Trombonist makes the music...and the horns!

If it involves “anything trombone,” Matthew Walker is in. Walker has performed and recorded in venues across the globe, and even crossed oceans to come to Wisconsin to build custom trombones.

A native of Australia, Walker was working toward his bachelor’s degree in music at the Sydney Conservatorium in Music when he won a full-time job with the Australian Opera at the age of 21.

He spent the next 16 years as bass trombonist with the Opera performing on tenor, bass and contrabass trombones for standard opera repertoire as well as many world premieres. He also performed with the Australian Youth Orchestra, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Sydney Symphony, Queensland Philharmonic, Hong Kong Philharmonic,  and later the Milwaukee Symphony, Milwaukee Ballet and Skylight Opera. His horn also has been heard in numerous TV commercials and background music scores, including the national anthems of countries recorded for the Australian Commonwealth Games in Sydney in 2006. He played contrabass trombone for the “Salem’s Lot” motion picture soundtrack.

In 2006, Matthew took a leave of absence from the Australian Opera and traveled to America to build trombones for a local custom trombone manufacturer. After that business closed, Matthew, along with his business partner decided to open their own instrument manufacturing shop in Jackson, Wisconsin, concentrating exclusively on trombones. M&W Custom Trombones, of which Matthew has recently become the sole owner, designs and builds its own brand of instruments of the highest quality, and M&W trombones are now played all over the world. Matthew’s first season with the Kettle Moraine Symphony was in 2008.

What are your other musical interests? Anything involving trombones!

Who was your most influential music teacher? My father, who instilled a real sense of tone being the most important aspect of performance. Also Michael Mulcahy, now with the Chicago Symphony, and Michael’s first teacher, Baden McCarron.

When did you start playing? At age nine, in the brass band of my hometown of Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia.

What do you enjoy most about playing? The endless frustration it brings – because there always is something to work on!

What’s on your iPod? Billy Joel, Sting, The Corrs, Elton John, Tower of Power, Chicago, to name a few.

What is your favorite musical memory? Playing for Luciano Pavarotti for his Sydney concerts in 2005.

What advice would you give to young musicians? Practice with a purpose. If you settle for mediocre when you practice, all you are doing is getting better at being mediocre!