Biography
Dr. Matt Leder is an avid educator and is a in-demand guest artist / clinician who performs throughout the United States. Dr. Leder holds a DA in Music Education from the University of Northern Colorado, an MM in Jazz Studies from the University of New Orleans, and a BM in Jazz Performance from East Carolina University. While at UNO, Leder was a member of the “Louis Armstrong Quintet,” funded through the Armstrong Foundation. Dr. Leder has studied with Ellis Marsalis, Clyde Kerr, Irvin Mayfield, and many others. He has a passion for the music and culture of New Orleans. Dr. Leder’s dissertation, “Towards An Informed Pedagogy of Modern New Orleans Style,” describes New Orleans style and offers possibilities of adding this syntax of jazz into the modern classroom. Summer 2017, Dr. Leder was invited to be a National Endowment of Humanities Summer Scholar at Tulane University in New Orleans and summer of 2020 he was named a CMS NextGen Teaching Fellow through NAMM. Dr. Leder was named a GRAMMY Educator of the Year Quarterfinalist for 2021 and 2022.
Dr. Leder has been a professional musician for over 20 years and performs all genres of music. Leder served over eight years as a Navy musician and four years as an Air Force musician. While a member of the armed forces, he performed for five US presidents. Dr. Leder had a wide variety of experiences, including selection into the International Association of Jazz Educators All Star Collegiate Big Band, performances at Carnegie Hall, Birdland, and Boston’s Symphony Hall; a theater stint in Myrtle Beach that included shows with Steve Gatlin and the Stars of the Lawrence Welk Show, a national tour with “In the Mood,” and has performed in supporting ensembles for Bob Mintzer Benny Green, Melton Mustafa, Nicholas Payton, Ellis Marsalis, Ana Popovic, Tasha Taylor and several others.
Dr. Leder has been music faculty at Calhoun Community College since August 2022. Prior to this appointment, he served as Music Director/Instructor at Gadsden State Community College and was the director of the award winning GSCC Show Band. Dr. Leder served as Chair of the Music Department at Northern New Mexico College and has held faculty positions at Brown University, University of Colorado at Denver, Community College of Rhode Island, and St. George’s School. He has notations in “Ala Breve,” Downbeat, All Hands Magazine, and ITG Journal. Leder is the current member Jazz Education Network, International Trumpet Guild, and NAfME. Dr. Leder is an artist for Torpedo Bags and maintains an online teaching studio to students all over the world.
It is Dr. Leder’s hope that his students will develop an appreciation of Jazz and perform at the highest level of musical excellence. It is also Dr. Leder’s passion to bring jazz awareness to the community at large.