Matt Carmichael is a 17 year old tenor/alto saxophonist from Scotland, a member of the Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra, National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Scotland, EDSJO and is currently working on some of his own musical projects.
Highlights of 2016 have been the BBC Proms at The Royal Albert Hall, London, Newport Jazz Festival USA, Amsterdam Blue Note and Castle Sound Recording Studios with Iain Ballamy and NYJOS.
Coming up at the end of 2016 'A Christmas Festival of Jazz’ featuring Scottish National Jazz Orchestra with Tommy Smith's Youth Orchestra in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Stirling.
Having been awarded a full scholarship for the Berklee Global Jazz Workshop, Matt spent 5 days on Rhode Island USA being tutored and mentored by the jazz greats Danilo Perez, John Patitucci, George Garzone, Terri Lyne Carrington, culminating in a performance on the Newport Jazz Festival Stage.
Matt also won a place on the Keep an Eye Advanced Jazz Workshop, he spent a week learning from the faculties of both the Manhattan School of Music and Amsterdam Conservatory; with Dick Oatts, Jay Anderson, John Riley, Jesse Van Ruller, Justin DiCiocio... as well as students from all over the world.
It was around the age of 11 he was first introduced to the alto saxophone through lessons at his local primary school. His passion for music grew after being introduced to jazz by his teacher Allon Beauvoisin ( Baritone Saxophonist and founder of Brass Jaw) who has been a major inspiration.
East Dunbartonshire Schools Jazz Orchestra (led by Stuart Carson) and The Zig Zag Big Band provided him with early performing opportunities and exposure to improvisation.
By the age of 15, Matt was selected to play tenor saxophone for The National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Scotland just 3 months after getting his first tenor. Under the leadership of Malcolm Edmonstone and Andrew Bain, he has performed and recorded with ECM artist Iain Ballamy and award winning artiste Liane Carroll.
Just over a year later he was selected to play tenor saxophone for the Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra something he had aspired to from an early age.
In the UK Matt has been lucky enough to have learnt from some fantastic musicians, Allon Beauvoison, Euan Stevenson, Konrad Wiszniewski, Malcolm Edmonstone, Andrew Bain, Iain Ballamy, Joe Temperley, Paul Booth, Tommy Smith…
