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Matthew Jacobson

Dr

Contact Details


B141
T:Ext. 2275

E:Matthew.Jacobson@dcu.ie

Full-Time Jazz Tutor

B141

T:+35318842275

E:matthew.jacobson@dcu.ie
W:http://www.matthewjacobsonmusic.com

B141

T:8842275

E:Matthew.Jacobson@dcu.ie
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Matthew Jacobson is an Irish drummer, composer, bandleader, educator and producer. He completed his BA in Jazz Performance at Newpark Music Centre, Dublin in 2008 and in 2010 he received an MA in Music Performance from Lucerne University, Switzerland. He completed a practice-based PhD at Ulster University in 2021, exploring improvisational approaches to motivic compositions.

As well as performing, composing for and recording with his own groups ReDiviDeR and Insufficient Funs, he also co-leads Roamer, a quartet of Ireland's most internationally recognised improvisers and performs regularly with Anna Mieke; UMBRA; Berri; Ensemble Ériu; SlapBang; Origin Story; BigSpoon; AERIE (DE); Fireplace Dragon (US) and Ms Mercy (UK) among others.

Matthew is a co-director of Diatribe Records, Ireland's leading independent record label for new sounds and is the Irish producer of European exchange tour and event network Match&Fuse. He is also a full-time Jazz Lecturer in DCU – specialising in drum skills, ensembles, free improvisation and music business.
He has received numerous awards from the Arts Council of Ireland including Travel and Training awards, Project awards, Bursary awards and Touring awards and has received several Culture Ireland awards to present new Irish works all around the world.

He received a Fulbright Scholar Award 2013 to spend a nine-month period in New York developing compositional and improvisational skills. He was also selected as Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown’s inaugural Musician-in-Residence from October 2015 – January 2016.

Matthew proudly uses Jesse Simpson Cymbals with thanks to the Irish Arts Council, Music Network and the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

"One of the most dynamic forces in Irish jazz, on and off the stage" - the Irish Times
"A European jazz artist of growing charisma" - the Guardian 

www.matthewjacobsonmusic.com

Conference Contribution

Year Publication
2024 Jenna Harris; Matthew Jacobson (2024) Society For Musicology In Ireland Annual Conference 2024 New Standards: A Collegiate Student Survey on Gender Representation in Jazz Curriculum National University of Ireland, Galway, .
2021 Matthew Jacobson; Frank Lyons; Brian Bridges (2021) Documenting Jazz Non-standard Standards: Using Jazz Standards as Vehicles for Non-structured Improvisations University of Edinburgh, .
Certain data included herein are derived from the © Web of Science (2024) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.

Professional Associations

Association Function From / To
Irish Music Rights Organisation Member 25/07/2012 -
Recorded Artists Actors Performers 10/07/2014 -
Society for Musicology in Ireland 06/01/2023 -
Contemporary Music Centre Associate Representation 01/09/2020 -

Honors and Awards

Date Title Awarding Body
01/09/2013 Fulbright Scholar Award Fulbright Commission Ireland
01/01/2011 Young Irish Artist Award Cork Jazz Festival
01/11/2014 Music Network Capital Scheme Award Music Network
01/02/2015 TG4 Gradam Ceoil: Musical Collaboration TG4
01/01/2016 Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Musician-in-Residence Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Arts Office
01/12/2020 Irish Times Jazz Album of the Year Irish Times
01/07/2022 IMC 30/30 Artist Improvised Music Company
01/12/2022 Irish Times Jazz Album of the Year Irish Times
09/03/2023 Album of the Year nomination: Anna Mieke 'Theatre' (drums, percussion, co-arranger) RTE

Committees

Committee Function From / To
Improvised Music Company Improvised Music Company (IMC) is an Arts Council funded resource organisation for Irish and Irish-based jazz musicians, and a specialist promoter of jazz, improvised and ethnic music in Ireland. We produce 4 festivals annually as well as intimate and large scale concerts of Irish and international artists. 01/03/2020 -

Employment

Employer Position From / To
Dublin City University Full-time Jazz Tutor 01/09/2017 -

Education

Start date Institution Qualification Subject
01/09/2004 Newpark Music Centre BA in Jazz Performance
01/09/2008 University of Lucerne MA in Music Performance
01/09/2016 Ulster University - Magee Campus PhD

Languages

Language Reading Writing Speaking
English Fluent Fluent Fluent
German Functional Basic Functional

Other Activities

Description
Co-Director at Diatribe Records: Founded in Dublin in 2007, Diatribe Records is Ireland’s leading independent record label for new music.
Irish producer of Match&Fuse (M&F): M&F was set up with the primary aim of connecting creative scenes across Europe. It is a touring exchange, festival and events commissions network with an emphasis on local culture, connecting like-minded artists and the creation of new artistic material through international collaboration. www.matchandfuse.com
Improvised Music Company Dublin IE Board of directors https://www.improvisedmusic.ie/about/team-board

Creative Outputs

Year Title Type
2020 Lina Andonovska 'A Way A Lone A Last' Recording
2020 Origin Story 'Good Friday' Recording
2018 AERIE 'Sonic' Recording
2017 Ensemble Ériu 'Stargazer' Recording
2013 Ensemble Ériu 'Ensemble Ériu' Recording
2016 Ensemble Ériu 'Imbas' Recording
2015 AERIE 'Hatch and Host' Recording
2020 ReDiviDeR 'Mere Nation' Recording
2019 Anna Mieke 'Idle Mind' Recording
2019 Naked Allies Recording
2018 UMBRA 'West' Recording
2013 ReDiviDeR 'meets I Dig Monk, Tuned' Recording
2011 ReDiviDeR 'Never odd or eveN' Recording
2022 Berri 'Shadow Chroí' Recording
2022 Roamer 'Lost Bees' Recording
2022 BigSpoon 'The Return of the Prodigal Son' Recording
2022 Rodrigo Almonte 'Sounds of the Blue Book' Recording
2022 hyperlynx Recording
2022 Stephen Gardner 'Belly of the Earth' Recording
2022 Sounding Seams III Recording
2022 Ensemble Ériu at Fête de la Musique Exhibition
2022 Anna Mieke 'Theatre' Recording
2023 Premiere of 'blocks' by Elemental Playground at Hugh Lane Gallery Composition
2023 Premiere of 'Clock vs Radiator' Composition
2023 Ireland 100: An Old Song Re-Sung Exhibition
2023 Roamer @ Culture Night Exhibition
2023 Ireland 100: Old Song Resung Exhibition
2024 Aengus Hackett Trio Recording
2024 Aleka – Romania: Songs of Love and Longing Recording
2023 RABHADH GAN GHNÍOMH/ALARMED AND INACTIVE Composition
2023 The Workshop Vol. 1 Recording
2024 Éiríocht: New Music from Ireland Exhibition
2023 clocks vs radiator Composition
2024 Possession Play
2024 Diatribe Stage @ New Music Dublin Exhibition
2024 Clang Sayne 'Sounding Seams' Recording
2024 Roamer Irish Tour Exhibition
2024 Roamer Irish Tour Exhibition
2024 The Workshop at Bray Jazz Festival Exhibition
2024 Conor Caldwell 'Oh, Listen To The Band!' Recording

Enterprise Engagement

Year Engagement Type Client Description
2019 Invited talk/presentation Jazz Connective Commissioned collaboration between Irish creative music duo Insufficient Funs and Finnish multi-instrumentalist Mikko Innanen as part of Jazz Connective: a collaborative project between different European actors built to sustainably strengthen our artistic scenes, composed of promoters and producers, musicians and professionals, by exploring these issues on a European scale. This project is supported by the European Union within the framework of Creative Europe - Cooperation Project and will take place in several stages, in several European cities.
2020 Invited talk/presentation Jazz Connective Invited Artist-in-Residence at the UK edition of Jazz Connective: a collaborative project between different European actors built to sustainably strengthen our artistic scenes, composed of promoters and producers, musicians and professionals, by exploring these issues on a European scale. This project is supported by the European Union within the framework of Creative Europe - Cooperation Project and will take place in several stages, in several European cities. Activities include collaborating with a number of UK artists over the course of a week in Birmingham during the Jazz Connective events. While in Birmingham he will also be participating in an artist-in-residence sharing session on Tuesday 10th March. The fruits of these collaborations will be performed in two concerts in London’s Vortex Jazz Club on March 11th and 12th, as part of London’s Jazz Connective events. On Wednesday March 11th, Matthew will be collaborating with trumpeter Percy Pursglove, bassist Chris Mapp and saxophonist Alicia Gardener-Trejo. On Thursday March 13th, Matthew performs in the concert ‘Resonances: where art and music improvise together’, in collaboration with visual artist Aurelie Freoua and dancer Petra Haller.

Outreach Activities

Year Engagement Type Organisation Description
Presentations/Talks to an external audience Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM) Guest lecture as part of RIAM's BA in music performance, 3rd year Ethnomusicology module. Lecture presented applications of South Indian Carnatic konnakol in contemporary and improvised music.
Educational Outreach/Public Engagement Dabbledoo Music Creation of original and children's songs for DabbledooMusic's "Irish Artist in the Classroom" series. DabbledooMusic's goal is to make sure every primary school child and teacher in Ireland has access to quality music education resources. They have been developing DabbledooMusic since 2010 and have created an online platform currently being used by over 600 schools in Ireland, reaching 100,000 children. Our content is based on the Irish primary music curriculum and designed to give children a broad range of musical experiences to engage, excite and inspire a lifelong love of music. An important part of our mission is to bring real world musicians and artists into the classroom. We have previously worked with musicians like electronic music producer Eomac and Uilleann Piper Joe mc Kenna to host classroom concerts in schools which we video and turn into free online resources.
2022 Presentations/Talks to an external audience Ireland India Institute An Evening of Musical Interaction between acclaimed Kuchipudi dancer Bhavana Reddy and musicians Ronan Guilfoyle, Matthew Jacobson and Chris Guilfoyle.
2023 Educational Outreach/Public Engagement BIMM Guest lecture on 'Improvisational Practices' for BIMM's Year 3 module 'Performance in Context'
2023 Educational Outreach/Public Engagement Kirkos Ensemble Monthly Jam: Matthew Jacobson (July 2023) Monday, 17 July 2023, 7.15pm UNIT 44 (KIRKOS) IMPROV JAM: Matthew Jacobson Each month we will be inviting a new artist to lead an improv jam in Unit 44. This session will be hosted by Matthew Jacobson (ReDiviDeR). As usual, this will be a low-key, informal event. Led by Matthew, we will look at topics such as the interstices between composition and improvisation and the use of various materials as catalysts for improvisation (as a way of instigating open, inclusive and deep musical expression from the participants), which might include text, images, standard notation, existing music or abstract concepts. There's no audience but anybody (of any experience) is welcome to come and play and enjoy themselves, so you’re around and up for it, grab an instrument or something to make noise with (we might be able to provide some stuff if you’re stuck), come down and join in! Matthew Jacobson is an Irish drummer, composer, bandleader, educator and producer currently based in Dublin.
2024 Educational Outreach/Public Engagement BIMM Guest lecture on 'Improvisational Practices' for BIMM's Year 3 module 'Performance in Context'
2024 Presentations/Talks to an external audience Blas International Summer School of Irish Traditional Music and Dance at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, Limerick Performance and album launch with Conor Caldwell's 'Oh Listen to the Band' Improvisation Masterclass with summer school percussion students

Media

Title Year Type Authors
Matthew Jacobson: Rituals Of Sound And Time 2020 Newspaper article (online) Ian Patterson
The Irish Itinerary Podcast: Matthew Jacobson in conversation with James Little 2020 Podcast James Little
RTE Lyric FM – Culture File x NMD2020: Avenged Sevenfold 2020 Radio Interviews Luke Clancy
‘People want to break down boundaries’: An interview with Nick Roth and Matthew Jacobson of Diatribe Records 2020 Newspaper article (online) Toner Quinn
A Drummer in Dublin: Episode 16 – Matthew Jacobson 2019 Podcast Fiachra Kinder
Musician of the Month – Matthew Jacobson: A Brother's Influence 2019 Newspaper article (online) Matthew Jacobson
Matthew Jacobson: Five Records Special Guest 2019 Radio Interviews Ciaran Meister
WoodQuay Summer Sessions - BigSpoon 2020 Radio Interviews Ken Tuohy
Matthew Jacobson - Irish Drummer / Improviser / Composer 2016 Newspaper article (online) Tom Gilligan
The Irish Music Industry Podcast: Improvising (aka Making It Up As We Go Along) 2019 Podcast Mark Graham
Monthly Diatribe 2021 Produced a radio programme Roth, N; Jacobson, M
Lost Bees: A superb debut from Irish supergroup Roamer 2022 Newspaper article (Print) Cormac Larkin
Episode 4 – Matthew Jacobson – Souls In Harmony Podcast 2023 Podcast Souls In Harmony
Monthly Diatribe July '23 2023 Produced a radio programme Matthew Jacobson
Monthly Diatribe November 2023 2023 Podcast Matthew Jacobson
The Workshop, Vol. 1 - Review 2024 Newspaper article (online) Daniel Rorke

Research Interests

Music Performance; Improvisation; Composition; Music Business

Research Projects

Title Role Description Start date End date
Nationwide tour of new music from European quintet AERIE Lead applicant, performer 09/11/2016 12/11/2016
Roamer meet Cherry Smyth Lead applicant, performer, composer 25/10/2016 10/05/2017
Matthew Jacobson: Duos Lead researcher, composer, performer 28/10/2015 31/01/2016
Solo Percussion Project Lead applicant, performer, composer 02/06/2014 22/09/2014
Exploring the area between improvisation and composition Lead researcher 01/09/2013 31/05/2014
Chennai - South Indian Karnatik Konnekol Training Performer 06/07/2010 30/07/2010
Rachael Lavelle Commission to write for SlapBang Commissioner / Performer Composer Rachael Lavelle was successfully commissioned to write a new 10 min work for SlapBang (flutes & drum kit) + tape part. This piece extended the sonic possibilities of the instruments: Andonovska & Jacobson are breaking new ground in chamber music performance. The work was premiered at 'Brilliant Corners' Festival in Belfast in March 2022 and was reviewed in 'All About Jazz' magazine: "..."Deuce," by Rachel Lavelle, took as its inspiration tennis. A recording of an umpire scoring a match, with occasional vociferous shouts of 'out!; from a lineswoman provided the backdrop and impetus to the musicians' dialogue. In keeping with the subject matter, there was an immediacy in the duo's cut and thrust, with Jacobson's neat rolls seeming to evoke scampering feet and Andonovska's breathy rushes the whizzing of balls." 01/11/2021 12/03/2022
Agility Award to develop new material with improvising quartet ReDiviDeR and new music duo SlapBang Composer / Bandleader / Performer Agility Award grant received to develop new compositions with improvising quartet ReDiviDeR and to develop Arts Council commissioned works for new music flute and drum duo SlapBang. 25/08/2021 15/06/2022
Commissioned by Izumi Kimura to compose a 15-minute piece for improvising chamber ensemble 'Elemental Playgrounds' Commissionee / Composer / Performer Commissioned by Izumi Kimura to compose a 15-minute piece for improvising chamber ensemble 'Elemental Playgrounds' featuring Kimura on piano, French saxophonist Stephane Payen, Australian flautist Lina Andonovska and percussionist Matthew Jacobson. To receive premiere at Hugh Lane Gallery in March and French premiere later in the year. 01/07/2022 05/03/2023
Project Award: Insufficient Funs Album recording Composer / Bandleader / Performer This project is funded to: Record a high-quality full-length studio album at Hellfire Studio, Dublin Release album on Diatribe Records, disseminating original cutting edge Irish music worldwide Create in live & animated bespoke videos to assist in both audience engagement & promotional work associated with release 11/08/2024 17/10/2024

Current Postgraduate Students

Student Name Degree Supervision
Almonte Zegarra ,Rodrigo PhD Supervisor

Internal Collaborators

Type Name Company Role
Internal Cormac OBrien Centre for Jazz Performance
Internal Jenna Harris DCU School of Theology, Philosophy and Music Academic

Teaching Interests

Jazz; Improvisation; Ensemble Performance; Music Performance; Music Business; Rhythm Studies; Instrumental Skills; Composition; Musical Analysis

Modules Coordinated

Term Title Subject
2022 Approved Style Ensemble 3 MC405
2022 Approved Style Ensemble 2 MC321
2022 Ensemble Performance 1 MC323
2022 Irish Composers' Workshop MC408
2022 Instrumental / Vocal Labs 1 MC117
2022 Instrumental / Vocal Skills 2 MC220
2020 Ensemble Performance 2 MC407
2022 Instrumental / Vocal Labs 4 MC409
2022 Instrumental / Vocal Skills 4 MC410
2020 Jazz Pedagogy MC416
2022 Instrumental / Vocal Skills 1 MC118
2022 Instrumental / Vocal Labs 2 MC219
2022 Instrumental / Vocal Labs 3 MC324
2022 Instrumental / Vocal Skills 3 MC325
2022 Improv Ensemble 1 MC116
2022 Music Business MC413
2023/24 Instrumental Skills MC220
2023/24 Instrumental Skills MC410
2023/24 Instrumental Skills MC325
2023/24 Instrumental Lab MC117
2023/24 Instrumental Skills MC410
2023/24 Instrumental Lab MC324
2023/24 Instrumental Lab MC219
2023/24 Instrumental Lab MC409
2023/24 Instrumental Skills MC118