about us
Matthew Oliphant
Hornist Matthew Oliphant is a chamber musician and new music specialist living and working in Chicago, IL. As solo hornist with Ensemble Dal Niente, he performs the music of our time by established and emerging composers, as well as classics of the new music repertoire. As a member of the Axiom Brass, he travels the country performing brass quintet music of the highest artistry, while fascinating audience with personal interaction and engaging information. Axiom is also dedicated to education, performing educational programs for young children as well as master-classes for middle school, high school and college music programs.
Oliphant’s musical education began as a 5 year old piano student in metropolitan Detroit. He began his horn studies with Susan Mutter, then principal hornist with the Michigan Opera Theater. He received his bachelor of music degree with honors from Northwestern University, where he studied with Gail Williams and William Barnewitz. An active free-lancer, he has performed with the Milwaukee, New World, Elgin, South Bend, and Northwest Indiana Symphonies, as well as the Chicago Chamber Orchestra, New Millennium Orchestra, the New Philharmonic and as guest principal horn of The Florida Orchestra. As a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago for two years he was mentored by musicians from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and performed under the batons of the world’s leading conductors. Also in demand as a chamber musician, he has performed with Fulcrum Point New Music Project, Present Music, the New Millennium Woodwind Quintet, and on the Rush Hour concert series. He has performed as soloist with the Northshore Concert Band with conductor Mallory Thompson, the Northshore Chamber Orchestra, and on solo recitals in the Chicago and Detroit areas. Far from being constrained by the classical tradition, he has performed as a member of the free jazz/classical/improv hybrid ensemble the Tomorrow Music Orchestra, with various friends in free improvisation group An Outdoor Adventure, and not just at Chicago’s Orchestra Hall and the Chicago Cultural Center, but venues ranging from the Green Mill to Reggie’s Music Joint. Although busy with many projects, in his free time Oliphant is pursuing a graduate degree in music from Northwestern University.