Telephone Number : 01933 395118 or 07743 134301
Email address : matthew@matthewbason.co.uk
Website : www.matthewbason.co.uk
Address : 59 The Hedges, Higham Ferrers, Northants, NN10 8AA
Matthew Bason began his performing career in 1994. Originally classically-trained on the piano, at the age of 12 he began to teach himself the organ. In 1998 he went on to study Music and Education at the University of Reading, U.K.
Matthew has had a varied career in music - both as an organist and pianist - as a soloist, accompanist and teacher. Amongst his work as a freelancer he accompanies music students for examinations, plays for choirs and provides backing for cabaret and solo artistes.
From 1997 to 2004 he was resident pianist at Sopwell House, St. Albans where he played as a solo jazz pianist and accompanied singers and cabaret acts. From 2000 to 2003 he was resident musician and musical director for shows at Ashorne Hall, Warwick where he played both organ and piano (Wurlitzer and Compton Theatre Organs, Yamaha HX-1 and Piano) to thousands of visitors as part of “The Nickelodeon Collection” museum tours and for the various daytime and evening variety shows. This residency was cut short by the sudden death of the owner, Graham Whitehead, who was largely responsible for Matthew becoming increasingly involved with theatre pipe organs.
From 2005 to 2009 Matthew was resident pianist at Kettering Park Spa where he performed 3 nights per week as a solo pianist playing both light classical and jazz favourites. Other hotel contracts over the years include The Savoy, Ritz, Rubens and Connaught Hotels in London.
In 1999, Matthew made his European debut playing pipe organ concerts in the Netherlands, where he has since made many return visits to very enthusiastic audiences. To date, he has made 2 concert tours of the USA, with another return visit to the Orpheum Theatre, Phoenix, Arizona in July 2009 and a third inter-state tour planned for Autumn 2009. Summer and autumn 2010 will see Matthew perform in Australia for the first time.
In the UK, Matthew has travelled almost every inch of the country and surrounding islands. He is pianist for the Radio Days Big Band and has recently formed a partnership with top comedian and singer, Richard C. Parker creating a highly entertaining double-act with music and comedy. One of Matthew’s other strengths is playing for ballroom and sequence dancing, to which he plays around 100 dates per year.
As a teacher, he spent 4 years with the highly-acclaimed Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Service teaching piano and theory to all age groups around the county. For 2 years he taught music in schools on a freelance basis in Berkshire and now teaches in his home studio in Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire.
Matthew won the ATOS Young Organist of the Year award in 1999 and Dean Herrick Award in 2000. He has also been featured on BBC Radio 2’s “Organist Entertains” and other BBC local radio station programmes.
His travelling music show features the Yamaha EL-90 Organ, Casio Privia digital grand piano and Royal Standard accordion As an added novelty to the shows, he occasionally includes a silent film comedy classic accompanied on the organ – a highly entertaining performance from start to finish with a huge range of music played with total competence.
Matthew will also be featured at the following festivals this year.
2010 |
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February 26th |
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March 1st |
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March 12th |
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| Concerts in 2010 | |
|---|---|
| January 19th | Woodhall Spa and District Organ Society |
| January 27th | Victoria Hotel, Torquay |
| January 28th | Taunton and Wellington Keyboard Club |
| February 1st | Shirley Organ and Keyboard Society |
| February 3rd | Sussex Keyboard and Organ Club |
| February 5th | Kettering Cabaret (more details) Accompanying "The Millers" |
| February 9th | Bury St Edmunds |
| February 13th | Cambridge Electronic Organ Society |
| February 17th | Great Yarmouth Keyboard Music Club |
| February 22nd | Boxhill Organ and Keyboard Club |
| March 2nd | Association of Organ Enthusiasts (AOE) (more details) with The Radio Days Band |
| March 3rd | The Royal Oak, Lovats Field, Milton Keynes (more details) Piano Night - Jazz/Swing/Fun! |
| March 7th | Compton Lodge (more details) 2pm |
| March 9th | Penrith and District Organ Society |
| March 13th | Pavilion Organ Fund (more details) Pavilion Theatre Bournemouth, 10am |
| March 21st | Elloughton Organ and Entertainment Society |
| March 23rd | Launceston Electronic Organ Club |
| March 30th | White Rose Organ Society |
| April 3rd | Hampton In Arden Golf Club (more details) Ticket Only - Piano Night Jazz/Swing/Fun! |
| April 4th | Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage |
| April 7th | Cookhill Keyboard Club |
| April 8th | Driffield Electronic Organ & Keyboard Society |
| April 14th | Lancastrian Theatre Organ Trust - Heritage Centre (more details) 1-00p.m. Start |
| April 20th | Melksham Electronic Organ Club |
| April 21st | The Paragon, Trowbridge |
| April 27th | Gloucestershire Keyboard and Organ Club (more details) Also featuring Silent Film |
| April 30th | West Surrey Organ & Keyboard Club |
| May 1st | Hawthorne Hall, Lovats Field, Milton Keynes (more details) Various times 10am to 3pm - Piano Jazz/Swing/Fun! |
| May 12th | Hailsham Organ Club |
| May 15th | Beer Congregational Church (more details) 2pm - Also with Yamaha EL90 |
| May 28th | South Molton Organ and Keyboard Club |
| June 1st | Skegness and District Organ Society |
| June 2nd | Royal Oak, Lovat Fields, Milton Keynes (more details) Piano Night - Jazz/Swing/Fun! |
| June 9th | Herne Bay Organ and Keyboard Club |
| June 18th | Cardigan and District Organ and Keyboard Club |
| June 19th | Barrow In Furness - Venue TBC (more details) for the Furness Theatre Organ Project |
| June 20th | Bay Organ and Keyboard Society. (Morecambe) |
| June 23rd | The Paragon, Trowbridge |
| July 15th | Wessex Organ World Society |
| July 26th | Top Note Organ Society |
| August 4th | The Paragon, Trowbridge |
| August 14th | Ellen Dune Centre, Barrett Way, Wroughton |
| September 1st | The Royal Oak, Lovats Field, Milton Keynes (more details) Piano Night - Jazz/Swing/Fun! |
| September 15th | The Paragon, Trowbridge |
| September 18th | Penistone St Andrews Church (more details) on the Allen Theatre Organ |
| September 29th | Regis Organ and Keyboard Club |
| September 30th | Milton Keynes Organ Society |
| October 1st | Wesley Road Club, Trowbridge |
| October 4th | Cheadle and District Organ Society |
| October 5th | Torbay Electronic Organ Club |
| October 6th | Ashford (Kent) Keyboard and Organ Club (more details) Inc AGM 7.30 |
| October 7th | Scunthorpe Organ Society |
| October 16th | Hawthorne Hall, Lovats Field, Milton Keynes (more details) Various times 10am to 3pm - Piano Jazz/Swing/Fun! |
| October 25th | Brentwood Organ and Keyboard Club |
| October 31st | Peterborough Theatre Organ Preservation Society (PTOPS) |
| November 2nd | Winchester Electronic Organ Society |
| November 5th | Kent and Sussex Organ Club |
| November 6th | Hawthorne Hall, Lovats Field, Milton Keynes (more details) Various times 10am to 3pm - Piano Jazz/Swing/Fun! |
| November 9th | South Yorkshire Keyboard and Organ Club |
| November 13th | Bath - Venue TBC |
| November 20th | Colchester Organ Society |
| December 3rd | Chelmsford Organ and Keyboard Club |
| December 7th | A.B.C Organ Society |
| December 10th | Redcliffe Hotel, Paignton (more details) Dance Holiday |
| December 11th | Redcliffe Hotel, Paignton (more details) Dance Holiday |
| December 12th | Redcliffe Hotel, Paignton (more details) Dance Holiday |
| December 15th | St Austell Organ & Keyboard Club |
| December 17th | Crawley Keyboard Club |
| December 18th | Belper and District Organ and Keyboard Club (more details) Playing The Orla Organ |
| December 21st | Bolton and District Electronic Organ Society (more details) TICKET ONLY |
| Concerts in 2011 | |
|---|---|
| January 9th | Compton Lodge |
| February 23rd | Bedford Electronic Organ Society |
| February 24th | Kingswinford and District Organ Society |
| April 12th | Lowestoft and District Organ and Keyboard Club |
| August 11th | Peterborough Organ and Keyboard Club |
| August 16th | Bideford Keyboard and Organ Club |
| September 28th | Verwood Organ Society |