DANIEL MATÉ, COMPOSER-LYRICIST
Musical Theatre and beyond...

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CONTACT DANIEL

"Questions? Comments? Requests? Looking for sheet music?
Click here to drop me a line.
And thanks for visiting my site!"

BIO

Daniel Maté received a 2010 Jonathan Larson Foundation Grant and the ASCAP Foundation’s 2010 Cole Porter Award for Music and Lyrics. He is the composer-lyricist of the song cycle The Longing and the Short of It, which was presented at Barrington Stage Company in 2009, curated by William Finn, and at the 2010 Disney/ASCAP Musical Theatre Workshop, helmed by Stephen Schwartz. He also wrote the lyrics and co-wrote the book, with composer Will Aronson, for the Kafka-inspired musical The Trouble With Doug (2008 Goodspeed Festival of New Artists; CAP 21 Theatre Company, 2009; NAMT Festival 2010, Victoria Clark, dir.) A highly effective music and theatre educator, he helped pioneer NYU’s popular “Second Avenue Songmakers” program for children, and has created original musicals with and for students in middle school (Middle School Mysteries, Two River Theatre Company, Red Bank, NJ) and college (The Story of Jo-Beth, CAP 21 Conservatory, Manhattan.) He also runs a custom songwriting service and is a freelance voice actor. Daniel was born and raised in Vancouver, BC, Canada and now lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Representation: Sarah Douglas, Abrams Artists, NYC

MISSION STATEMENT

"I've always appreciated well-crafted songs that tell stories and express character, no matter the genre. I think that there is so much that is inherently theatrical – emotional, clever, fascinating, evocative, thrilling, surprising, immersive, immediate, human – in all kinds of popular (and less popular) music and lyrics. I'm drawn to songs and stories that depict the human experience from the inside, with all its intensity, contradictions, strivings, and absurdities. If properly combined, I think that music, lyrics and theatre might just save the world."

NICE THINGS OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SAID

"Maté's songs are a combination of classical music, jazz and rock, made thrilling by his unique voice. He makes dazzingly audacious choices in his music and lyrics that are always surprising yet inevitable." -William Finn, Tony-winning composer/lyricist

"A songwriter on the rise, he is quite a gem... [T]he genuine article... Not to be missed." -Larry Murray, BerkshireFineArts.com

"[The Trouble With Doug had] possibly the best set of theatre lyrics I've heard in years – dramatic and emotional and funny, sometimes all at once." -Bruce Pomahac, Director of Music, The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organazation

"[A] remarkable and heartfelt new show... [about] a family of loving, smart people who genuinely care about each other. The places Aronson and Maté take us here are constantly surprising... Maté's lyrics are witty and literate..." -Martin Denton, nytheatre.com
(Click here to read the full 'Doug' review)

SONGS BY DANIEL

A. THE TROUBLE WITH DOUG

A full-length musical, originally presented as a staged reading at the 2008 Goodspeed Festival of New Artists. Doug subsequently ran as a workshop production at New York City's CAP 21 Theatre Company in June 2009 (click here for photos; and click here for a video interview with Will and Daniel). In 2010 Doug was presented at NAMT (National Alliance for Musical Theatre)'s Festival of New Musicals, with Tony-winner Victoria Clark directing, and in 2011 the show travelled to Northampton, UK for a two-week workshop at Royal & Derngate Theatre Company.

The Trouble With Doug, a modern comedic musical inspired by Kafka's short story "The Metamorphosis", tells the story of 27-year-old Doug Gregory's sudden and inexplicable transformation into a giant slug, and its consequences for him and his family: his parents Jim and Lynn, his older brother Vince, and his fiancée Vanessa.

Book by Will Aronson and Daniel Maté
Lyrics by Daniel Maté
Music by Will Aronson

The following selections feature Donna Lynne Champlin as LYNN; Alexander Gemignani as DOUG; Adam Heller as JIM; Krysta Rodriguez as VANESSA; and Jason "SweetTooth" Williams as VINCE. The band is Greg Brown (piano); Jackie Henderson & Bill Sneddon (woodwinds); and Joshua Mark Samuels (drums/percussion)

1. Prelude / Trouble [all]
2. What Can I Say? [Jim, Lynn, Vince]
3. Brand New Habitat (It's Go Time!) [Doug, Vanessa, Lynn, Jim]
4. Sticks To You [Vince, Doug]
5. Falling Apart [Jim, Lynn]
6. What Can I Say? (Reprise) [Vince]
7. It's On! [Doug w/ the family]
8. Doug Revealed [all]
9. Slug In The House [all]
10. Everything We Could [Jim, Lynn]
11. Not This! [Vanessa]
12. Word For Word [Jim, Doug]
13. Feel Better [Lynn]
14. I'm Not Crying [Vince]

B. OTHER SONGS

Music and Lyrics by Daniel Maté, except where noted.

All instruments on studio (mp3) versions performed/programmed by Daniel Maté, except where noted

Musicians on video versions:
Rob Broadhurst (beatbox)
Eric Day (bass)
Christopher D. Littlefield (piano)
Carl Oman (bass)
Joshua Mark Samuels (drums/percussion)

1. All I Want

   mp3 and video performed by Jason Tam




2. I Don't Think Of You (It's All Good)

   mp3 performed by Marie-France Arcilla;
   video performed by Donna Lynne Champlin




3. Finally Me

   mp3 performed by Grace McLean;
   video performed by Katie Thompson




4. If I Wrote A Song

   mp3 and video performed by Daniel Maté;
   video features backup vocals by Jason "SweetTooth" Williams, Marie-France Arcilla and Heath Calvert




5. Long Time Coming

   (music by Eric Day)
   mp3 performed by Eric Day;
   video performed by Heath Calvert




6. Starting Shit With You

   mp3 and video performed by Daniel Maté




7. Three Sisters (Eena Patti Kathy)

   (lyrics by Maggie-Kate Coleman)
   mp3 performed by Donna Lynne Champlin with Carmel Dean (piano);
   video performed by Marie-France Arcilla




8. You Make My Brain Work Right

   mp3 performed by Heath Calvert;
   video performed by Alexander Gemignani



9. Kissing Women Left and Right

   mp3 performed by Daniel Maté w/ Eric Day;
   video performed by Jason "SweetTooth" Williams w/ Heath Calvert and Daniel Maté




10. Ali Abu Jeffrey's Great Escape

    mp3 and video performed by Danny Gardner




11. February's Coming

    mp3 and video performed by Daniel Maté




12. Marry Me, America

    mp3 and video performed by Daniel Maté




13. If You Would Be So Kind

    video performed by Marie-France Arcilla




14. On My Wall

    video performed by Heath Calvert, Marie-France Arcilla,and Jason "SweetTooth" Williams

CUSTOM SONGWRITING

A custom song is tailor-made to honor someone special in your life, or an important event. It's always an unexpected and much-appreciated gift. Check out www. startspreadingthemuse.com/audio.html for a large collection of past custom songs; and drop Daniel a line if you want to discuss creating a custom song all about someone you care about, or for any type of gathering or event.

ALTER EGO

Daniel also performs as "RDJ" at a popular New York City event called Hip Hop Karaoke and has been a two-time finalist in the city's Hip Hop Karaoke Championship, in front of such celebrity judges such as Dres (Black Sheep), Prince Paul (Stetsasonic, De La Soul, Gravediggaz), Buckshot (Black Moon), and the legendary Big Daddy Kane.

To watch Daniel rock the mic and move the crowd, just search YouTube for "Hip Hop Karaoke RDJ". Here's a tidbit:

LINKS

Will Aronson
Tony Asaro
The Day Family Band
Gordon Leary
Julia Meinwald
Ryan Scott Oliver
Rob Shapiro
Jenny Giering
CAP 21
Goodspeed Musicals
Barrington Stage Company
iHart Photography
Ilana Stanger-Ross
The Hungry Historian
Socalled Music
Hip Hop Karaoke NYC
Jewish Voice For Peace
Noam Chomsky
Democracy Now!
Rae Maté
Dr. Gabor Maté
Yerba Maté