues, R&B and other styles that are typically thought of as having been born in black culture in the United States. Matthew was excited to be part of an ensemble like this when he got to high school.

Matthew had a perfect life: a perfect school, a perfect neighborhood, perfect winters, perfect summers, perfect friends, and was grateful for these. The first word Matthew ever uttered was "thank you."

A Mass will be held for Matthew on Monday July 20th at 12 noon at BLESSED SACRAMENT CATHOLIC CHURCH, 2121 Rowley Ave, Madison. Family and friends will gather at 10:30 am at the family home,122 Shepard Terrace in Madison to walk to Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church for Mass.

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Cress Funeral Service
3610 Speedway Road, Madison
(608) 238-3434