Matthew Howard

Percussion

Principal

Member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since 2016

An LA native, Matthew Howard is Principal Percussionist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the same orchestra he grew up watching.

Previously, he was a Fellow with the New World Symphony under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas. He has performed with such groups as the San Francisco Symphony, Kansas City Symphony, Santa Barbara Symphony, and Boston Ballet. He also has been a member of the National Repertory Orchestra, Verbier Festival Orchestra, and Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra.

Howard began playing a drum set at the age of 15 and played in his high school jazz band. By 18, he found himself enthralled with the world of percussion and started studying with local percussionist John Magnussen. He also studied with recording legend Emil Richards on jazz vibraphone, Judy Chilnick on timpani, and Jerry Steinholtz on hand percussion. After a year of community college, he transferred to the USC Thornton School of Music, studying with Erik Forrester. The following year, Joseph Pereira and Jim Babor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic took over as faculty at USC. After graduating, Howard studied with Will Hudgins of the Boston Symphony Orchestra at the New England Conservatory.

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