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About Matt S.

**Matt Stubbs** is a clarinetist and saxophonist based in Los Angeles. He is the first clarinetist to have been awarded a fellowship with the prestigious **Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance**, where he studied from 2020 to 2023 under the mentorship of **Herbie Hancock**, **Billy Childs**, and **Dick Oatts**. Born in **San Jose, CA**, and raised in **Mountain View**, Matt began playing clarinet at age nine. As a teen, he performed with the **San Jose and San Francisco High School All-Star programs** and toured Eastern Europe with the **El Camino Senior Symphony**. Matt earned his **B.A. in Performance and Jazz Composition, magna cum laude**, from **Berklee College of Music**, and his **M.M. in Contemporary Performance** from the **Berklee Global Jazz Institute**, where he studied with **Terri Lyne Carrington**, **George Garzone**, **Danilo Pérez**, **Kenny Werner**, and **Rakalam Bob Moses**. He was the last clarinetist to be featured in the late **Ralph Peterson’s Fo’tet**. With over 20 years of experience on **clarinet and alto saxophone**, Matt has toured internationally with big bands and all-star ensembles, and recorded for world-renowned artists. He now leads his own sextet, performing original compositions throughout the Los Angeles area. Matt is currently on the **Jazz Faculty at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA)**, where he provides private saxophone instruction and teaches courses in **Jazz Improvisation** and **Artistic Development**. His teaching style emphasizes improvisational fluency through instrumental technique, transcription, and music theory. Using supplemental listening, worksheets, and a focus on jazz vocabulary, he helps students build strong foundations and a deep, personal connection to the music.

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Q&A with Matt S.