Apr 22, 2017
Episode 49: Teaching to Their Strengths - A conversation with Max Matzen
Noted for his sharp and persuasive playing (Jack Bowers,
allaboutjazz.com), Max Matzen is steadily emerging as one of
America's prominent trumpet artists. He maintains an international
performing career as a soloist, and member of a variety of
ensembles.
Mr. Matzen has tallied performances on some of the world’s most
prestigious stages and festivals. He has performed with the Eastman
Wind Ensemble at Carnegie Hall, and has also performed at the famed
North Sea, Vienne, and Montreaux jazz festivals. He has performed
and assisted in master classes administered at the International
Association of Jazz Educators (IAJE) conferences in Toronto, New
York City, and New Orleans.
In May of 2011, Matzen completed a solo recital tour in the Osaka
and Kyoto areas of Japan. As a member of the Emerald Brass Quintet,
he was a featured performer in the premier of Jim
Stephenson’s Dodecafecta for brass quintet and
wind ensemble, accompanied by the Eastman Wind Ensemble. The
Emerald Brass Quintet was also a featured performing ensemble at
the Frankenwald Brass Festival in Hof, Germany in July 2009.
Notable jazz artists he has performed with include Terence
Blanchard, Benny Green, Slide Hampton, Antonio Hart, The Heath
Brothers, Conrad Herwig, Pat Martino, Bob Mintzer, James Moody,
Eddie Palmieri, Maria Schneider, Ira Sullivan, and the legendary
Clark Terry.
In April 2011 Matzen completed the Doctor of Musical Arts at the
Eastman School of Music where he studied trumpet with esteemed
brass pedagogue James Thompson. He currently holds a Master of
Music in trumpet performance and literature from the Eastman School
of Music, and a Bachelor of Music in jazz studies from the
University of North Florida. From 2010 until 2012 Matzen was the
Assistant Professor of trumpet at Texas Tech University. Matzen
joined the faculty at Utah State University in fall of 2012.
Max Matzen is a Yamaha Performing Artist.