Matthew van Emmerik

Born in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia in 1978, Matthew started playing at age 7. He is the former principal euphonium player with the Central Band of the Royal Air Force in London, United Kingdom and all Royal Australian Navy Bands. He has held high profile recording and principal positions with the worlds leading bands and orchestras including: Black Dyke, Fodens, Leyland, Desford Colliery, Brighouse and Rastrick, Cory, Dalewool (NZ), Woolston (NZ) and Victoria Brass - Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia, Melbourne Symphony, Sydney Symphony, West Australian Symphony Orchestra, the Malaysian Philharmonic and in Portugal with the Oporto National Orchestra. In 2007 he was awarded the coveted Champion of Champions title at the National Brass Band Championships, and in 2011 became only the second Australian in history to win the Open Euphonium Championship at the New Zealand Brass Band Championships. Matthew has adjudicated contests all across Australia, New Zealand, the USA and Europe. Matthew completed his PhD studies and graduated as a Doctor of Music from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and University of Sydney in 2011. He has recorded three commercially available CDs: ‘Neath Austral Skies, ‘Utaki – The Sacred Grove’ and ‘HOMELAND’ which is Matthew’s latest CD featuring repertoire commissioned and composed specifically for him, has already received critical acclaim and has just been named ‘CD of the Month’ in the Brass Band World Magazine (UK) Since 2007, Matthew has been a brass ensemble conductor and euphonium and low brass lecturer at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music and Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music at Monash University. In August 2016 Matthew took up the position of Assistant Professor of Music - Director of Bands and Low Brass at Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma, U.S.A - his duties will include conductingthe Wind Ensemble, Brass Ensemble, and Pep Band and teaching applied low brass lessons. Matthew is proud to be an Adams Custom Brass Artist and Clinician and an endorsee of Reunion Blues gig bags. Matthew uses his own VAN EMMERIK signature mouthpiece range when performing. To keep up with Matthew’s activities feel free to follow him at his website and facebook page: www.matthewvanemmerik.com https://www.facebook.com/DrMatthewVanEmmerik/