Lessons will be given at the MDI High School, unless you work out an alternate location with the instructor. Contact your school’s teacher for Free Lesson Vouchers. Book your lesson time below.

MATTHEW LAWSON – Trumpet and Jazz Improvisation

Matt began his professional musical life in the United States Navy Band, where he performed as a trumpet instrumentalist, traveling across Asia and the Pacific. Upon receiving an honorable discharge, Matt returned to his native state of Maine and toured across New England with several acclaimed Blues Bands. In 2001 he moved to Louisville, Kentucky to attend the Jamey Aebersold Jazz Studies Program at the University of Louisville. In 2004 he won the Jazz Division of the National Trumpet Competition, and that same year he released a record entitled, Midnight in Merizo, on the Jazz Factory label. In 2007, after graduation from U of L, Matt made the choice to leave music behind in order to pursue his other love – history. Matt Received his Masters in Education from Northern Arizona University in 2010, and shortly after was offered a position teaching history at Mount Desert Island High School – his alma mater. In 2012, Matt was diagnosed with a rare and recurrent form of Lymphoma that he has survived four times. Just before his most recent series of treatments for the disease, Matt rediscovered his love of trumpet and jazz, and since his recovery from a stem cell transplant he’s been performing, teaching, and writing music on the coast of Maine. He has been an instructor at the Aebersold summer jazz workshops (2005,2006), and he has performed with Phil Woods, Terrell Stafford, Jimmy Heath, Marcus Printup, Curtis Fuller, The Temptations, Ed Shaughnessy, Delfeayo Marsalis, Jason Tiemann, Tyrone Wheeler, Jacob Duncan, Steve Allee, Harry Pickens, The Bob and Tom Band, The Red Light Revue, and many other accomplished artists.

BOOKING: Email Mr. Lawson to Schedule your lesson: mlawson@mdirss.org