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Matthew Bason was born in Northampton on 4th July 1980. At the age of 7 he commenced piano lessons with a local teacher and completed the graded examinations set by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music and Trinity College of Music, London (now known as Trinity-Guildhall). He was also classically trained on the 'cello, but is a self-taught organist. Matthew made his first public appearance, aged 14, at the Cliftonville Day Centre, Northampton. From that point on Matthew began building up his reputation as a young but very professional and competent musician at local venues ranging from day centres to working men's clubs to hotels and churches. Matthew has had a wide range of musical experiences. He has played piano and keyboard in jazz groups and cabaret bands and quite often finds employment as an accompanist for music exams and choirs. |
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He has worked on a wide range of productions - from Stephen Sondheim’s musical “Company”, concerts with groups such as “University of Reading Gospel Choir” and Northamptonshire’s “Overstone Singers” through to providing musical “fill-ins” and “effect” music for Shakespeare plays. He has directed or co-directed choirs in Slough, Reading and Northampton.
Residencies
From 1997 to 2004 he was Resident Pianist
at Sopwell House Hotel & Country Club. This involved providing light
entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights and some Sunday afternoons.
At the same time, from 2001 to 2003, he was Resident Entertainer at Ashorne Hall Nickelodeon Collection in Warwickshire, where he entertained visitors with his one-man show, featuring the Wurlitzer and Compton Theatre Organs, Yamaha HX-1, Piano and Accordion. His duties included playing for dancing, accompanying silent films and accompany visiting cabaret acts. Sadly, this post was cut short by the sudden death of the owner.
From January 2004 to December 2007 he was Resident Pianist at Kettering Park Spa Hotel. He currently works on a freelance basis
The Ashorne Hall Compton Organ - the picture is dark as Matthew was about to accompany a silent film!
More about Matthew
He is a honours
graduate from the University of Reading, having studied Music and
Education (the degree being BA(Ed)Hons). He continues to travel
the whole of the U.K., surrounding isles and the continent playing
for a wide range of events on Piano, Keyboard and Organ.
Matthew lives in Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire, with his wife, Jenny.
Awards include:
ATOS 1999 Young Organist
of the Year; ATOS 2000 Dean Herrick Award; 2001 President Slough Organ Society;
2006 Vice-President of STOPS
Featured on (performing
and/or interviewed):
Sky News, BBC Radio 2 "The
Organist Entertains", BBC Radio Leeds, BBC Radio Northampton, BBC Three
Counties Radio, BBC Radio Norfolk, Radio Cavell "Keyview"
