B.Mus (Humber College)
A recent graduate of Humber College, Matt has quickly established himself as a respected performer in the city’s music scene. While at Humber, Matt had the opportunity to study with some of Canada’s finest jazz and commercial musicians; Brian O’Kane, Alistar Kay, Shelly Berger and Andy Ballantyne, to name a few.
As an active member in the freelance community, Matt’s playing has taken him to such venues as Roy Thompson Hall, The Rex Hotel and the Jazz Bistro. You can find him leading his own trio in intimate venues around the city, or playing with many different jazz, funk or brass bands around the GTA and other Southern Ontario areas.
Get to know Matt…Beyond the Bio!
Hobbies: Cooking, golf, & coffee making
Musical influences: Clifford Brown, Leroy Jones, Clark Terry, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Chicago
Favourite food: Fish burrito
Least favourite food: My mom’s rice – although, everything else she makes is excellent.
Favourite music: Jazz
Favourite song: It’s Always You
Favourite movie: Spirited Away
Favourite movie music: Indiana Jones Theme
Favourite musical theatre/opera: West Side Story
Best quote from your teacher: “BLOW!” – Alistar Kay
Favourite quote: “They teach you there’s a boundary line to music. But, man, there’s no boundary line to art.” – Charlie Parker
Favourite book: Last Wish – Andrzej Sapkowski
Best thing about teaching at ABC: Sharing my passion for music with youth
Latest Homework from Matt
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Homework for Feb 17th
Abi:
Try to go for some 2 octave scales this week. G, Ab, A or Bb would be a good place to start. Try them tongued and slurred to make them both equally comfortable. This is a good place to work on that smoother tonguing.
All the songs you’ve been playing are coming along nicely. Go for a more refined version of Swan Lake next week. Accentuate the dynamics & articulation (legato tonguing), and make sure you always have beautiful sound while playing. Full easy breaths!! I’ll have some more music for you to read this coming week.
Write out the bottom octave of the G major scale.
Matt:
Thanks for writing out those minor scales; I think that will help you to memorize & understand how they work. For next week I’d love to hear all 4 of those minor scales again.
Spend some time this week reviewing All Through The Night and German Dance. Those ones are just as important as the new ones. Remind yourself about all the articulation, phrasing, dynamics and places to breathe. I always find when I revisit a song, I usually play it much better – I have more attention to detail and patience when working on it again.
Etude in G/D are coming along nicely too. The tempos are settling in and you have a keen eye for all the articulation and dynamics. If you focus on playing both of them a little smoother, I think that’ll take them to another level. That involves a little lighter tongue and more confidence in the fingerings.
Homework for Jan 10th
Continue to work on those 5 note slurs. I think those are really in your grasp! Figure out which group of 5 you can do consistently (ex: A, E, A, C#, E). You can use that as your benchmark and build from there. It’ll help you to gauge your good days & bad days as well. Keep the air moving forward and compress the air with your stomach! You can use your lips as well, but that shouldn’t be the focus… it’ll weaken the sound and make you lightheaded.
Check out those major scale patterns we talked about last week. Triads and thirds!!!!!! For next week I want to hear a couple of those. Also, make sure to write out the triads on staff paper if you can.
That was fun sight reading today. Take some time this week to look through some of the other material in that link – which I will attach here as well. This is one of those things where the more you do it the better you get (duh) but you’ll see tangible results quick too. Keep that concept of varying your articulation in the front of your mind too. You’re close to being comfortable with switching back and forth with ease. This week, take some time to listen to music with trumpet in it, THINK & LISTEN to the articulation!! It will change all the time.
Have fun! Here’s the link for the music.
Preferred Books for Matt’s Students
Click to buy them here, and they’ll come right to your house! What could be easier?
Technical Studies
This work has been especially written to enable the cornet student to conquer any technical difficulties he or she might encounter in the literature for the instrument. By carefully following the instructions in this book, the student will build up strength and endurance without strain or injury to his embouchure. If this lips remain flexible and the tone is not forced, it will be possible to play easily any note, regardless of the register.
Arban Complete Conservatory Method
The New Authentic Edition of Arban’s Complete Conservatory Method contains the same tried and true comprehensive system of study that Arban developed over a century ago, and this completely re-engraved edition has been painstakingly edited by prominent trumpet performers and teachers Thomas Hooten and Jennifer Marotta, adding some of their own insights with respect to how trumpet is taught today. The Arban Complete Conservatory Method is the definitive must-have for all trumpet players.
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COMING SOON
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