Máté Bella

  1. Home
  2. Wiki
The native form of this personal name is Bella Máté. This article uses Western name order when mentioning individuals.

Máté Bella
Bella Máté
Bella in 2016
Born (1985-11-28) 28 November 1985 (age 39)
Budapest, Hungary
EducationBéla Bartók Music Institute, Franz Liszt Academy of Music, Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music
Occupations
Years active2002–present

Máté Bella (Hungarian: Bella Máté, [ˈmaːteː ˈbɛlːɒ]; born 28 November 1985)[1] is a Hungarian composer and university professor at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Hungary.[2] He has worked across multiple genres of music, including classical contemporary, opera, choir, musicals, theater music and pop music.[3][4]

Early life and education

[edit]

Máté Bella was born 28 November 1985 in Budapest, Hungary.

Bella began his musical studies at Ferenc Erkel Primary School for Music. He later attended the Weiner Leó Secondary Music School in Budapest, where he specialized in composition and piano.[5] He continued his music education between 2002 and 2006 at the Béla Bartók Music Institute, where he focused on composition under the mentorship of Miklós Kocsár.[6] After graduating in 2006, he was admitted to the Franz Liszt Academy of Music, where he completed his studies in 2011.[7] In 2013, he spent a semester at the Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music in Kraków on an Erasmus scholarship.[8] Máté was awarded a scholarship for the New National Excellence Program in 2017, and in 2018, he received his summa cum laude doctoral degree.[8]

Career

[edit]

In 2009, he won the New Hungarian Music Forum composer competition, organized by Müpa Budapest and the Budapest Music Center.[9] This was followed by the recognition of his ensemble piece Chuang Tzu's Dream by the International Music Council in Lisbon in 2010.[10] This piece was performed by the London Sinfonietta. That same year he became the first composer to receive the Junior Prima Award, which recognizes individuals under 30 for outstanding achievements in various fields.[11][12] In 2011, one of his compositions, written for a play at the Hungarian National Theatre, won the Theatre Critics Award.[13] He received the Erkel Ferenc Award in 2016 and the Bartók-Pásztory Award in 2019.[14] His song Mostantól (From Now On), co-written with Gergő Rácz, won the A Dal 2020 competition, receiving the Petőfi Music Award for Song of the Year[15] and the Hungarian Music Awards Fonogram prize for Best Hungarian Modern Pop/Rock Album or Recording of the Year.[16] In 2025, he won the Artisjus Award in the 'Classical Music Work of the Year' category for his composition The Cheerleaders.

Bella is a member of the Artisjus Committee of Classical Music Critics,[17] the Association of Hungarian Composers,[18] and the 'Musician/Composer' section of the Hungarian Film Academy Association.[19] He is also a co-founder of Studio 5, a contemporary composers' group established in 2016.[7]

From 2019 to 2024, he served as a senior lecturer at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music and has been an associate professor since 2024.[20]

Main works

[edit]

Chamber music

[edit]
Work Year
The Butterfly's Dream 2005
Psycho Symbioses 2006
El Tango de Viudas Engañadas 2007
Message, Message 02 2007
Preludes 2007
Insomnia 2008
Insomnia – commentaries 2008
Silk 2008
The Secret 2009
Something happened... 2009
Manifestations 2010
...in paradise 2010
Ritual 2010
Study 2011
Visions 2012
Phantasm 2013
Varródermia 2018
Titan 2020
Fons 2020
Aeolus 2021
Beneath the Starry Night 2021
De Agnete 2021
Monochronic 2022
Judas 2022
Airambulum 2024
The White Chaconne 2024
After the Rain 2025

Ensemble

[edit]
Work Year
Equivalence 2007
Chuang Tzu's Dream 2008
Trance 2013
Reflections 2013
Hypnos 2014
Laniakea 2015
Hesperus 2017
The Cheerleaders 2024

Orchestral works

[edit]

Compositions for orchestra

[edit]
Work Year
The Night's Monologue 2011
Suite 2012
Sounds of Generation Y 2015
Tabula Smaragdina 2018
Sounds of Generation Y Part II 2018
Love of Hephaestus 2023

Compositions for string orchestra

[edit]
Work Year
Lethe 2014
About Time 2023

Vocal music

[edit]

Choral works

[edit]
Work Year
Peace 2013
The Home at Night 2014
Lacrimosa 2015
Eternal Music 2020
O Oriens 2021
Summer Song 2023
Dies Irae 2024

Operas

[edit]
Work Year
Spring Awakening 2012[21]
The Coronation of Poppea[22]
(L'incoronazione di Poppea) 		2019

Musicals

[edit]
Title Theatre Premiere
Who the F**k is Lady Domina? Academy of Drama and Film, Budapest 2009
Better than Sex Courtyard Theatre, London 2010[23]
The Demon Cat Madách Theatre, Budapest 2010
Budapest Operetta and Musical Theatre 2018
freewill >>>> Erkel Theatre, Budapest 2023

Songs

[edit]
Title Theatre Premiere
Aria of the Miller's Daughter
(A molnárlány áriája) 		Sándor Weöres 2008
Botond's Emergency Song
(Botond vészdala) 		Attila Havasi 2010
[anya milyen] Orsolya Karafiáth 2012
To the Unknown Sweatheart
(Az ismeretlen kedveshez) 		Sándor Weöres 2013
Ave Maria Liturgical Text 2024

Pop music

[edit]
Title Artist(s) Publication
I Gotta Fly
(Valami más) 		Lilla Polyák[24] 2013
It Can't Be Over Fool Moon[25] 2014
Bolondod voltam Gergő Rácz, Ív[26] 2016
Emlékkép Tibor Kocsis[27] 2016
Crack my code Reni Tolvai 2017[28]
Everest Reni Tolvai 2017[29]
Mostantól
(From Now On) 		Gergő Rácz,
Reni Orsovai 		2019[30]
Maradj Lilla Polyák 2021

Theatre music

[edit]
Title Theatre Premiere
Widows
(Özvegyek) 		Academy of Drama and Film, Budapest 2007
Berzsian and Dideki
(Berzsián és Dideki) 		National Theatre, Budapest 2009
Intrigue and Love
(Ármány és Szerelem) 		Müpa Budapest, Budapest 2009
Hungarian Celebration
(Magyar Ünnep) 		National Theatre, Budapest 2010
Mephisto National Theatre, Budapest 2013
Danton's Death
(Danton halála) 		Comedy Theatre, Budapest 2013
The Evil Spirit Lumpazivagabundus
(Lumpáciusz Vagabundusz) 		Comedy Theatre, Budapest 2014
The Imaginary Invalid
(A képzelt beteg) 		Budapest Puppet Theatre, Budapest 2016
Frau Holle
(Holle anyó) 		Budapest Puppet Theatre, Budapest 2017

Film scores

[edit]
Title Nationality, Genre
Director; Producer(s) 		Date
Indián[31] Hungarian tragicomedy film
István P. Szabó; Placebo Stars, Sparks 		2013
Just Drop Dead
(Halj már meg![32]) 		Hungarian feature film
Zoltán Kamondi; FocusFox Studio, Honeymood Films 		2016

Discography

[edit]
Compilation albums
Work(s) Album Publisher Year Other
Máté Bella: Moods / Stimmungen[33] TON 4 Records 2005
Message
Message 02		 Young Hungarian Composers for Cimbalom[34] Hungaroton 2009 Beáta Móri
Chuang Tzu's Dream New Hungarian Music Forum 2009 composers' competition[35] BMC HMIC 2010 CD 1
Contemporary Classics I: Moods[36] Erwin Pitsch Publishing / TON 4 Records 2012
Valami más (single)[37] Sony Music 2013 Lilla Polyák
It Can't Be Over[38] (kislemez) Schubert Music Publishing 2014 Fool Moon
Emlékkép[27] 3 GoldRecord Hungary 2016 Tibor Kocsis
Bolondod Voltam (Sante Cruze Remix) (Feat. Ív) (single)[26] Schubert Music Publishing 2016[39] Gergő Rácz, Ív
Crack my code (single) Magneoton 2018[40] Reni Tolvai
Everest (single) Magneoton 2018[41] Reni Tolvai

Awards and competition prizes

[edit]

Awards

[edit]
  • Junior Prima Award (2010)
  • Istvánffy Benedek Prize (Chuang Tzu's Dream, 2010)
  • Best theatre music – Theater Critics Award (Magyar ünnep, 2011)
  • Istvánffy Benedek Prize (A tavasz ébredése, 2013)[42]
  • Junior Classical Composer of the Year Artisjus Prize (2015)[43]
  • Ferenc Erkel Prize (2016)[44]
  • Béla Bartók–Ditta Pásztory Prize (2019)[45]
  • Petőfi Music Award for Song of the Year (Mostantól, 2020)[15]
  • Hungarian Music Awards Fonogram prize for Best Hungarian Modern Pop-rock Album or Recording of the Year category (Mostantól, 2020)[16]
  • Artisjus Award – Classical Music Work of the Year (The Cheerleaders, 2025)[46]

Competition prizes

[edit]
  • 1st prize – Weiner Leó Composition Competition, Budapest (2002)
  • 1st prize – 6th International Composition Competition (Farbotony), Kaniv, Ukraine (2003)
  • 3rd prize – National Improvisation Competition, Budapest (2003)
  • Special Prize – National Composition Competition, Budapest (2004)
  • Special Prize – Vántus István Composer Competition, Association of Hungarian Composes and Vántus István Foundation, Szeged (2006)
  • 3rd prize – National Composition Competition, Budapest (2006)
  • Shared 1st prize – Liszt Academy Composer Competition, Budapest (2007)
  • Special Prize – Youth Contemporary Music Evenings, Budapest (2007)
  • Special Prize – 9th Zdarzenia Theatre and Art Festival, Tczew (2007)[47]
  • Special Prize – Youth Contemporary Music Evenings, Budapest (2008)
  • Special Prize – Wekerle centenarian, Wekerle Cultural Association, Budapest (2008)
  • Special Prize – Youth Contemporary Music Evenings, Budapest (2009)
  • 1st prize – Liszt Academy Composer Competition, Budapest (2009)
  • 1st prize in Chamber Music – NHMF Composer Competition, Budapest (Chuang Tzu's Dream, 2009)
  • 3rd prize, Musical Competition of Madách Theatre, Budapest (Macskadémon/The Demon Cat, 2010)[48]
  • Shared 3rd prize – Liszt Academy Composer Competition, Budapest (2010)
  • 1st prize – Generace Composer Competition, Ostrava (2013)
  • 1st prize in Chamber Music – NHMF Composer Competition, Budapest (Trance, 2013)[49]
  • 1st prize – Generace Composer Competition, Ostrava (2015)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Bella, Máté Biography". Universal Music Publishing Editio Musica Budapest. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
  2. ^ "Máté Bella". Zeneakademia.hu. Retrieved 7 February 2025.
  3. ^ "Universal Music Publishing Editio Musica Budapest (UMP EMB)". www.umpemb.com. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  4. ^ "Máté Bella, Composer - Performances on Operabase". Operabase. 29 May 2025. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  5. ^ "Universal Music Publishing Editio Musica Budapest (UMP EMB)". www.umpemb.com. Retrieved 9 April 2025.
  6. ^ "Máté Bella". lfze.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 9 April 2025.
  7. ^ a b "Máté Bella – Biography". www.matebella.com. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  8. ^ a b "Máté Bella - Bio". Retrieved 17 April 2025.
  9. ^ "Hungarian New Music Forum 2009 Composers' Competition Final Gala Concert". mupa.hu. January 2009.
  10. ^ "IRC Results over the past years (1993–2014)". imc-cim.org. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  11. ^ "Three Former SZTE Students Awarded the Junior Prima Prize". 4 December 2017.
  12. ^ MTI. "Átadták a Junior Prima zeneművészeti díjakat" (in Hungarian). Kultúrpart.hu.
  13. ^ "Máté Bella". Zeneakademia.hu. Retrieved 7 February 2025.
  14. ^ "Máté Bella: Classical music is closer to catharsis, popular music is closer to ecstasy". uni.lisztacademy.hu. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  15. ^ a b "Gergő Rácz and Reni Orsovai won the Dal 2020". engnews24h.com. 7 March 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  16. ^ a b Zoltán Zsiray-Rummer (23 April 2020). "Bella Máté: A komolyzene a katarzishoz áll közelebb, a könnyűzene az eksztázishoz" (in Hungarian). Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  17. ^ "Komolyzenei SZVB tagjai" (PDF). artisjus.hu (in Hungarian). April 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 April 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  18. ^ "Máté Bella". hungaropus.hu. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  19. ^ "Members". magyarfilmakademia.hu. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  20. ^ "Máté Bella | Gradus Artist". Gradus Artist. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
  21. ^ "Bella: A tavasz ébredése / Solti: La Violetta". opera.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  22. ^ "Claudio Monteverdi – Máté Bella L'incoronazione di Poppea (The Coronation of Poppea)". opera.hu. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  23. ^ Creators, betterthansexmusical.co.uk ( Retrieved 30 April 2019.)
  24. ^ Lilla Polyák – Valami más on YouTube a LillaPolyakVEVO YouTube channel – 25 July 2013
  25. ^ Fool Moon: It Can't Be Over – A Dal 2014 döntő on YouTube A DAL Eurovíziós Dalfesztivál / Eurovision Hungary YouTube channel – 25 February 2014
  26. ^ a b Rácz Gergő x Ív – Bolondod voltam Sante Cruze Remix (Official Video) on YouTube Rácz Gergő YouTube channel – 7 March 2017
  27. ^ a b KOCSIS TIBOR – Emlékkép on YouTube GoldRecord Hungary YouTube channel – 14 November 2016
  28. ^ Tolvai Reni – CRACK MY CODE (EUROVISION TOP30) on YouTube a Tolvai Reni Official YouTube channel – 16 December 2017
  29. ^ Tolvai Reni – EVEREST on YouTube a Tolvai Reni Official YouTube channel – 18 December 2017
  30. ^ Rácz Gergő x Orsovai Reni – Mostantól (A Dal 2020 győztes dala) on YouTube Rácz Gergő YouTube channel – 18 November 2019
  31. ^ INDIAN (Teljes film magyarul)(FULL MOVIE – Hungarian w. English Subt.) on YouTube István P. Szabó YouTube channel – 22 April 2014
  32. ^ Halj már meg! (16) hivatalos magyar előzetes on YouTube Big Bang Media YouTube channel – 4 November 2016
  33. ^ Máté Bella: Moods / Stimmungen, open.spotify.com
  34. ^ "Fiatal magyar zeneszerzők cimbalomművei". info.bmc.hu.
  35. ^ "UMZF 2009 zeneszerzőverseny – Promóciós CD" (in Hungarian). info.bmc.hu. 1 February 2010.
  36. ^ Contemporary Classics I: Moods, open.spotify.com
  37. ^ Zene, polyaklilla.hu
  38. ^ Fool Moon – It can't be over (dalszöveggel – lyric video) on YouTube Zeneszöveg.hu YouTube channel – 22 February 2014
  39. ^ Bolondod Voltam (Sante Cruze Remix) (Feat. Ív) Archived 27 April 2019 at the Wayback Machine, dalok.hu
  40. ^ Crack My Code, deezer.com
  41. ^ Everest, deezer.com
  42. ^ "2010/2011 – Színikritikusok Díja" (in Hungarian). kritikusceh.wordpress.com. 26 September 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  43. ^ "Bella Máté – Artisjus-díj" (in Hungarian). artisjus.hu. 2015.
  44. ^ "Balog Zoltán állami művészeti díjakat és miniszteri szakmai díjakat adott át" (in Hungarian). kormany.hu. 11 March 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  45. ^ "Bella Máté, Boldoczki Gábor és Konrád György az idei Bartók–Pásztory-díjasok". Zeneakademia.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  46. ^ https://www.artisjus.hu/artisjus-dijak/bella-mate-2/
  47. ^ "IX edycja – Nagrodzone projekty" (in Polish). Archived from the original on 6 July 2010.
  48. ^ Madách TV – Macskadémon bemutató (2011. 02. 23.) on YouTube Madách Színház YouTube channel – 24 February 2011
  49. ^ "Máté Bella and Alessio Elia are the winners of the 2013 UMZF Composer Competition". zeneakademia.hu. 4 October 2013.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Máté Bella.