Matthew Distante

Visual Technician

Matthew Distante

Matthew Distante is a freelance musician and music educator based out of Southern California. He has taught both music and visual at 9 different high school programs over the past four years, including Gahr High School, University High School, and Santa Margarita Catholic High School. He has also had the privilege to write drill and choreograph for the Long Beach City College Viking Show Band in the spring of 2019.

Matthew graduated from California State University, Long Beach in the spring of 2021 with two bachelor degrees in Music Education and Tuba Performance. He is a substitute teacher in Irvine, California and is continuing his education by pursuing his Single Subject Teaching Credential in Music at CSULB. Matthew hopes to one day become an instrumental music director at a high school or collegiate level.

Matthew’s drum corps journey began as a member of the Pacific Crest Drum & Bugle Corps contra line from 2016-2017. He then spent 4 years with the Santa Clara Vanguard contra line from 2018-2021, earning a DCI World Championship in 2018 and playing a sousaphone solo in 2019. Outside of DCI, Matthew also has extensive WGI experience, playing electric bass with Vessel in 2018, being a featured guitarist/visual soloist with POW Percussion in 2019, and being a member of Pulse Percussion’s visual ensemble in 2020.

Outside of education and the marching arts, Matthew is an active freelance musician, regularly performing around Southern California. His most notable performances include playing tuba in the Santa Monica Symphony, playing sousaphone with Tamborazo Aguila Y Serpiente in Los Angeles’ historic Placita Olvera, and playing bass at the 540 capacity Garden Amphitheatre with his band, Salt Water Taffy. Outside of music, Matthew enjoys coffee, yoga, and cats. Matthew is extremely excited to be working with the 2022 Vanguard Cadets and cannot wait to get started.

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