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 May 5th
Abi:
Nice lesson this week! Try to do some mouthpieces warm ups this week to get the face and air flow feeling good. Continue to do the lip slurs and major scales in your daily practice. I’d like to hear all of Etude in D for next week.
Matt:
Looking forward to finishing up all that RCM stuff. Great job with the major and minor scales in the past couple lessons. It’s great to hear you can play all the rep in one sitting without feeling tired, thats a big accomplishment on its own! Keep an eye on those little details like dynamics, articulation and accents. The more time spent on those will make your performance even more musical.
We’ll do some more ear training next week, as well as some of the mouthpiece exercises.
Homework for March 7th
Good lesson today! I’m glad you finally came with a question. Hopefully more to come.
Keep up the work on the slurs; Even another 5 mins a day can go a long way with those exercises. Always try to build from the same starting point to as high as you can go. Try it from different starting points as well as dynamic levels to figure out what works best for you. You might find playing them quietly allows you to change notes with more efficiency or playing louder allows you to slur faster… could be anything! Just experiment.
Major scales sounding good. Try to review a couple every practice session. Also try to get in the habit of playing different scales, for example, harmonic minor (b3 b6). Articulate and slur every scale. Try for two octaves as well! I think you’re at the point where those will greatly benefit your playing. Make sure the fingerings are confident so all you need to think about is moving the air forward to connect the registers and playing with a beautiful sound.
Etude in C and D are both coming along nicely. You know exactly what to do to make them better, you just need to put the time in now. Be patient and do everything with intention. Breath, relax & play!!
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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