Born into a musical household, Matt Amy's destiny from a young age was as clear as the letter names he stuck onto the piano keys. Inspired by a Tom and Jerry cartoon, young Matt ambitiously aimed to teach himself Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 before learning any fundamentals, much to the dismay of his piano-teaching mother. His early education in classic cinema, courtesy of black and white films from Hollywood’s golden age, involved meticulous VHS editing skills to remove ads, an early sign of his perfectionism.
Formally, Matt’s musical journey began at age 12 with the trombone. By 15, he had traded up to the bass trombone and discovered a knack for arranging music. His talent was immediately evident, as various groups at high school and the local brass band he was playing in were eagerly rehearsing his arrangements under the watchful eye of his teachers at the time.
Matt studied composition at the prestigious Victorian College of the Arts, where he was awarded the Frank Bosch Birdsong Scholarship. During his university years, he juggled playing trombone in various bands with his compositional studies, embodying the phrase "multitasking musician" where he firmly entrenched himself in different genres from the Melbourne Opera Orchestra to various latin bands, big bands and the occasional musical theatre show.
At just 19, Matt started Matt Amy’s Really Big Band, securing a five-year monthly residency at Manchester Lane Jazz Club. This gig was more than just a regular performance; it was a playground for Matt to experiment with new sounds and ideas, much to the delight (and sometimes confusion) of his band members and audiences. After his undergraduate studies, Matt dived into the world of television, working as an arranger (and sometimes Bass Trombone) on shows like Dancing with the Stars, Australia’s Got Talent, Australian Idol, It Takes Two, and The Singing Bee. Who needs reality TV when you can create the soundtrack for it – and best of all it was live!
As a musical director, Matt has worked with some of Australia’s finest pop and rock legends on various events, including Kate Cebrano, Mike Brady, The Chantoozies, Normie Rowe, Jon Stevens, Frankie J Holden, Wilbur Wilde, Jon Schumann, Bobby Valentine, Ross Wilson, Brian Cadd, Angry Anderson, and Wendy Matthews. Rumor has it that he once made Angry Anderson smile. Matt’s arrangements have been performed by ensembles around the world such as the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia, Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, Houston Pops Orchestra, Miami Symphony Orchestra, Santa Rosa Symphony Orchestra, Sydney All Star Big Band, B# Big Band, and L.A All Star Mambo Orchestra.
Recently, Matt has been the lead arranger and librarian for John Foreman’s Aussie Pops Orchestra, working with stars like Patti Newton, Tim Campbell, David Hobson, Denis Walter, Lucy Durack, Jemma Rix, Dami Im, Harrison Craig, Rhonda Burchmore, Silvie Paladino, Casey Donovan, Marina Prior, Michael Cormick, James Morrison, William Barton, Sheldon Riley, Josh Piterman, and Bonnie Anderson. That's a lot of names to remember, but Matt’s got them all on speed dial.
Currently, Matt lectures at the Australian Institute of Music in Melbourne (AIM) and serves on the executive board of the Music Arrangers Guild of Australia (MAGA). When he's not in front of the computer, class or a music stand he's on coaching his sons basketball team.
| 27/8/2024 |    |