Matt Coleman

Matt Coleman joined the Brigham Young University percussion faculty in the fall of 2016. He brings diverse experience, having worked as a music educator, clinician, and freelance performer in the Phoenix area for over 10 years prior to his hire at BYU. Matt is a versatile performer, experienced in classical, jazz, world music, contemporary, and experimental styles. He has performed with the Utah Symphony, Phoenix Symphony, Symphony of the Southwest, Salty Cricket Composer’s Collective, Crossing 32nd Street, Fountain Hills Chamber Players, Cinematic Pop, Spire Music, and many other notable classical ensembles. Equally accomplished as a jazz musician, Matt has played with Eric Alexander, Steve Annibale, Liam Teague, Mike Kocour, Superstition Jazz Orchestra, Timpanogos Big Band, and BYU faculty jazz groups; Groove Axis and Q’d Up.

Matt has also performed and offered clinics at many professional/academic festivals and institutions, including the Music Educators National Conference, Percussive Arts Society International Convention, Chandler Arizona Jazz Festival, Arizona and Utah Percussive Arts Society Days of Percussion, Northwest Percussion Festival, Washington State University, Kent State University, University of Louisville, Utah State University, and Boise State University. Part of Matt’s work in percussion revolves around instrument design and building, including drums, pitched bell plates, woodblocks, temple blocks, log drums, and sound effects of all kinds. He has fabricated many drum shells out of exotic woods, built dozens of custom drum sets, and refurbished drums of all sizes.

Matt’s teachers include JB Smith, Dom Moio, Simone Mancuso, Mark Sunkett, and Marty Zyskowski.