Mal Stein
Mal Stein is a composer, drummer, percussionist, and keyboardist based in New York City.
He has composed over 60 original works including commissions by Susan Dodge’s Amelia Island Dance Festival, Giada Matteini’s WADE’s Agropoli Danza Festival, Choreographer Amy Marshall, Choreographer Ori Flomin, Choreographer Christina Lynch Markham, and The Joffrey Ballet’s Winter White Show. His music has been performed by modern and middle-eastern dancers all across the United States and Europe.
Mal’s performance career continues to take him around the world. He has toured with Epiphany Project, Mad Juana, and Mid East Jazz band “Taksim.” When not busy composing, Mal can be found performing his original compositions, as well as drums and percussion, at various venues around NYC.
Mal serves as an Adjunct Instructor at New York University as well as an accompanist for the Paul Taylor Dance Company, Marymount Manhattan College’s Dance Department, and New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts Dance Department.
Instruments: Drum set, electronic percussion (Roland Handsonic) HPD-20, piano and various synths, Middle Eastern hand drums (Darbuka, Frame Drums, Riq)
Genres:
Indie
World
Ambient
Electronic
R&B/Soul
Trance
Classical
Alternate Rock
Soundscape
Snow waltz
testimonials
Cyrille Aimee
Grammy-nominated artist
cyrillemusic.com
“Mal Stein has been a legendary keeper of the groove in NYC for a long time. He hired me for one of my first gigs there and we played together every Saturday for 7 years! Mal has taught me so much about stage presence and about going with the flow of the music. He is a painter of rhythms and is always listening and in the moment. He is a great collaborator and musical director and so much of my growth as a musician has been facilitated by this amazing, creative human being that is Mal. Also, he is a joy to be around as a person, and will make you laugh like no other!”
Carolyn Adams
Director of Education, THE TAYLOR SCHOOL
Paul Taylor Dance Company
“Miracle Mal! When a versatile, eclectic, sensitive, exciting, eccentric, charismatic musician like Mal Stein shows up faithfully to accompany your dance class at Paul Taylor, you know your students will get as much information from him as they do from you. This is a true partnership from which all benefit. I got lucky AND, he laughs at my jokes. I'm one of his many grateful fans.”
Ori Flomin
Choreographer, dancer, teacher
oriflomin.com
“I have collaborated and performed with Mal Stein on multiple projects. Most recently collaborating on my new full evening length piece where he composed the music as well as performed live through the show. He also accompanied my dance classes at NYU for many years. Mal doesn’t just compose music but he brings a whole world of sounds that elevates my choreographic vision into a multilayered collage of instruments, ambient sounds, recording mixes, sound bites, dynamics, and rhythms. He is very attentive to my ideas and always engages in conversations to find the right sound and make the right choice that works best with each piece. It is a pleasure to work with him and perform to his brilliant musical creations.”
Susan Dodge
Founder of The Amelia Island Dance Festival, teacher, dancer, former dancer for Paul Taylor Company
Amelia Island Dance Festival
“Mal Stein provided accompaniment for my modern classes at Paul Taylor, which was nothing short of amazing. That experience informed my choice to collaborate with him on many subsequent projects. We have collaborated on structured improvisation, live performances and dance on film. Mal has also played a central role in the Amelia Island Dance Festival each year. I have always enjoyed our experience together and never regret including him in any project. After each performance I have dancers ask when he will return because their experience is personal, revealing and sometimes life changing.”
Fadi J Khoury
Artistic Executive Director, FJK Dance
fjkdance.org
“Mal Stein, a true artist and an incredible collaborator! At FJK Dance, he was both sensitive and open to the importance of diversity and inclusion through our latest production Off Limits which previewed in New York Live Arts season 2022 performances. His musical intelligence combined with his cultural compassion, made the creative process of the electronic bridge in Off Limits a key musical element in the validity of the story line and dramatic flow of the piece. I’m grateful for this artistic connection and looking forward to building upon the creative perspective we found together.”
Oliver Steele
Choreographer, dancer, teacher
stepsnyc.com/faculty/bio/Oliver-Steele
“Soon after you hire or start collaborating with Mal Stein you’ll realize that your project is going to come out much better than you initially thought possible. You’ll know, and of course hear that you’re in the presence of exceptional talent and dedication. This man will transform your thoughts into rhythms, your ideas into atmospheres and your feelings into melodies. His artistic and imaginative repertoire seems endless and the quality of the music he creates is not only furthered by his strong work ethic but also enhanced through his wit and sense of humor. He won’t tire until you’re truly satisfied. And satisfying is the word I’ll use to describe our creative partnership. Whether it be as my accompanist for my NYU Tisch classes or as the composer for my on demand online dance classes, Mal simply always delivers, period.”
Souren Baronian
Musician, composer, teacher, band leader
“For quite some time I've had the privilege of performing with Composer/Percussionist/Electronic Genius, Mal Stein. He has toured the world with my Mid East Jazz Band "Taksim" playing both Drum Set and Mid East Percussion. Mal has mastered all the odd time signatures that the music has called for. We have a Duo CD called "Branching Out" that we recorded in his home studio. I always enjoy creating with Him and I am looking forward to our next project.”
Giada Matteini
Distinguished Faculty (NYU Tisch Dance), Founder and Artistic Director (WADE Dance INC)
wadedance.org