VAPA STAFF

MATTHEW ARMSTRONG

Mr. Armstrong began teaching at San Marcos High School in 2004 and in 2015 accepted the position of Visual and Performing Arts Coordinator for San Marcos Unified. Named San Marcos High School Teacher of the Year, and San Marcos Unified Teacher of the year in 2013, Music Educator of the Year for California Music Educators Association in 2015, Mr. Armstrong holds Masters degrees in Education, Music Technology -StudioTechnology, and Music Technology-Game Audio he is a sought after performer, clinician, and arts advocate. Along with guest conducting and clinic appearances statewide, since 2017 he has had the honor of being an annual guest conductor for the Cuban National Concert Band in Havana.

In 2015 Mr. Armstrong founded the San Diego Percussion Festival which partners with the San Diego Symphony and Yamaha to provide quality a concert percussion performance experience for students across San Diego and Southern California. Over the past 15 year his percussion ensembles have performed 7 times at the Sandy Feldstein National Percussion Festival. Mr. Armstrong is a member of Percussive Arts Society, California Music Educators Association, NafME, and is an artist with Yamaha, Vic Firth, and Zildjian.

As a performer Matthew has been a freelance musician in San Diego for the past 20 years with ensembles that include Camarada, Westwind Brass, Seaside Brass, Presidio Brass, San Diego Chamber Orchestras, Principal Percussion for the California Chamber Orchestra as well as numerous corporate clients.