Reviews
Testimonials from past clientsWhen I was throwing my mother’s Big 80th birthday bash, I knew the perfect person to call for the entertainment! Matthew is so talented, so kind, and so, SO wonderful! He made the big day even better with his gorgeous playing and fun vibe! Matthew is easy-going, open to set lists, and plays like an angel! He elevates any gathering and guests can’t get enough of his divine acoustic guitar and lovely voice; Hire Him! You’ll be so glad you did! Thank you, Matthew, for making my mother’s birthday one everyone will remember!
Annie Wayland
Bend, Oregon
I am so glad we found Matt Gwinup. He provided amazing music for our grand reopening, and he absolutely turned an office gathering into a party. I will definitely be looking for opportunities to use Matt’s talents in the future.
Colin Sutton
Branch Manager US Bank
I have known the Gwinups for decades. When it came time to book musicians for the Artisan Village at the Oregon State Fair I thought immediately of Matthew!I’m the Coordinator for this event & I found Matthew to be one of the most professional & organized musicians to deal with. He gave a performance that was well received & a quality that everyone enjoyed. Thanks Matthew!
John Kevin Herzberg
Coordinator for Artisans Village, Oregon State Fair
Matt has a great voice and is a wonderful musician. He entertained the crowd and had his sound dialed in. We look forward to having him back for our next music series! Thanks Matt!
Tammy Roark
Owner, Bend Cider Co.
Andy, Greg, Travis and Matt always bring wonderful music and have a built-in fan base that comes with them. We’ve had them play at Eurosports Food Cart Garden for years and they show up on time, every time, even when the weather is in the 30s or 100-degrees, they bring an amazing show. Their covers run the gamut from classic to current, with danceable music. Their originals along with their musicianship are top-notch. Matt is very organized on communication, which makes everything go so smoothly. They are a wonderful band for your public or private event, sure to please everyone because of the huge variety of songs they play so well.?
Brad
Owner/operator of Eurosports Food Cart Garden
I bought a guitar as a Christmas present for my 15-year-old son and started lessons with Matt a few weeks after his big present! That was only 8 months ago that the lessons have started and I cannot tell you how much we appreciate Matt as not only a guitar instructor but as a person. Matt is completely dedicated to his work. He has incredible work ethic but also what I appreciate is that he is personable and cares about his students. Every time that my son’s guitar lessons end, he comes out with a smile and is excited to share what he learned but also all the fun conversations that he has with him. He loves hearing stories about concerts that Matt has performed in and just about all his experience in general. Matt’s guitar knowledge is endless and he has a ton of experience to work with any level coming in to the lesson. My son had a very minimal level entry in to his program and is now playing WELL above what I would have ever expected at this point and has been invited by Matt to participate in jam sessions with other students which is giving him experience in playing in a band as well as learning how to play the drums! I cannot recommend Matt enough as a perfect resource for developing your guitar skills further!
Katie Gregory
Student Parent
“Matt Gwinup, is the one you want, to entertain you or your guests here in Central Oregon. He is not only a very talented guitarist and overall musician, but as a native of Central Oregon, he is very aware of what our community and our part of Oregon wants to experience as we look for entertainment. His ability to read the crowd, whatever the age, and provide the exact music they want to hear and can relate to is exceptional. We recently asked him to play for us (once again) but we can remember that he also played for us when we opened our gallery many years ago. He is timeless in his talent and in his selection of music. He is very obviously part of his music. This will not be the last time we ask him to entertain our guests. A true artist”. R.Dunlavy, Red Chair Gallery”
Rita Dunlavy,
Owner, Red Chair Gallery, Bend, OR
“I needed a versatile, talented, trained, and personable artist to inaugurate a new intimate performance format on the stage of the historic Tower Theatre in downtown Bend, Oregon. Matt completely embraced the concept, transforming a tenuous idea into a memorable and successful evening of high quality guitar compositions and personal connections. He patiently and professionally took our expectations and exceeded them. I wish all performers were as conscientious as Matt! “
Ray Solley
Executive Director, Tower Theatre Foundation, Bend, OR
We hired Matt for a couple industry events to play some live background music, and both times he impressed our guests with his guitar skills and talent. He’s friendly, professional, and easy to work with. We enjoy his music and highly recommend him for corporate events.
Visit Central Oregon
Sunriver, Oregon
“Our organization has worked with Matt numerous times both as a solo artist and with a band. In addition to being communicative and organized, Matt is an amazing musician and wonderful with the audience. Always a hit!”
Laurel Westendorf
Adult Programs Coordinator Deschutes Public Library
“I’ve been taking piano lessons from Matt for nearly a year. I had almost zero musical training when i started, and in a short time he has me reading music, playing songs, and understanding rhythm. He has always been kind and professional when in the studio and makes everyone feel welcome. Matt has such a passion for music and he pours that into his teaching- letting students help pick the pieces they want to learn while making sure to hit the fundamentals along the way. Additionally, he keeps notes on your lessons each week which is a great way to see the progress you’ve made.Piano lessons weren’t available to me as a child, but I can honestly say that as an adult student they are the highlight of my week.”
Valerie Briggs
Student, Bend, Or
“We love to support local artists and Matthew is truly talented. We were thrilled to have Matthew Gwinup do the music for our wedding. Not only did he play gorgeous live music for several hours, he took care of the sound for the entire evening. Organizing a wedding party is nuts; it is a true gift to hand over an entire job to one capable person. He facilitated the sound and played in the ceremony, he set the ambiance for the reception with live music, and he MC’d the dance toasts & dance party with his great sound system. We did not have to worry about anything and he did an amazing job! We highly recommend his services for any type of party, if he can do weddings, he can do anything. To top it off he is also a kind, funny and personable human being.”
Jay Davenport & Rachael Schneider
Grateful Hearts, Bend, Or
“Our 14 year old son has taken guitar lessons with Matthew for one year and his progress is amazing. As parents we really appreciate Matthew and recommend him to anyone. Our son had some previous piano experience but has never been as motivated musically as he has been since starting lessons with Matthew. Along with the instrument, Matthew teaches awareness of music theory, and work ethic as well. Matthew has gone beyond the expected, even arranging “Jam Classes” when his students can get together and play their music together. What our son is learning from guitar lessons will also help him in life outside of music. Matthew is a professional with integrity and a good influence on our son. Thanks Matthew!”
Dan Anderson
Student Parent
“I just want to take a few moments to thank you for your wonderful and well received performance at our grand opening event for Furnish Hope and Home! I confidently speak on behalf of our entire staff, team and I daresay everyone in attendance, for both of your performances! You are an amazing guitarist, you played so effortlessly and beautifully and we were truly blessed to hear you perform. It was perfect for our event! Thank you for hanging in there with all of our date changes, rearranging your schedule to accommodate us and for working with our team during this special event! We will surely recommend and hire you again! You are always welcome in our shop and we hope to see you and your family there from time to time!”
Tammy Rorem
Bend, Or
Toothpick Shaker was an excellent addition to our Bend wedding. Their broad array of songs to choose from meant they played something for everyone. The songs we asked them to learn sounded great and really helped us put a personal stamp on the evening. They were really easy to work with, very professional, and all around great guys!
Kristen Gemmells
Bend, Or
“We had an amazing experience working with Matt for our wedding. He was professional and organized throughout the planning process, which was particularly helpful as we planned a destination wedding. His musical talents blew us and our guests away and he really helped us accomplish our goal of making our event a personal reflection of us. He went above and beyond to help us choose songs and the ones he learned at our request were just as good as ones he’s been playing for years!“
M. Woodman
Bend, Oregon
“I hired Matthew for a memorial and I am so glad I did! Not only is Matthew incredibly talented, he is lovely to work with. Responsive and kind, he made the whole process really easy. If you’re looking for a musician to make your event unforgettable, you’ve found him in Matthew!”
Annie Yillik
Sunriver, Oregon
“We hired Matt Gwinup to play at our wedding and we were very pleased with our choice! He is friendly, professional, and easy to work with. Matt showed up early to make sure that everything was in place for the wedding, and he came well prepared with lots of musical selections. We both agree that his music was a beautiful component of our wedding. Many of our guests gave us unsolicited positive comments about the ceremony music, and we would highly recommend Matt for other weddings.”
M. Munoz
Bend, Oregon
“Matt is a gifted and professional performer. Our wedding wouldnt have been the same without his talent. We received so many compliments on our guitarist, and our music selection- which was his! He also learned a song just for me, he couldnt have done a better job. Thank you so much Matt!”
Kristen and Scott Fellers
Chico, CA
“Working with Matt on Always… Patsy Cline was a joy! He is a wonderful musician and his professionalism speaks for itself! I look forward to working with him again in the near future.”
Livia Genise
Artistic Director, Camelot Theatre Company
“Over the past three years Matthew has become one of our favorite performers out at the Winery. He is literally our go-to musician for any event we host, and is always well prepared even on very short notice. His skill and proficiency in a variety of musical styles makes Matthew a great choice for any special event and a favorite among our customers.”
Weisingers Winery
Ashland, Oregon
“Matt Gwinup seemlessly integrated himself into our wedding party with ease; his superior musical skill and good-natured attitude made it feel like he was part of the family. The melodious sounds of his guitar playing during the wedding ceremony felt like something out of the quintessential dream wedding. My wife and I highly recommend Matt and his music, not just for weddings, but any event that needs that extra special something.”
R. Winkler,
Ashland, Oregon
“Matt’s knowledge and ease with a variety of music styles has made him a favorite entertainer during our special events in the gallery.”
Illahe Gallery
Ashland, Oregon