Matt commenced studies in classical percussion in 1992 at the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music, before moving to Melbourne in 1993 where he completed an Honours Degree in Music Performance at the Victorian College of the Arts. He maintained a busy career in Melbourne as a freelance percussionist, primarily with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and often returned to his home state of Tasmania to play percussion with the TSO.  He was also a founding member of the percussion quartet Woof!.

In 1998, Matt worked as timpanist and percussionist in Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa in Japan before taking up his current role as Principal Timpanist with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra  in 1999. He is a member of the early music group Sequenza and has performed with Van Diemen’s Band, and with Tracey Patten in the percussion duo Mattra. Matt has an ongoing studio project of original instrumental music, Dakura, with  guitarist Simon Patterson.

Matt plays on a set of Gunther Ringer timpani (76cm, 72cm, 64cm 58cm) supplemented by 32” and 20” Precision Classic Timpani chain timpani as well as a set of Lefima Riemenpauken (78cm, 72cm, 63cm, 56cm), all with calf skin. He also has set of Premier Elite timpani with plastic heads.