Matt Bover - The Drummer Berklee Paid To Be There
“I practiced every single minute I could! No question.”
Matt Bover is originally from the Woodstock, NY area where he would find his love for drums but it didn’t stop there. After a failed audition for Berklee College of Music, he decided to head to Barcelona, Spain at a music conservatory called “Barcelona’s Conservatori del Liceu”. He managed straight A’s while practicing drums for roughly fifteen hours per day while he studied there.
From Barcelona, he re-auditioned for Berklee and was accepted. Not only was he accepted into the school but he managed a full performance scholarship and later Berklee would pay Matt to attend their school! During his time at Berklee, he would maintain an unbelievable practice routine, and commonly he would practice for seventeen hours per day. He also wrote a book called Chops For The Modern Drummer which would later be distributed by Hudson Music.
Matt’s story is one that is bittersweet. It’s balanced between failure and success and while it is incredibly inspiring, it is also a bit heart wrenching. For example, his cymbals were stolen right from the school never to be recovered due to a faulty security camera. Also, Covid has prevented him from starting a really great teaching position in a school. The time away from music hasn’t been easy either. But Matt has persevered before and I know he can again.
You Will Hear About….
- Growing up in Woodstock, NY.
- The trip to study in Barcelona and some key learning experiences there.
- How by having the ability to choose what to learn produces a better experience.
- The second audition at Berklee and studying there.
- When his cymbals were stolen.
- What his hopes are for the future.
Why Should You Listen?
Matt is a key example of why I choose to interview up and coming drummers. A lot of us can really connect with drummers who are working hard towards their goals. The successes and failures that we all experience at some point in our lives is also a realistic reminder of what we can expect when carving out our own paths.
So, while it is fantastic to hear from artists who have created a legacy already, it is also nice to hear from those who are trying to do that currently and still have mileage left to get there. Also, for some reason, my heart really goes out to Matt. I don’t know exactly why but you may feel it too when you hear this one. He is a humble and hard-working dude that just loves drumming and teaching. He has had some upsets in his journey but he keeps on going and I really feel him with that. I have nothing but love for this guy.
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