Matt is an Associate Professor of Music, Chair of Jazz Studies, and Director of CSAM at the University of South Carolina. He directs the Left Bank Big Band, teaches jazz and commercial trumpet, composition, and advanced improvisation. From 2012-2021, Matt was a professor of Music at Coastal Carolina University, where he developed two new degree programs in Commercial Music and Music Technology. The 2016 Coastal Jazz Combo, under his direction, won a Downbeat Student Music Award and performed at the Montreux, Vienne, and Umbria Jazz Festivals – all firsts for the University. He was voted most outstanding faculty member in his college twice (2014, 2019), and produced three different professional recordings for the University Press as manager of the campus recording studio.

Matt's philosophy as a teacher stems from his professional and educational experiences. All trumpet students study classical, jazz, and commercial styles in lessons. Ensembles cover a variety of styles, including contemporary music. Students integrate technology into both creative and professional facets of their study. 

The reality of making a living in the shifting landscape of the music industry is often removed from studying music in an academic setting. By remaining active as a performer, composer, producer, and general consumer of music, Matt strives to inspire his students to obtain success with musical integrity.