Matthew Quilliam is the UK’s fastest growing and increasingly popular ukulele specialist and multi-instrumental performer, teacher, composer and artist. With plenty of skill, experience and creativity, he is well equipped to deliver a spectacle to any audience.
Growing up, Matthew found himself winning many local talent shows and was awarded a scholarship to study music at the Sixth Form College, Farnborough.
Matthew is now currently based at the University of Chichester Conservatoire, due to the become the third person in the world (second in the UK) to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in music on the ukulele. During this time he has studied all genres playing solo and with bands. You can read more about his studies here.
Since 2016, he has gone on to play more than 250 gigs, performing in pop groups (weddings, festivals), jazz functions (swing, bebop, trad. jazz, big band), classical recitals and folk bands on his ukulele, as well as the tenor banjo, bass, acoustic guitar and vocals.
Over the years he has developed a number of acts that span all genres, from pop to post-modern, classical to cabaret and folk to funky! He has become just as skilled on the bass guitar, tenor banjo and jazz and classical singing. See more about his wide range of offerings here.
In 2019 Matthew organised a 3-week solo tour of the UK, playing to many venues from London to Liverpool. His largest audience was at Swindon Oktoberfest where he got over 2000 people dancing and singing along to his musical comedy show. He has performed at many ukulele festivals including GNUF (UK’s largest ukulele festival), Chichester Jazz Club, in wedding function band the Supreme Collective, in theatres including Camberley, Chichester and Bognor Regis, and more!
As a teacher Matthew has always been able to cater to all ages and abilities, covering technique, repertoire, theory and performance skills. He teaches privately at his music studio in Hampshire, but has also run 4 ukulele clubs over the years and and become a popular workshop leader at ukulele festivals.
Matthew was on the cover of The Syncopator magazine in 2023, with further features in UKE magazine, Sussex Express newspaper and BAX music blog. He released his debut album Cold Red Machine in 2021 which received great praise, with a follow-up due soon. Also in 2021 he made a feature film, to which he scored the soundtrack for ukulele and small orchestra, which he conducted and performed alongside the film at a live screening.
Matthew Quilliam 