Matt Dudack brings a unique perspective to the world of percussion, comfortable performing in a steelband, percussion ensemble, or symphony orchestra. His varied studies have led him to performances in Europe and NYC with Akros Percussion Collective as well as Trinidad and Tobago as a steelpan performer. These experiences have helped him to become a better performer and teacher, at all levels of instruction.

As a Senior Lecturer at the University of Akron, Matt continues to raise the bar for collegiate percussionists. As Artistic Director of the acclaimed University of Akron Steel Drum Band, he has earned a Grammy Award nomination for the recording, "Live at EJ Thomas Hall," and has earned two Emmy Award nominations for his contributions to "Hammer on Steel," which was featured on PBS. For information about the University of Akron Steel Drum Band, visit uasteelband.com.

Founds Sounds is a versatile percussion group created by Matt which performs for private bookings as well as countless in-school concerts. Founds Sounds is on the roster of the Children's Concert Society of Akron. For information about Found Sounds, visit www.mattdudack.com.

Matt is a founding member of Akros Percussion Collective, a percussion chamber ensemble which pushes the boundaries of new and experimental music. Akros has recently performed "Lost in the Woods," a percussion opera by Chris Shultis in Akron, Philadelphia, and NYC, at McGill University in Montreal for "Transplanted Roots: a Percussion Symposium," at the "Blurred Edges" festival in Hamburg, Germany, and at So Percussion's "Night of Awesome(ness)" in NYC. Akros continues to commission new works for percussion and have performed at multiple Percussive Arts Society International Conventions.

His method for steelpan, one of the first of its kind, is published at maumaumusic.com along with his compositions and arrangements for steelband. He has been a clinician/artist with steelbands of all levels, including the College of Southern Nevada, the Copley-Fairlawn Middle School Steel Band (Ohio), the Dover High School Steelband (Ohio), the Summit Academy Steelband (Ohio), the Hoban High School Steelband (Ohio), the John Glenn High School Steel Band (Ohio), and the Jackson High School Steelband (Ohio). He is a founding member of the National Society of Steel Band Educators, where he has presented workshops at their annual conference, and has presented at the Ohio Music Educators Association Professional Development Conference.

Matt Dudack is currently director of the Miller South Steelband at the Miller South School for the Visual and Performing Arts in Akron, Ohio and is a co-curricular art teacher at Canton Country Day School in Canton, Ohio. Matt is also a member of the Akron Symphony Orchestra and holds degrees from the Hartt School (BM Music Education) and the University of Akron (MM Percussion Performance). His primary teachers are Benjamin Toth, Dr. Larry Snider, and Dr. Rosemary Small.