|
|
Matthew Atkins (PIT '92)
Jan 01, 2005
Drums
After graduating from PIT in 1992, drummer Matthew Atkins moved back to western Canada and began working as a freelance musician. Here is Matthew’s story in his own words:
“Since graduating in '92 I've had the opportunity to work on 30+ albums, jingles and soundtracks, countless demos, and even track the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2001 World Games held here in Edmonton. I've been able to play with the vast majority of our domestic country music recording acts, including several on "major" labels. I've been in three videos and dozens of TV appearances including performances as part of the house band for the Canadian Country Music Awards. I've been nominated as the Canadian country Music Association's “Drummer of the Year” seven times, and won it twice. I received the '99 "Session Player of the Year" award from the Alberta Recording Industries Association and a CCMA award for "Best Backup Band" in '98 for my work with an artist named Duane Steele. I've done clinics and seminars and have traveled through Canada, the U.S., the Caribbean, Europe, and a couple of spots in Asia and Africa.
“The skills I acquired at PIT have let me be able to routinely get calls for concert and session performances where, due to busy schedules, any kind of formal rehearsal is rare. Learning to read while playing has had the biggest influence on my career of any of the tools PIT gave me. I read at 95% of all the calls I go on, as I rarely do the same thing two days in a row. My wife and I are by no means rich. But we, along with the bank, own a nice home in a nice neighborhood and are able to take a month or so each winter, when things are slow, to go SCUBA diving in Mexico. I get to go out to work and do all these cool gigs, and get paid to be there. Life is good!
“Success obviously means different things to different people, but this does seem to be some people's idea of it. As for me, it is for now. I feel that without my time at MI I wouldn't have had the tools to accomplish these goals”.
|