Mat is a jazz trained drummer, music writer/arranger, member of The Wildes and solid stave drum builder, teaching by day (Head of Percussion at Shelford Girls' Grammar and instrumental at Camberwell Girls' Grammar and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College) and rehearsing, recording or managing other projects by night.

He first began music studies as a 6 year old learning piano until drums took his focus around age 12. Mat studied throughout his teens with Motown legend Gil Askey (Academy Award nominee and composer/producer/musical director to Diana Ross, the Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, the Jackson Five and many more). As a young musician he was given many opportunities to sit-in and play at Gil's gigs, as well as with traditional jazz legend and band leader Tommy Carter (OAM).

Mat commenced jazz drumming lessons with Graham Morgan, who was also extremely influential through many years of lessons and encouragement starting in his VCE years (1999-2000) at the Victorian College of the Arts secondary school. It was at this time that Mat realised a passion for Drumcorp when he indifferently joined the massive Sydney 2000 Olympics Opening Ceremony International Marching Band of 2000 musicians. In a short space of time he was leading the Drumline and his enthusiasm lead to a tight and well rehearsed section. As a result Mat was chosen to be lead snare drummer. In 2001 his dedication again led to being selected as lead snare drummer this time in Beijing, China, for a 700 piece International Marching Band assembled to perform at the World Universiade Games Opening Ceremony.

In 2004 he graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts with a BA Mus after juggling three years of study (2001-2003 in the improvisation stream) with several projects and band work. His continued research into Drumcorp and ensemble arrangements in that style were put to good use when he generated one of Australia's first true 'DCI' style Drumlines for the Australian Youth Band. Throughout late 2001 to 2004, Mat directed and wrote countless works for the 17 piece ensemble, and has since become the first known Australian composer to publish works in this style.

From 2005 Mat began writing, recording and performing with bands such as Spargo and ARIA winner Gotye. In both 2005 and 2006 Mat and his Spargo band mates travelled around the UK for 10 months gigging and being tourists with the odd trip to Europe and even Dubai. The 2006 tour was supported by the Australian Council for the Arts, who awarded Spargo with an International Pathways Grant for overseas development.

In 2007 Mat took on the role of Head of Percussion at Shelford Girls' Grammar where he currently still teaches. He instructs four percussion ensembles, classroom instrumental programs, jazz ensemble and concert band. The ensembles always commission his new works. Mat’s school ensembles travel to eisteddfods and competitions around Australia.

Mat has co-founded with a Shelford colleague an event to be held in August 2010 called 'Impro Studio', a weekend of jazz improvisation classes and concerts for secondary school girls with Australia's finest jazz artists including Tony Gould, Andrea Keller, David Jones, Shannon Barnett and Rob Burke to name a few.

Since 2008 Mat has been recording and touring with The Wildes. Their 2009 release album 'Ballad of a Young Married Man' (Select Global) was one of Radio National's "Top 6 Albums of 2009" amongst many other radio and press accolades from local and American critics unanimous in their praise for the disc, each picking up on the strong narratives and understated production of an album variously described as 'alt-country', 'gothic country', 'country blues' and even 'rock n roll'.

During 2009 The Wildes have performed frequently around Australia including a sold-out national tour launching the album, a main stage performance at the National Music Muster (QLD) simulcast nationally and the release of their first music video (for the album's title track 'Ballad of a Young Married Man') was soon after added to rotation on the Country Music Channel and Rage then short-listed in both CMC's "The Best of 2009" and Rage's "Fifty 2009". The music video is also to be released on EMI's "Winner's 2010" DVD.

Mat’s early love of restoring vintage drums has since developed into building complete solid stave drumkits. Though currently a word-of-mouth venture, they are stopping professional drummers and sound engineers in their tracks with reactions claiming that Red Rock Drums are the best drums they have ever heard!

Mat lives in Melbourne, Australia.