Originally from Aberdeen, Matthew graduated with a first-class honours Bachelor of Arts degree from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (formerly the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama) where he studied Tuba, Community Music and Conducting.
During his time of study, Matthew was the recipient of many prizes, including the Music Benevolent Fund Education Award, the Robert McCreath Memorial Prize, the John Mather Study Award, the Countess of Munster Trust Award and the Sir James Caird Travelling Scholarship. Matthew went on to receive a Post Graduate Diploma in Performance and a Master of Music Performance.
For the past 20 years Matthew has enjoyed a portfolio career working as a professional musician, conductor, director, educator and arts manager. As a tuba player, Matthew has performed with many of the UK’s leading orchestras including the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Scottish Ballet, as well as performing with the world famous Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra.
As an animateur, director and educator, Matthew has devised and led multi art form programmes and concert events across all ages and stages working in partnership with many local, national and international organisations, including: NASA, National Geographic, Scottish Opera, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the National Children’s Orchestras of Great Britain, Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools, Children’s Classic Concerts, Enterprise Music Scotland, Artlink Central, Live Music Now! and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
As a founding member of award-winning brass quintet Thistle Brass, Matthew has given hundreds of recitals and toured extensively, delivering exciting and interactive workshops and performances in his own innovative and inimitable style from the Shetland Isles to the Great Wall of China.
Matthew continues to enjoy conducting commitments across the country and beyond, with invitations to work with a variety of ensembles both locally and internationally, the farthest to date being with Queensland Junior Conservatorium, Griffiths University, Australia as part of their State Honours Education Programme (SHEP). For nearly 10 years Matthew held the position of Music Director of the award winning North Ayrshire Schools’ Senior Concert Band. Matthew is also the Artistic Director for the National Youth Wind Ensemble of Scotland and conducts the NYWES Intermediate Ensemble during their annual summer course at the RCS.
Since 2008 Matthew has worked at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland as an arts education manager, developing a variety of roles (Music Centre Manger, Development Manager and Acting Head of Junior Conservatoire). Matthew is currently the Associate Head of the Junior Conservatoire (Music), overseeing the education of more than 1000 aspiring young musicians across their Junior, Pre-Junior, Music Centre and Early Years programmes.
