“Hi, I'm Matt Hess, owner of Saxocentric. I started playing saxophone in the 4th grade and my life has revolved around the saxophone ever since. After finishing grad school, I took a job in a world-renowned saxophone repair shop. It was there that I discovered repairing saxophones was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
Since then, I have continued to center my life and career around the saxophone, hence the name Saxocentric.”
Saxophonist Matthew Hess is an active performer, teacher, and repair technician. Based in Atlanta, Matthew maintains a large private saxophone studio in addition to his career as a saxophone repair technician and owner of Saxocentric. Matthew frequently presents masterclasses on saxophone pedagogy and saxophone repair topics throughout the Southeastern United States.
In addition to performing with a variety of chamber music and community wind ensembles, Matthew has been a featured soloist with the UNCSA Graduate Percussion Ensemble, and as part of artist Alexander Lee's project, "The Tupapau Within" in New York City. Matthew has given solo performances throughout the Southeast as a participant in North American Saxophone Alliance regional conferences, and as a guest artist at various universities.
Having built a large private saxophone studio in northern metro Atlanta, many of Matthew’s students have participated and advanced in regional and state-wide competitions. For the past three summers, Matthew has organized and directed a week-long saxophone camp for middle and high school saxophonists in the Atlanta area, bringing in renown saxophonists as special guests. Prior to moving to Atlanta, Matthew was the saxophone instructor at the Chapel Hill School of Musical Arts in North Carolina, and also served as the saxophone instructor at UNC School of Arts’ Community Music School.
In 2012, Matthew began his instrument repair career as an apprentice and team member in the Sax ProShop of MusicMedic.com in Wilmington, NC. As he became immersed in the world of saxophone repair, Matthew soon realized his extreme passion for the craft. While at MusicMedic, Matthew learned the intricacies of high-end, meticulous saxophone repair, specializing in setup and a unique tuning and toning process. Matthew continues to grow his own saxophone repair business, Saxocentric which is catered to collegiate and professional saxophonists across the country. Through his repair endeavors, Matthew has had the unique opportunity to meet and work with saxophonists from around the world.
Matthew received a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam and a Master of Music degree in Saxophone Performance from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Matthew’s teachers include Wildy Zumwalt, Timothy McAllister, Patrick Murphy, Christopher Creviston, and Taimur Sullivan.
Matthew is a Selmer Paris endorsing artist and plays on Selmer Paris saxophones and mouthpieces exclusively.