Matthew Howatt

Matthew Howatt has been part of the C’mon Festival since its inception in 2013. That year, he famously impersonated Elvis in Michael Daugherty’s “Dead Elvis”; and there is photographic evidence! Matthew grew up in Sherwood Park, studying the bassoon with Diane Persson before heading off to the University of British Columbia, where he worked with Jesse Read. Matthew was Acting Principal Bassoon of the Edmonton Symphony for several seasons. He stepped into that role at the last minute when the ESO played at Carnegie Hall in 2012. Matthew is currently Principal Bassoon of the Red Deer Symphony.

Matthew appeared in the C’mon Festival production of The Soldier’s Tale at the 2018 Edmonton International Fringe Festival, and was featured in the 2020 documentary “Chamber”, a co-production of the C’mon Festival and Sticks & Stones. As a founding member of the reed ensemble, the WindRose Trio, Matthew has appeared in concerts across western Canada, in New York, China and Japan. The group was honored with an award for “Best Classical Recording” by the 2009 Western Canadian Music Awards in recognition of its CD “Path of Contact.”