Matt Newton

Matt Newton is a Toronto based pianist, composer and educator. He is a graduate of the University of Toronto Jazz Program (2004) and has attended the Banff International Workshop in Jazz and Creative Music (2006) led by trumpeter Dave Douglas.Born in Ottawa, Matt began studying classical piano at the age of seven. He was accepted at Canterbury High School for the Arts and by seventeen was performing jazz piano professionally in the Ottawa area.While attending high school Matt was twice chosen to be part of the Yamaha Allstar Band at Musicfest Canada and in his graduating year he was the recipient of the Bill Shutleworth Scholarship associated with the Ottawa International Jazz Festival. Shortly after he was the recipient of the 2000 Spirit of the Capital Youth Award for Arts.While attending U of T he studied privately with world class pianist Gary Williamson, and in his final year studied with Juno Award Winner, David Braid.Matt has performed extensively in Toronto and Southern Ontario in venues such as The Rex, The Montreal Bistro, Healy’s, Gate 403, Ottawa’s Café Paradiso, Avante-Garde Bar, and Rainbow Bistro, Guelph’s Manhattan’s, The Fallsview Casino (solo piano opening for Burton Cummings), Jazz Festivals: Ottawa International Jazz Festival, TD Downtown Toronto Jazz Festival, Beaches Jazz Festival, and the Distillery Jazz Festival.He is featured on two full length recordings—vocalist Karen Manion’s “Live at the Montreal Bistro”, and guitarist Harley Card’s “Non-Fiction”. “Non-Fiction” has just been released and is steadily garnering critical acclaim. “Newton is a tasteful player with a measured, every-note-counts approach” Peter Hum-The Ottawa Citizen.Matt has performed with such respected musicians as Kevin Turcotte, Jim Vivian, Mike Malone, Pat Collins, Rob Mosher, Rob Frayne, Petr Cancura, Sienna Dahlen, Mike Milligan, and Norman Marshall Villeneuve.