Matt L. Gouze

Matt Gouze was born and raised in Ely, Minnesota (northeast Minnesota). Along with four other tamburitza musicians from Ely, Matt went to St. Thomas College in St. Paul, Minnesota. There they developed the "Balkan Quartette" which was sponsored by the college's promotional department for the express purpose of recruiting students. After graduation, Matt moved on to St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas where he was offered the position of backfield coach and head basketball coach. There he even found time to organize the "Slavonic Tamburitza Orchestra". He remained in Austin for two years and then accepted an assignment at the University of Duquesne as Director of the University's Tamburitzan Folk Ensemble. Matt devoted 15 years (1937 to 1951) to the "Dukes" and took them to their greatest heights as evidenced by their popularity throughout the United States. In 1955, Mat made the decision to play professionally and is still doing so (presently in Michigan and surrounding area). During the summers, he frequently returns to his native Minnesota.