Matthew Thomson

Matthew Thomson is an ARIA-nominated pianist, composer, and educator based in Sydney, Australia. In 2021, he won the prestigious National Jazz Awards, affirming his place as one of Australia’s leading jazz pianists. His band Tourismo, co-led with drummer Alex Hirlian, released their debut album Torque in 2023, earning a nomination for Best Jazz Album at the 2024 ARIA Awards and receiving a 5-star review in The Australian. A graduate of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music with First Class Honours (2016), Thomson went on to complete his Master of Music at the New England Conservatory in Boston USA on scholarship, studying under jazz luminaries including Jason Moran, Donny McCaslin, Frank Carlberg, and Ken Schaphorst. While in the U.S., he performed with acclaimed artists such as Dave Holland, Miguel Zenón, Ben Folds, and was awarded the 2020 ASCAP Herb Alpert Jazz Composers Award for his big band composition The Pursuit. Since returning to Sydney, Thomson has been a core member of the Josh Meader Trio, an internationally recognised group that has performed at major festivals including Jazzahead! in Germany. Their debut album Tides of Time, released earlier this year, earned glowing reviews and was followed by a successful European tour, including a sold-out performance at the iconic Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London. The trio are to embark on a 2nd European tour this Fall, with their sophomore album to be released next year.