MATTEO VENA_bio
Prelude:
My body and soul was unleashed unto this world January 26-2006 in Toronto Canada.
Music was constant in my family and open to explore. At age 3 my curious head discovered the piano in the house. Soon after I found the guitar and by age of 4 still exploring, I pulled junk from the garage and made my own drum kit. With a bucket and chopsticks in hand I performed on the driveway for anyone walking by.
My dad noticed. It was then he introduced me to something magical that changed my life. A real drum kit, then a groove "The 2 & 4". I was tapping on anything within reach, I still do. I soon discovered how drums drives all music to stay on course with feel. This early form of communication and dance continues to possess me today.
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Education:
I quickly enrolled into music lessons. Piano and guitar, they never left me; however, my soul was owned by the percussion Gods. I practiced a lot, and balancing it all while maintaining a normal childhood and a multi-formal musical education. All in effort to better myself in this journey. With proper education and practice, I started hearing positive results. I was on to something.
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1- My earliest music lessons began with Piano with Lindsay Bond. She actually made piano fun.
2- At age 10, I enrolled in an entry level guitar and drum program at Rock This Way. The teachers taught me the fundamentals along with basic music theory.
3- At age13 I knew I wanted to focus on drumming, and I went for higher learning. I was fortunate to become a student of Jeff Salem (Educator and session drummer).
4- At age 14 was accepted and enrolled into Berklee University of Music (Boston summer Program). I since have completed my Pro-Certificate Program with a 4.0 GPA. as the youngest in the program. I earned university credits prior to starting high school. My professors. I'm presently registered as a undergrad at Berklee with a possibility of attending fulltime once high School is complete. My professors: Skip Hadden, Yoron Israel (Dean), Jim Payne
5- My high school Mayfield Secondary School (Regional Arts Program school) is the finest music high school in the country that requires students to audition to enroll. I was granted a first-round entry. There I studied many aspects of large and small ensembles and university level theory.
I continue to study privately (weekly) outside of high school, with:
A) Percussions- Steve Mancuso - Music PHD candidate (Humber – Guelph University of Music)
B) Theory - Matt Newton - BA Music (Humber – Guelph University of Music).
C) Performing Jazz Ensemble - Johnny Griffith – MA Music (Humber – Guelph University of Music).
I feel I'm on the right track.
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Ahead:
Outside of school, I perform live as the drummer and composer for the band "Chance of Reign". I'm one of the founding members since 2018. Music and EP out on streaming sites. Occasionally I'm invited to contribute as a session drummer for other artists.
My journey continues, for this bio has no end.
Matteo
MATTEO VENA_news
“There’s a big difference between thrashing around on drums, guitar or any (instrument) as opposed to a schooled, serious approach ... where it’s not just a hobby, but what they want to do in life," Ludwig said." I always keep my eyes open for that because you never know when the next Beatles or Led Zeppelin are going to roll through.”
- William Ludwig III.
(Interview about Matteo Vena TORSTAR news Monday Dec 2nd 2019)
"Matteo Vena, definitely a young man to watch. Only early teens and hanging tough this summer in Berklee’s Rock Drums. He possesses potential of the highest order and am looking for him to BE..." - - - Skip Hadden.
Professor at Berklee College of Music (Boston)
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"Matteo Vena is definitely an up-and-coming drummer. I taught him R&B/Funk
Drums course for Berklee College of Music and he showed lots of creativity and
spark in his playing. He's a dedicated musician and I expect that the music world
will hear about him in the near future".
- Jim Payne. Legendary funk drummer
and Professor at Berklee College of Music (Boston)
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