Matt STYLES

Matt Styles – Saxophonist, Educator, and Composer

 
“… a pure tonal line soaring like a sonic meteorite…”

 
“… a convincing soloist… producing a flow of melodious sounds…”

 
“… his art like a silver thread…”
— Limelight, 2024

A Versatile and Visionary Saxophonist

 
One of Australia’s most versatile saxophonists, Matt Styles navigates with ease between jazz, classical, funk, and avant-garde, as a soloist, educator, arranger, composer, and musical director.

Describing himself as a "performer-educator," he has inspired audiences and students in the UK, Asia, and Australia. He has performed with renowned artists such as Ben Folds, Diana Ross, Dave Weckl, Paul Grabowsky, Tim Minchin, Olivia Newton-John, and The Manhattan Transfer. On the jazz scene, he has played at prestigious festivals including the Villa Cellimontana Jazz Festival (Rome) and the Ninegates International Jazz Festival (Beijing). His album “Home by 11”, released on Tall Poppies Records, explores Australian jazz and cross-genre music.

A Leading Orchestral Musician and Performer

 
In the classical field, he is regularly invited as principal saxophonist by ensembles such as:

 
➤ Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra

 
➤ Singapore Symphony Orchestra

 
➤ Western Australian Symphony Orchestra

 
➤ Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra

 
➤ Perth Symphony Orchestra

Since 1997, he has performed Australian or world premieres of classical and cross-genre works composed for him. Notable performances include:

 
➤ Australian premiere of “Hidden Love Song” by Mark-Anthony Turnage, as soloist with the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra.

 
➤ World premiere of the concerto “Seasons of Life” for soprano saxophone and wind orchestra, composed for him by Glyn MacDonald, released in December 2019.

 
➤ World premiere of the “Saxophone Concerto” by Holly Harrison with the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra in August 2024, a work fusing classical, funk, punk, rock, and jazz.

Committed Composer and Researcher

 
Recently, Matt Styles has been composing for saxophone, with works published by Astute Music UK. In parallel, he conducts research on injury prevention and rehabilitation for saxophonists, sharing his knowledge through conferences and workshops across the UK, Asia, and Australia.

Influential Educator
Holding a doctorate in performance, pedagogy, and interpretation of classical, jazz, and multi-genre works, he received a Churchill Fellowship, allowing him to study with Dr Otis Murphy, Dr Tom Walsh, Bob Berg, and Dr Eugene Rousseau.

He is currently a Senior Lecturer in classical and cross-genre saxophone at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (Edith Cowan University), where he leads the Honours of Music program, the ‘Phone Network’, and supervises Master’s and Doctoral students.

With over 25 years of teaching experience at all levels, Matt Styles is a key figure in music education. He shares his passion through masterclasses, concerts, and workshops, encouraging young musicians to develop their creativity and become the artists of tomorrow.