Dylan Mattingly
A composer and bassist weaving expansive, narrative-driven soundscapes that draw from classical forms, indie rock, and the natural world.
Born 1991 (age 35)·American composer and musician·Birthday: March 18·Millennials
Biography
Dylan Mattingly's music feels both ancient and urgently contemporary, a product of a mind steeped in Bach and Beethoven as much as in the textures of modern ambient and folk. A Berkeley native, he was a prodigious talent, studying composition intensely from a young age while also picking up the double bass. His works are often vast in scale and ambition, like the six-hour orchestral song cycle 'Stream of Stars' or the evocative 'There is a place for you on the mountain,' which blends chamber ensemble with field recordings. He is also a performing musician, co-founding the band Bottle Tree and collaborating across genres. Mattingly's output defies easy categorization, creating immersive auditory worlds that are as much about storytelling and place as they are about pure sound.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Dylan was born in 1991, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dylan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1991
#1 Movie
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Best Picture
The Silence of the Lambs
#1 TV Show
Cheers
Dylan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1991Born
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1996Started school
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2004Became a teenager
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Could drive
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2009Could vote
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2012Turned 21
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2021Turned 30
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 35 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-founded and composes for the genre-blending ensemble Bottle Tree, releasing albums like 'Flicker of the Flame.'
- Composed the large-scale orchestral work 'Stream of Stars,' a monumental six-hour cycle.
- His piece 'There is a place for you on the mountain' was premiered by the Berkeley Symphony.
Did You Know?
He began studying composition at the Young Musicians Program at the University of California, Berkeley, when he was just eight years old.
He is an accomplished double bassist, performing both classical and indie rock music.
He attended the Bard College Conservatory of Music, studying with composers like Joan Tower and George Tsontakis.
“Sound is a physical place you can walk into and get lost.”
