Dr. Matthew Jordan currently serves as Percussion Operations and Inventory Manager for the University of Michigan. He is also the front ensemble arranger for Music City Mystique, the music producer and sound designer for the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps (DCI 2024 World Champions), and a music designer for the “Commandant’s Own” United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps. Prior to starting at the University of Michigan, Matt has held roles as the Associate Professor of Percussion at Jacksonville State University, Concert Percussion Marketing Manager for Pearl Corporation/Adams Musical Instruments, and Assistant Director of Bands/Instructor of Percussion at Middle Tennessee State University.
Matt has worked as a percussion instructor and arranger with a number of DCI and WGI groups, including the Phantom Regiment, Carolina Crown, and Spirit of Atlanta. He is also very involved at the scholastic level as an arranger for indoor drumlines and marching bands, having written for groups such as Max Percussion (Bangkok, Thailand), Bangkok Society Drumline, Franklin High School, the Woodlands High School, Science Hill High School, McGavock High School, Dobyns-Bennett High School, and Father Ryan High School, among others.
As a performer, Matt plays regularly with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Alabama Symphony, Huntsville Symphony, Tuscaloosa Symphony, Nashville Scoring Orchestra, and Intersection Contemporary Music Ensemble. He has also performed with Keith Brion’s New Sousa Band, Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra, San Angelo Symphony, Eastern Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Tennessee Philharmonic. While at North Texas, Matt performed with the UNT Wind Symphony, as well as the One o'Clock and Two o'Clock Lab Bands. Matt was the timpanist of The Cavaliers and Music City Mystique and in 2004, he received 1st place in both the DCI and PAS Timpani Individuals competitions. Matt has also been involved in commissioning or premiering works from numerous composers, including Emma O’Halloran, John Hennecken, Nathan Daughtrey, Dave Hall, Evan Chapman, Pamela Z, Mat Campbell, Caleb Pickering, Russell Wharton, Matt Filosa, Lucas Garner, Bill Hickok, Matt Ridge, and Greg Harrison.
Matt also travels abroad frequently, having performed (or had works performed) in Norway, Thailand, Mexico, China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Macau, and Japan. In the summer of 2010 he traveled to Ghana in West Africa to study Ewe drumming. Matt's major influences include Dr. John W. Parks IV, Dr. Robert Schietroma, Christopher Deane, Mark Ford, Paul Rennick, Lalo Davila, Erik Johnson, Leigh Howard Stevens, Christopher Norton, John Feddersen, and Bill Wiggins.
Matt is very involved in the greater music and percussion communities, serving on both the Board of Advisors and as the committee chair for the music technology committee for the Percussive Arts Society. Matt is also an active adjudicator with numerous marching arts circuits throughout the US, including Bands of America, the Southern California Percussion Association, Carolina Winter Ensemble Association, and more.
Matt completed the Doctor of Music degree from the Florida State University, a Master's Degree from the University of North Texas, and a Bachelor's Degree from Middle Tennessee State University. Matt is a proud artist and clinician for Pearl/Adams instruments, Innovative Percussion sticks and mallets, Evans Drumheads, Zildjian Cymbals, and Presonus Audio Electronics.