Mat is a drummer with jazz roots and is constantly on the go. He is committed to using music performance to inspire motivation and direction within young musicians, whilst managing his two companies Red Rock Drums Australia and Percussive Print Music. Mat’s recording and performance schedule is entwined with a drive to exhibit the stunning drum kits he and his company produces. His ever growing catalogue of books and percussion ensemble repertoire continues to be produced in response to his students needs, and are now used by over 100 schools in Australia alone. Mat is on staff at Camberwell Girls’ Grammar and presents workshops as a guest instructor.

In 2011, Mat received the Yamaha Music Directors Award at national stage band competition Generations in Jazz, for ‘inspiring and engaging his students in the spirit of jazz’. His school percussion ensembles, which gained top places at the 2013 Australian Percussion Eisteddfod (intermediate and senior divisions) regularly commissions his works. Mat coordinates the Year 7 classroom instrumental program at Shelford, as well as jazz and concert bands.

Mat is the author of The Artillery for Drums (2011) and The Artillery for Drums 2 (2012). Both books are ‘to the point’ encyclopaedias of grooves, fills, concepts, techniques and solos designed for students to connect with an immediate vocabulary for practical occasions. In 2014, his book The Head and The Hands book was released as a method for percussion teaching in flexible classroom ensembles. These books are available for purchase through Percussive Print Music and are utilised by teachers and schools around Australia.

As a performer, Mat plays drums for jazz groups and big bands including the Jack Earle Big Band (nominated for The Age Music Victoria Genre Awards 2015 Best Jazz Album) and the Esstee Big Band (and several others including bands formed for James Morrison and the late Gil Askey), as well as award winning country artists including Aleyce Simmonds, and Mustered Courage, Amber Lawrence, Christie Lamb and Fanny Lumsden.

Mat’s long-time collaborative project with Lachlan Bryan and The Wildes has seen much touring with many performances including the Golden Guitar Awards, Australian Independent Country Music Awards, CMC Rocks, Byron Bay Bluesfest, National Music Muster and Tamworth Festival amongst numerous other festivals in Australia. At the 2014 Australian Independent Country Music Awards, Lachlan Bryan and The Wildes was awarded Australian Independent Group/Duo of the Year.

The Wildes 2015 release “The Mountain” (ABC/Universal) received a nomination for Best Alt-Country Album at the 2016 Golden Guitar Awards. Their 2013 release “Black Coffee” won Best Alt-Country Album at the 2014 Golden Guitar Awards, as well as Best Country Album at The Age Music Victoria Genre Awards 2014. The album “Black Coffee” charted #1 ARIA Heatseekers, #4 ARIA Top 20 Australian Artist Country Albums, #6 ARIA Top 40 Country Albums, #8 debut on the iTunes Country Albums, #12 ARIA Top 20 Australian Artist Albums (all genres), #33 ARIA Top 100 Physical Albums (all genres) and #53 ARIA Top 100 Albums (all genres). The Wildes’ 2009 debut album “Ballad of a Young Married Man” also received much acclaim, gaining five star reviews and album of the week nods across radio and print media in Australia and the US, including runner up for Radio National “Album of the Year 2009″.

In late 2001, Mat generated the Drumline for the Australian Youth Band following roles as centre snare in the Sydney 2000 Olympics Opening Ceremony International Marching Band of 2000 musicians and 700 piece International Marching Band assembled for the World Universiade Games Opening Ceremony in Beijing. Between 2012 and 2014, Mat assumed the roles of Technical Director then Musical Director for D2 Drumline, preparing performances for the 2012 AFL Grand Final with Temper Trap, 2012 Ultimate Drummers Weekend and various other events affiliated with major venues, radio stations and sporting teams.

In 2012 and 2013, Mat instructed at the National Drumline Camp run by the Drumline Association of Australia and commissioned a piece for the 2012 mass performance. He is one of the first known Australian composers to publish Drumline works. Mat has published many works for tuned/untuned percussion ensembles and Drumline through his print music company Percussive Print Music, selling in retail stores and online.

Mat’s early love of restoring vintage drums led to building complete solid stave drum kits when the idea was born around 2004. This officially became Red Rock Drums Australia in 2007. Mat designed the company to produce stunning drums with unique and attractive branding, and is now proudly affiliated with many remarkable drummers around the world. Red Rock album credits include Aerosmith recent release “Music from Another Dimension” and the sponsorship of the Melbourne International Jazz Festival 2016. The drums are in retail stores throughout Australia and are house drums at Bennetts Lane Jazz Club in Melbourne.

Mat first began music studies as a 6 year old learning piano before drums took his focus around age 12. Mat studied throughout his teens with Motown legend Gil Askey (Academy Award nominee and composer/producer/musical director to Diana Ross, the Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, the Jackson Five and many more). As a young musician Mat was given many opportunities to sit-in and play at Gil’s gigs, as well as with local trad-jazz legend Tommy Carter (OAM).

Whilst attending the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School, Mat commenced jazz drumming lessons with Graham Morgan who was extremely influential through many years of lessons. Following secondary school Mat continued into the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) to graduate with a Bachelor of Music in 2003, and completed a Graduate Diploma of Secondary Education in 2014 to complement his teaching.

Mat lives in Melbourne, Australia.