Matthew Henry has been a part of the UMSL faculty since 2003.
Specializing in non-Western percussion such as the drumming of the Malinke ethnic group of West Africa (djembe orchestra) and Cuban styles (popular and folkloric), he has presented numerous clinics, master classes, and residencies focused on these topics. His baccalaureate studies were completed in Music Performance at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and he holds a Master’s Degree in Orchestral Performance from Webster University. He is a voting member of the International Percussive Arts Society World Percussion Committee and a member of the Musicians Association of St. Louis, Local 2-197. His clinic and master class schedule includes Middle Tennessee State University, the University of Indiana, Southeast Missouri State, Truman State University, the University of Missouri-Columbia, the University of Oklahoma, Lindenwood University, Webster University and school districts across the Midwest. In addition to educational engagements, Matthew performs regularly around the St. Louis area. Those performance credits include the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Webster University Orchestra (principal, timpanist), Gateway Festival Orchestra (principal, timpanist), Union Avenue Opera (principal, percussion, timpani), Muny Orchestra (drum set), Musica SLESA (music director, drum set), Nuclear Percussion Ensemble, Funky Butt Brass Band, and HaZMaT Percussion Trio. Matthew is an Artist/Educational Clinician for REMO, Vic Firth and LP.