Matthew Wade – a talented young player with a promising future!

Sep 2

Sep 2 Matthew Wade – a talented young player with a promising future!

Matthew started playing pan at the age of 7 at his primary school (Northburn Primary School in Cramlington). He took to the instrument quickly and decided to join his local steel band, Cramlington Caribbean Crew the following year in 2012. He quickly made it onto the first team and performed frequently with the band at various events and festivals including Music for Youth in 2019 and with Fusion Steel in 2017.

Matthew joined North Tyneside Steel Band (NTSB) in 2013. Now established as a solid member of the Performance Band he has enjoyed many gigs and last year had the chance to perform internationally on their 2019 Dutch tour, including a performance at Rotterdam Carnival. Matthew is a talented young musician and is shaping up to be a promising arranger too. He arranged a medley of Avicii songs along with a friend for the ‘Wansbeck Music Festival’ which won the Under-16 ensemble category and was later recorded by NTSB’s for their latest album, NTSB 30. Matthew also won the Under-16 solo category at the Wansbeck Music Festival in 2018 with a distinction.

He successfully auditioned for Northern Steel Orchestra (NSO) in 2016 and has had the chance to attend masterclasses and workshops with various guest tutors such as Leroy Clarke, Delphina James and Marlon Hibbert. As part of NSO, Matthew competed in the National Junior Panorama 2016 and 2017 and at Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2018 and 2019.

Matthew playing at Edinburgh Festival 2019

“It’s been a pleasure watching Matthew develop as a player and become an effective section leader, with great attention to detail, and who always has time to help others.” Band manager - Jenny Gilberg.

As well as a talented pannist he is also a brass player and a Grade 8 drummer (which he passed aged 13). He has just finished GCSEs, is looking forward to studying music at A-Level at Sixth Form and is interested in a career in music.

North Tyneside Steel BandMatthew started playing pan at the age of 7 at his primary school (Northburn Primary School in Cramlington). He took to the instrument quickly and decided to join his local steel band, Cramlington Caribbean Crew the following year in 2012. He quickly made it onto the first team and performed frequently with the band at various events and festivals including Music for Youth in 2019 and with Fusion Steel in 2017.