Biography
Matthew Midgley was born in Plymouth, England, and began playing the double bass when he just 7 years old. He was one of the first children in Britain to learn the then newly invented quarter size mini-bass which he studied with his mother (a cellist). At the age of 17, Matthew became principal bass in the British National Youth Orchestra and a few years later, principal bass in the European Union Youth Orchestra.
At the age of 18, Matthew went to Birmingham University and began studies with Tom Millar (bassist in the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra) and completed a Bachelor of Music degree with 1st class honours. At the age of 21, he began postgraduate studies with Duncan McTier at the Royal Academy of Music obtaining a Diploma of the Royal Academy as well as winning the ‘foundation scholar award' and the ‘Eugene Cruft prize’.
In 2000, Matthew attended the Aspen Music Festival in the USA studying with Eugene Levinson (former principal bass of the New York Philharmonic) and Bruce Bransby (former principal of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra) and played next to both his teachers on the front desk of the festival orchestra.
In the UK, Matthew played with a variety of different orchestras including the Philharmonia, Liverpool Philharmonic, BBC Philharmonic and London Symphony Orchestra. In 2001, Matthew became a member of the Rotterdam Philharmonic. In 2004 at the age of 26, he became their Principal bass player, the position he currently holds. One of the highlights of his career in RPhO was performing Mahler's 1st symphony under Valery Gergiev in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw. The 'Trouw' newspaper described the bass solo as both beautiful and powerful.
Since his time in the Rotterdam Philharmonic he has been a guest with several other orchestras, in 2004 and 2005 guest principal bass of the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra and later he has been guest leader with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra and Amsterdam Sinfonietta.
In May 2013, together with the Rotterdam Philharmonic, Matthew performed the world premier of Rotterdam composer Paul van Brugge's Double Bass Concerto under the baton of James Gaffigan.
The Volkskrant newspaper said that he shined as a soloist ( Hij schittert als solist) as well as being called a born musician.
http://www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/2844/Archief/archief/article/detail/3440161/2013/05/13/RPHO-Gaffigan.dhtml
At the age of 18, Matthew went to Birmingham University and began studies with Tom Millar (bassist in the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra) and completed a Bachelor of Music degree with 1st class honours. At the age of 21, he began postgraduate studies with Duncan McTier at the Royal Academy of Music obtaining a Diploma of the Royal Academy as well as winning the ‘foundation scholar award' and the ‘Eugene Cruft prize’.
In 2000, Matthew attended the Aspen Music Festival in the USA studying with Eugene Levinson (former principal bass of the New York Philharmonic) and Bruce Bransby (former principal of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra) and played next to both his teachers on the front desk of the festival orchestra.
In the UK, Matthew played with a variety of different orchestras including the Philharmonia, Liverpool Philharmonic, BBC Philharmonic and London Symphony Orchestra. In 2001, Matthew became a member of the Rotterdam Philharmonic. In 2004 at the age of 26, he became their Principal bass player, the position he currently holds. One of the highlights of his career in RPhO was performing Mahler's 1st symphony under Valery Gergiev in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw. The 'Trouw' newspaper described the bass solo as both beautiful and powerful.
Since his time in the Rotterdam Philharmonic he has been a guest with several other orchestras, in 2004 and 2005 guest principal bass of the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra and later he has been guest leader with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra and Amsterdam Sinfonietta.
In May 2013, together with the Rotterdam Philharmonic, Matthew performed the world premier of Rotterdam composer Paul van Brugge's Double Bass Concerto under the baton of James Gaffigan.
The Volkskrant newspaper said that he shined as a soloist ( Hij schittert als solist) as well as being called a born musician.
http://www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/2844/Archief/archief/article/detail/3440161/2013/05/13/RPHO-Gaffigan.dhtml
Cadenza from the Paul van Brugge Bass Concerto
In November 2013, he performed the Divertimento for Contrabass and orchestra by Nino Rota with the Pulchinella Chamber Orchestra.
Nino Rota Bass Concerto 1st movement 'Allegro'
4th movement 'Finale'
Matthew is also an accomplished Tango musician. From 2008 until 2011 he was a member of the quartet “Tanguarda” and he taught Tango Bass in the world music department of the Rotterdam Conservatory (Codarts) from 2010 until 2015 at the Rotterdam Conservatory (Codarts).
In 2009, Matthew started a mini-bass class for children as young as 6 at the Rotterdam Hellendaal Muziekinstituut. He taught here until 2014.
Having been a guest teacher for a few years Matthew has been since 2017 a permanent professor in the Classical bass department of The Rotterdam Conservatory, Codarts.
He also regularly coaches the bass groups of the Nederlands Student Orkest, Bellitoni Orkest, VU Orkest and Sweelink Orkest.
Finally, in his spare time Matthew enjoys to compose. His first serious composition was a string quintet based on the English folk music style which was performed in the Kaskinen music festival in Finland. The following year he wrote an octet called “Look North” and a violin duo called “Bird Song and Calls” for the same festival. The duo was performed in a lighthouse on an island.
He has also written a solo sonata for double bass and a trio for flute, viola and double bass called “Standing Stone” inspired by the area of Dartmoor in South West England. Both have been performed in Rotterdam as part of concerts for the friends of the orchestra. His most fun piece is an arrangement of Bohemian Rhapsody by the rock group “Queen” for solo double bass.
He has also written a solo sonata for double bass and a trio for flute, viola and double bass called “Standing Stone” inspired by the area of Dartmoor in South West England. Both have been performed in Rotterdam as part of concerts for the friends of the orchestra. His most fun piece is an arrangement of Bohemian Rhapsody by the rock group “Queen” for solo double bass.
Finally here is Matthew playing the Prokofiev quintet in 2021 with with the New European Ensemble.