Matthew Goddard graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts with an Honours Degree in Music Performance. As a freelance percussionist and timpanist in Melbourne he worked regularly with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. In 1998 he spent 6 months working as Guest Timpanist with the Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa in Japan and in June 1999 was appointed to his current position as Principal Timpanist in the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. Matthew also plays in a percussion duo, Mattra, with Tracey Patten.