In Celebration of the Human Voice - The Essential Musical Instrument

Phil Mattson Biography

Click Here for Sheet Music and Songbook Vocal Arrangements

Born: 1939. Died: 2019. Lived in: United States
Phil Mattson was a pianist, arranger, conductor and teacher. His curriculum and teaching led to the establishment of The School for Music Vocations at Southwestern Community College in Creston, Iowa. Currently he resides in St. Paul, MN and leads The Phil Mattson Singers, a vocal jazz/choral ensemble.

Phil has served as Director of Choral Activities at Foothill College (CA) and Gonzaga University (WA) and has taught at Pacific Lutheran University (WA) and at The Phil Mattson School (WA). His undergraduate studies in Philosophy/Religion and Music were done at Concordia College (Moorhead, MN), summa cum laude, and his graduate work in Choral Literature and Conducting at The University of Iowa as an NDEA Fellow.

Phil has written many arrangements for vocal jazz ensemble and choir. Manhattan Transfer, Chanticleer, The Real Group, The Dale Warland Singers, The Four Freshmen, Clockwork, Beachfront, Solstice, Phoenix and Clarion Chamber Chorale are among the groups who have commissioned his arrangements. In addition, he edited the arrangements of Gene Puerling for publication.

As an accompanist, Phil has played with several notable singers and players, among them: Mark Murphy, Don Shelton, Sunny Wilkinson, Michele Weir, Jennifer Barnes, Barbara Morrison, Richie Cole, Ernestine Anderson, Carmen Lundy, Cornelius Bumpus, Carl Anderson, and Inga Sweringen. He has led the vocal jazz groups - pm singers, VoicesIowa and Vocalogy.

Phil served as Vocal Jazz Director for The Stan Kenton Clinics, ACDA National Repertoire and Standards Chair for Vocal Jazz and, annually, conducts the Carnegie Hall Vocal Jazz Festival. In the summer, Phil Mattson Vocal Jazz/Choral Workshops are presented on campuses in the United States, Canada and Europe. He has been nominated for two Grammy awards.