Matthew Muñeses | Saxophone
Photo by Janet Mami Takiyama
Matthew Muñeses is a saxophonist and educator residing in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. Although his introduction to music came through violin lessons at the age of six, music would not take a serious role in his life until he began playing the saxophone four years later.
Matthew received his B.M. in Saxophone Performance at Illinois State University in 2011 and his M.M. in Jazz Performance at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2013. During this time, Matthew studied with Dana Hall, Chip McNeill, Ron Bridgewater, Tito Carrillo, and Chip Stephens.
In the subsequent years, Matthew has garnered recognition as an up and coming talent by winning or being named as a finalist in multiple educational and open competitions, including the Jazz Society of the Philippines competition and the Kate Neal Kinley Memorial Fellowship. In 2015, Matthew participated in an invitation-only workshop with Steve Coleman and the Five Elements at the University of Chicago. Through this workshop, he was afforded the opportunity to study with and perform alongside Steve Coleman and members of his band, including Jonathan Finlayson and Miles Okazaki.
Matthew has led bands at a number of historic venues across the country, including the Green Mill and Andy's Jazz Club in Chicago, Catalina Bar & Grill in Los Angeles, and the Kranzberg Arts Center in St. Louis. He also has performed at numerous music festivals, such as the Woodstock Jazz Festival (Woodstock, IL) and Pygmalion Music Festival (Champaign, IL).
In addition to his work as a performer, Matthew is passionate about educating future generations of musicians. He teaches saxophone technique, jazz improvisation, and composition through his private studio and in-residence at St. Charles North and South Elgin High Schools. His private students have been awarded first place commendations at numerous solo and ensemble contests, received awards from the prestigious Young Arts Organization, been selected to perform in ILMEA All-State and district ensembles, and successfully auditioned at colleges including the Manhattan School of Music, the New England Conservatory, the University of Iowa, Northern Illinois University, and DePaul University. Matthew is also active as a clinician and has given masterclasses at Illinois State University, the University of Northern Iowa, Northern Illinois University, and Northwestern University.
In November 2015, Matthew released his debut album, Threshold. The record features trumpeter Zubin Edalji, pianist Steven Feifke, bassist Raviv Markovitz, drummer Jay Sawyer, and was produced by friend and fellow saxophonist, Adam Larson. His new project, Noli Me Tángere, is a tribute to the life, legacy, and compositions of José Rizal, the first national hero of the Philippines, and was recorded in May of 2021 with a world-class band featuring Dana Hall, Clark Sommers, Stu Mindeman, Zubin Edalji, and Miguel Zenón.
Matthew resides in South Elgin, IL with his wife, Renee, his children, Adelaide and David, and their two dogs, Peanut and Jelly. Matthew is a P. Mauriat and D'Addario Woodwinds Performing Artist.
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