Matt Gallagher is enjoying a career as one of the most sought after lead trumpet players in Philadelphia, PA and on the east coast. Gallagher earned his undergraduate degree in Music Education from West Chester University and earned a Master of Music degree in Jazz Studies from the University of the Arts.

Matt is the prototypical lead trumpet player with extensive credits with professional bands and orchestras up and down the east coast. He is a Yamaha Trumpet Artist and he has performed with several Broadway show productions and artists including The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Boston Symphony, The Baltimore Symphony, Diana Krall, Hugh Jackman, Michael Buble, Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, Jamie Cullum, Aretha Franklin, The Who, Barry Manilow, Randy Brecker, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Lou Rawls, Bernadette Peters, Leslie Odom Jr., The O’Jays, The Stylistics, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, Teddy Pendergrass, and many others.

Matt is currently the principal trumpet player for The Philly POPS Orchestra, Broadway Philadelphia at the Kimmel Center, and is the lead trumpet substitute with The Philadelphia Orchestra. In 2024/2025 Matt was the lead trumpet player with “Some Like it Hot” Broadway National Tour. Matt has been the studio lead trumpet player at NFL Films in Mt. Laurel, NJ, and he has recorded for Celine Dion, Reba McIntire, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Hudson, and LL Cool J. Most recently, Matt recorded for Adam Blackstone’s album “Legacy” which was nominated for a 2023 Grammy and “Legacy: The Instrumental Jawn” which was nominated for 2 Grammy’s in 2024.

Matt is equally committed to both performing and teaching. Matt is currently an Instrumental Music teacher in the Pennsbury School District in Bucks County PA. From 2002-2024 he served as the “Z” Big Band director, trumpet department chair, and music education professor at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. His nationally recognized “Z” Big Band was named best undergraduate big band in the country in 2015, 2016, 2023, and 2024 by Downbeat Magazine and won 1st place in the Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival in April 2017. The win in that festival earned them a performance at the prestigious 60th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival in September of 2017.