Originally from Paris, TX, saxophonist and woodwinds player Matt Sawyer is excited to join the staff at Paschal HS as an assistant band director and as the director of the Paschal Jazz Ensemble. Mr. Sawyer played alto and tenor saxophone in the world-renowned University of North Texas (UNT) One O'clock Lab Band under the direction of Neil Slater for four years. He appeared with the band on four studio albums (Lab 2004-2007) and two live albums (Live From Thailand and Live At Blues Alley). He was also a two-time Finalist in the North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA) Jazz Competition, and his group The Matt Sawyer Orchestra was selected to perform at the North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam, Netherlands. His arrangement for his group of John Coltrane's Dear Lord was Downbeat Winner of Best Arrangement the same year. Most recently, Mr. Sawyer performed as a featured jazz soloist at the NASA Biennial Conferences in Lubbock, TX, and Champaign, IL with the TWU/Brookhaven Saxophone Ensemble.
Matt Sawyer has performed with Jimmy Heath, Pete Christlieb, Benny Golson, Phil Woods, Lou Marini, His Majesty The King of Thailand, Nick Payton, Rufus Reid, Lynn Seaton, Ed Soph, Fred Hamilton, Wayne Bergeron, Dallas big band Rebel Alliance Jazz Ensemble, Michael League and Chris McQueen of Snarky Puppy, indie artist and America's Got Talent finalist Cas Haley, and many others. He has performed in groups as the opening act for Wayne Newton, Barbara Fairchild, Maroon 5, Dave Douglas, and Chick Corea. He has toured and performed all over the US, Canada, Japan, Thailand, Poland, and the Netherlands, and also performed clinics in the US, Canada, Japan, and Thailand. Mr. Sawyer holds both a Masters in Music Education and MA in Teaching from Texas Woman's University (TWU) and a Bachelors of Music in Jazz Studies from UNT. He studied saxophone with Roy Allen, Jim Riggs, Gary Meggs, Tom Luer, David Lown, Dave Chael, and Andrew Dahlke, and flute with Mary-Karen Clardy.
In addition to being a performer, Mr. Sawyer is an active teacher and clinician in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area and is an applied instructor of jazz saxophone at Brookhaven College. Mr. Sawyer was the Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combo Director at TWU for three years, and he taught saxophone and woodwind lessons for North Lamar, Mesquite, and Richardson ISDs. He was also a band director for Music Learning Band Programs for five years, teaching at over fifteen private schools in the Dallas and Fort Worth metropolitan area. His professional affiliations include Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), Texas Jazz Educators Association (TJEA), Jazz Education Network (JEN), National Association for Music Education (NAfME), National Flute Association (NFA), and North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA).
Mr. Sawyer is looking forward to making Fort Worth his new home with his wife Yukari and son Hayato, along with their two cats, Misia and Oscar.
Matt Sawyer has performed with Jimmy Heath, Pete Christlieb, Benny Golson, Phil Woods, Lou Marini, His Majesty The King of Thailand, Nick Payton, Rufus Reid, Lynn Seaton, Ed Soph, Fred Hamilton, Wayne Bergeron, Dallas big band Rebel Alliance Jazz Ensemble, Michael League and Chris McQueen of Snarky Puppy, indie artist and America's Got Talent finalist Cas Haley, and many others. He has performed in groups as the opening act for Wayne Newton, Barbara Fairchild, Maroon 5, Dave Douglas, and Chick Corea. He has toured and performed all over the US, Canada, Japan, Thailand, Poland, and the Netherlands, and also performed clinics in the US, Canada, Japan, and Thailand. Mr. Sawyer holds both a Masters in Music Education and MA in Teaching from Texas Woman's University (TWU) and a Bachelors of Music in Jazz Studies from UNT. He studied saxophone with Roy Allen, Jim Riggs, Gary Meggs, Tom Luer, David Lown, Dave Chael, and Andrew Dahlke, and flute with Mary-Karen Clardy.
In addition to being a performer, Mr. Sawyer is an active teacher and clinician in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area and is an applied instructor of jazz saxophone at Brookhaven College. Mr. Sawyer was the Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combo Director at TWU for three years, and he taught saxophone and woodwind lessons for North Lamar, Mesquite, and Richardson ISDs. He was also a band director for Music Learning Band Programs for five years, teaching at over fifteen private schools in the Dallas and Fort Worth metropolitan area. His professional affiliations include Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), Texas Jazz Educators Association (TJEA), Jazz Education Network (JEN), National Association for Music Education (NAfME), National Flute Association (NFA), and North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA).
Mr. Sawyer is looking forward to making Fort Worth his new home with his wife Yukari and son Hayato, along with their two cats, Misia and Oscar.