Matt Wong

January 2018 - present:  Arranger, Orchestrator, Pianist

• Oakland Symphony artist/arranger profile:  Matt Wong - Oakland Symphony   https://www.oaklandsymphony.org/artist/matt-wong/
• San Francisco Classical Voice review of Oakland Symphony's Playlist Concert Series:  "Oakland Symphony’s Playlist Series Tears Up the Conventional Concert Playbook"   https://www.sfcv.org/reviews/none/oakland-symphonys-playlist-series-tears-up-the-conventional-concert-playbook

Arranger and/or performer for the following concert programs: 

• January 2020:  Bernard J. Tyson’s Playlist  https://www.oaklandsymphony.org/event/bernard-tysons-playlist/
• December 2019:  Music of Aretha Franklin – Let Us Break Bread Together  https://www.oaklandsymphony.org/event/music-of-aretha-franklin-let-us-break-bread-together/
• October 2019:  Hot as Hell / Cool Jazz  https://www.oaklandsymphony.org/event/hot-as-hell-cool-jazz/
• February 2019:  Sí Se Puede: Dolores Huerta’s Playlist  https://www.oaklandsymphony.org/event/si-se-puede-dolores-huertas-playlist/
• December 2018:  Swing and Soul – Let Us Break Bread Together  https://www.oaklandsymphony.org/event/swing-and-soul-let-us-break-bread-together/
• January 2018:  W. Kamau Bell’s Playlist  https://www.oaklandsymphony.org/event/w-kamau-bells-playlist/

July 2020:  Featured as a part of JALC's Friday Music Motivation Instagram series https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17932446364369271/?hl=en

• Matt's video (on IGTV):  "No Complaints" @jazzdotorg #fridaymusicmotivation  https://www.instagram.com/tv/CCwQSTPAhs0/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

October 2018:  Matt's arrangement of Thelonious Monk's "North of the Sunset" performed by the Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis for JALC's 2018 Monk Festival  https://www.jazz.org/events/t-7156/Jazz-at-Lincoln-Center-Orchestra-with-Wynton-Marsalis-Plays-Monk/

• Press release:  "Jazz at Lincoln Center celebrates Fourth Annual Monk Festival with three performances featuring the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis in Rose Theater, bassist Russell Hall’s headlining debut in the Appel Room, Mostly Monk with Mike LeDonne"   https://www.jazz.org/press/jazz-at-lincoln-center-celebrates-fourth-annual-monk-festival-with-three-performances-featuring-the-jazz-at-lincoln-center-orchestra-with-wynton-marsalis-in-rose-theater-bassist-russell-halls-headlining-debut-in-the-appel-room-mostly-monk-with-mike-ledonn/ 
• View the full concert on YouTube (live performance of "North of the Sunset" arrangement begins at 34:14):  Full Concert: The JLCO Plays Monk — Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis  https://youtu.be/h-z0vtPubKQ?t=2054

April 2020:  Artists on the Rise:  Matt Wong – "Pieces of Places" (cancelled due to COVID-19)

"Wong makes his SFJAZZ debut as a leader featuring a dynamic sextet, performing a program of all original compositions that examine feelings and perspectives inspired by locations and around the world, while also breaking down the lines and placement of jazz, chamber music, and funk."

• Listing on SFJAZZ website:  Matt Wong: Pieces of Places - SFJAZZ Center  https://www.sfjazz.org/tickets/productions/matt-wong/

January 2020:  SFJAZZ Gala 2020 Honoring Mavis Staples - performance of Matt's arrangement of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come"

• Video of Matt's arrangement from SFJAZZ YouTube channel:  SFJAZZ Gala 2020 Opening - "A Change Is Gonna Come" (Sam Cooke)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1emPEQFcOgQ
• Press release:  SFJAZZ Gala 2020 Honors Mavis Staples With SFJAZZ Lifetime Achievement Award  https://www.sfjazz.org/globalassets/pdfs/sfjazz-gala-2020-honors-mavis-staples.pdf
  
• Review of 2020 SFJAZZ Gala in Downbeat Magazine:  SFJAZZ Gala Spotlights Mavis Staples’ Enduring Career  https://downbeat.com/news/detail/sfjazz-gala-spotlights-mavis-staples-enduring-career

January 2019:  SFJAZZ Gala 2019 Honoring Chucho Valdes - performance of Matt's arrangement of Chucho Valdes' "San Francisco"

• Review of 2019 SFJAZZ Gala in SF Classical Voice:  More Chucho, Please  https://www.sfcv.org/reviews/sfjazz/more-chucho-please
• Arrangement was performed and recorded by the award-winning SFJAZZ High School All-Stars Big Band throughout their 2018-19 season.
• Press release for SFJAZZ High School All-Stars CD:  New Release:  SFJAZZ High School All-Stars 2018-19 Album  https://www.sfjazz.org/onthecorner/new-release-sfjazz-high-school-all-stars-2018-19-album/

Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award - two-time recipient

• 2017 Press Release:  The ASCAP Foundation Announces 2017 Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award Recipients  https://www.ascap.com/press/2017/02-16-herb-alpert-young-jazz-composer
• 2014 Press Release:  2014 Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award Recipients Announced  https://www.ascap.com/press/2014/0204-2014-herb-alpert-young-jazz-composer-award-recipients-announced.aspx

2012 - present:  Collaborator, Keyboardist, Composer, and Arranger

• Jazz Mafia YouTube Channel
  
• Jazz Mafia Facebook Page
  
• Jazz Mafia Instagram
  

https://www.mercurynews.com/2013/02/01/review-realistic-orchestra-montclair-womens-big-band-and-talented-student-group-at-sfjazz-center/

2018 - Present:  Keyboardist

• J-MUSIC YouTube Channel
  
• J-MUSIC Instagram
• J-MUSIC Facebook
  
• J-MUSIC Bandcamp

March 2019:  Matt was commissioned to compose an original work for chamber wind quintet with small jazz group.

• After completing his undergrad at Manhattan School of Music, Matt was approached by Stefon Harris (chair of the Jazz program at MSM), and Alan Kay (of Windscape, an ensemble comprised of Classical woodwind faculty at MSM) to write a new piece as a part of the celebration of the school's centennial season.
• Entitled “A Subconscious Development,” Matt composed a 20-minute piece that, through the synthesis of the classical and modern jazz idioms, depicted various scenes in and around the neighborhood of Manhattan School of Music, and explored the themes of self-doubt, the related self-growth, and the complex multi-layered nature of mental health, in the context of his time at MSM"
• Read MSM's recap here:  A Look Back at Manhattan School of Music’s Centennial Season  https://www.msmnyc.edu/news/a-look-back-at-msms-centennial-season/

• Instagram:  @allthewongnotes  https://www.instagram.com/allthewongnotes/?hl=en
• Soundcloud:  matt wong  https://soundcloud.com/user-979260562

• Mix Online - THE WIRE (April 2016): Jazz Prodigy Matt Wong at Studio Trilogy in San Francisco https://www.mixonline.com/the-wire/jazz-prodigy-matt-wong-studio-trilogy-san-francisco-427210
• Downbeat Magazine Student Music Awards (June 2015):
• Student Music Awards cover:  Downbeat 38th Annual Student Music Awards  http://www.downbeat.com/digitaledition/2015/DB1506/98-99.html
• Interview:  Building Chops, Looking Toward the Future  http://www.downbeat.com/digitaledition/2015/DB1506/108-109.html
  
• SF Weekly (April 2015):  Matt Wong: The Jazz Prodigy   https://www.sfweekly.com/music/matt-wong-the-jazz-prodigy/

Instagram clips of Matt's composing, arranging, and orchestration:

• Original chamber group interlude  https://www.instagram.com/p/B0mJtR_gHlN/?igshid=vmv04pnb3xtr
• "Trees" by Ramsey Lewis (performed by the Oakland Symphony)  https://www.instagram.com/p/B-Q5D6kgfH9/?igshid=8ddeaupk80ir
• "A Love Supreme:  Acknowledgement" by John Coltrane  https://www.instagram.com/p/BiILEzZAwS0/?igshid=6aq3o0y4p47
• Intro to "I Love My Life" by Todd Rundgren  https://www.instagram.com/p/Bif2QtnAgr7/?igshid=llj86zhycs1y