June 1, 2022 - This summer, I joined the Sonus Brass Theater staff as a drill writer. Sonus Brass Theater is a Drum Corps International (D.C.I.) Sound Sport ensemble. I am excited about this opportunity to work with such a great ensemble!
March 5, 2022 - The Maryland/Delaware chapters of the Percussive Arts Society hosted "A day of snare drum clinics and competition" at University of Maryland Baltimore Campus. Dr. Halligan helped coordinating the event as the Vice President of the MD/DE Chapter for the Percussive Arts Society.
November 29, 2021 - Excited to announce that Dr. Tolles and Dr. Halligan co-authored "Stick to Control," a Health and Wellness article for Rhythm! Scene (for the Percussive Arts Society).
August 9, 2021 - This summer, my first percussion ensemble piece, Solar Flares, has been published with HoneyRock Publishing. I have another project soon to follow, and I look forward to continuing to work with HoneyRock Publishing! Feel free to look for the piece at Steve Weiss Music.
April 22, 2021 - I'm looking forward to serving as the incoming Vice President for the Maryland/Delaware Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society (P.A.S.)! P.A.S. has several exciting new initiatives for the state chapters that we are excited to help develop.
April 16, 2021 - I had the great opportunity to present a percussion health and welness master class "productivity and managing stress" to the University of Texas Permian Basin (UTPB) Percussion Studio.
March 26, 2021 - Today, I enjoyed presenting an "Arranging for Marching Percussion" master class to the Howard University Percussion studio.
June 17, 2019 - Today starts the 2019 Mason Summer Percussion Academy. This year is the second year that I am Director of the Percussion Academy. I am excited about the camp, which will be filled with exciting master classes, clinics, and performances for the students.
January 22, 2019 - This spring I am teaching Percussion Methods and Applied Percussion Lessons at George Mason University, and I also started teaching at NOVA, Annandale as the Adjunct Percussion Professor. In addition to my college teaching, I will be performing as the Principal Percussionist for the Piedmont Symphony Orchestra, and the American Festival Pops Orchestra. Lastly, I am composing and arranging the percussion music for SONUS Brass Theater for the third season in a row (SONUS is a SoundSport ensemble under the umbrella of D.C.I.).
November 10, 2018 - Today I had the opportunity to lead the first NOVA Day of Percussion at Northern Virginia Community College, Alexandria Campus. I was thrilled that Innovative Percussion, Sabian, and Yamaha helped to support this event. The students were thrilled to receive new swag from the companies!
We formed a percussion ensemble and were able to perform a new composition of mine. The percussion ensemble performed the world premiere of Transylvania Jaunt, a percussion ensemble piece for several mallet players and battery percussion instruments.
I heard great things from the students and parents after the event, and I look forward to hosting more Days of Percussion in the future at NOVA Community College! I will get some pictures and video from the event up on the site soon.
June 18, 2018 - This is the first summer that I will be the Director of the Mason Summer Percussion Academy at George Mason University. We have a wonderful group of students and an amazing faculty to work with the students this week.
The percussion camp features orchestral percussion, rudimental percussion, Afro-Cuban Percussion, steel pan ensemble, and percussion ensemble.
January 24, 2018 - I am very excited to announce that this is my first semester teaching at Northern Virginia Community College (N.V.C.C.), Annandale Campus as the Adjunct Percussion Professor. Additionally, I am teaching Percussion Ensemble and Applied Percussion lessons at George Mason University. I am rounding out my schedule with arranging the percussion music for Sonus Brass Theater (a SoundSport ensemble under the umbrella of D.C.I.), performing with two professional orchestras, teaching a studio of private percussion students, and teaching the percussion classes and the percussion ensemble at Woodson High School in Fairfax.
January 22, 2018 - Ben Burrell, one of my private percussion students made it into the Middle School All-District Bands. I am very excited for Ben's accomplishment. This was his first audition for All-District Band!
January 21, 2018 - Sophie Yohannes, (one of my private percussion students), made it into the High School All-District Bands. I am very excited for Sophie as she has worked hard for this accomplishment.
October 23, 2017 - Today I finalized an Endorsement agreement with Yamaha as a Yamaha Band and Orchestra Performing Artist. Yamaha has an elite group of performing artists that are committed to performance excellence. The performing artists also promote music education through Yamaha camps, clinics, and symposiums. I am happy to be welcomed to the Yamaha family and I am proud to perform on Yamaha instruments and to endorse their products.
August 5, 2017 - The Sonus Brass Theater was awarded "Best in Show" and was awarded as a Gold Medalist ensemble at the D.C.I. SoundSport competition in Allentown, P.A. This year I have arranged all of the percussion music and have instructed the percussion section as a consultant.
June 8th, 2017 - Today I received an Endorsement agreement with Black Swamp Percussion. I will be a part of the Black Swamp Percussion Educator Network for College/University Educators and Concert Artists. I am excited and proud to endorse Black Swamp products. Black Swamp Percussion offers a variety of percussion products including: tambourines, triangles, temple blocks, castanets, concert toms, concert snare drums, and much more!
February 26th, 2017 - Andrew Lauler, (one of my private percussion students) won first chair for percussion in the Virgina All-State Band auditions for the second year in a row!
January 24, 2017 - Another semester has started at George Mason University and I wish everyone the best of luck with busy classes, performance schedules, and recitals. I sometimes reflect on how lucky I am to be able to enjoy music as my job. Whether it is teaching, performing, or arranging music, I can rest in knowing that I am inspiring others through music! This semester I am teaching students at G.M.U. giving a couple solo percussion recitals and clinics, and arranging percussion music for a drum and bugle corps.
December 17, 2016 - I completed another rewarding semester of teaching at George Mason University. As soon as I finished adjudicating percussion juries, I left for Chicago to attend The Midwest Clinic. The Midwest Clinic was truly one of (if not the best) music conferences to attend. I feel inspired and ready to take on another semester of teaching!
October 22, 2016 - The Robinson Secondary Drumline won the Best Percussion Award at the Lee-Davis Invitational today! Robinson won every caption including winning first place in class 5-A and winning the first place Grand Champion Award! My students have worked extremely hard for their second Best Percussion Award of the season!
September 24, 2016- The Robinson Secondary Drumline won the Best Percussion Award at the North Stafford Marching Band Competition today! The students and I have spent countless hours rehearsing for this moment! Robinson is one of two drumlines that I am teaching and arranging music for this fall.
August 29, 2016 - This is the first semester that I am teaching at George Mason University without also working on my dissertation. I am able to take on more teaching, arranging, and performance opportunities with the extra time that I now have!
In addition to teaching at George Mason University this semester, I am performing with the F.B.C.A. Orchestra, the Piedmont Symphony Orchestra, and the American Festival Pops Orchestra as the Principal Percussionist. I have maintained a large private percussion studio in addition to teaching two high school marching bands. I have been teaching the drumline Robinson Secondary School and teaching at Annandale High School as the marching percussion caption head. I have designed both schools' technique books as well as have composed their 2016 show music.
As the new semester begins, I am excited for my former private high school students that are now attending Butler University, the University of Delaware, and George Mason University.
May 21, 2016 - Andrew Lauler (one of my private percussion students) won third place at the 2016 Fairfax County Band Directors Association (FCBDA) Solo Competition. This event was open to students performing on any instrument. Congratulations to Andrew and his family!
May 14, 2016 - I graduated from George Mason University with my Doctorate in Musical Arts!
April 5th, 2016 - Today, I passed my dissertation defense! I am very blessed to have had such great mentors at George Mason University.
February 27th, 2016 - Andrew Lauler, (one of my private percussion students) won first chair for percussion in the Virgina All-State Band auditions.
February 12th, 2016 - Andrew Lauler, (one of my private perscussion students) has been accepted into Juilliard's Summer Percussion Seminar as only a Junior in high school!
Tuesday, January 19th, 2016 - This spring semester I have been blessed with an opportunity to teach Applied Percussion Lessons as an Adjunct Faculty Music Professor.
Monday, August 17th, 2015 - I have accepted a position as a drum set accompanist in the School of Dance at George Mason University for modern dance courses.
Monday, June 1st, 2015 – Matt received an endorsement with Sabian Cymbals, where he is now a Band/Orchestra Artist.
Monday, May 26th, 2015 – The start of Matt’s Research Fellowship at G.M.U.