Dr. Matthew Swallow
Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Oboe, Bassoon, Electronic Wind Instrumentation
Matthew Swallow, D.M.A. is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He attended Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education and Saxophone Performance. Additionally, he also earned a Master of Music degree from Miami University of Ohio and Doctor of Musical Arts degree from West Virginia University, both in Saxophone Performance.
Dr. Swallow has performed nationally and internationally including the Montreaux and North Sea Jazz Festivals, Ravinia Festival, and Carnegie Hall. He has also given a number of performances and presentations at professional conferences including the United States Navy Band International Saxophone Symposium, North American Saxophone Alliance, and Splice Institute & Festival. Dr. Swallow is an active woodwind perfomer of both classicial and jazz styles. He has performed in various orchestral pit ensembles, jazz ensembles, and orchestras. Dr. Swallow has made appearances with the Butler Symphony Orchestra (PA), Jimmy Dorsey Jazz Orchestra, West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, and the Robinson Grand Community Theatre’s inagural musical production in Clarksburg, West Virginia.
Dr. Swallow is currently Adjunct Lecturer of Music at Alderson Broaddus University (Philippi, West Virginia) teaching music appreciation and coaching various ensembles. Additional courses taught include music theory, music history, and woodwind pedagogy. He is also on faculty at the Mountain Maryland Music Institute in McHenry, Maryland serving as their Woodwind Instructor.
Dr. Swallow currently performs regularly as the lead tenor saxophonist for Trinity Music Group, a professional jazz orchestra from the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. He has been active toward the commissioning of new works for saxophone and various instrumentation. Dr. Swallow’s most recent project consists of research and performance of original compositions for the electronic wind instrument, which was the basis of his dissertation titled MIDI: Electronic Wind Instrument: A Study of the Instrument and Selected Works. His recent presentations for the EWI took place at Splice Festival 3 at Miami University of Ohio (Oxford, OH) and the 2020 North American Saxophone Alliance Biennial Conference at Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ).
His previous teachers include: Jeremy Long, Terry Steele, Chris Hemmingway, Varden Armstrong, and Will Jordan.