Matt the Music Man (Matt McFarlane) is a nominated Children’s Entertainer of the Year by Music Nova Scotia. He’s also possibly the only musician around with a pirate hat and a platypus for a sidekick!
Growing up, Matt was very shy and was bullied at school. He spent much of his time having dreams about becoming a professional musician but his shyness and lack of self-confidence were too overwhelming. Today, Matt draws on these childhood experiences to inspire kids with his message of becoming self-confident and respecting everyone along the way.
Matt has released two diverse all-original albums titled “Everyday Superheroes” (2017) and “Songs For Kids Age 1 to 101” (2014) and an EP titled “Family Fun! (2018). He has performed over 100 exciting shows across the Maritimes and beyond. Guitars, ukulele, banjo, harmonica, kazoo, and other instruments are played, and fun props such as costumes and puppets are used to create a fun, interactive and educational experience. Through music, humour and stories, Matt teaches children about the importance of self-confidence and respect. It all comes together into a highly entertaining educational show for children and families.
Many songs have been hits with children and parents such as “Everyday Superheroes”, “Dinosaur In the Candy Store” and “Pirates from Yarmouth”. Matt makes a point to not downplay his music lyrically or musically too much for children because he understands how smart children are and he wants older audiences to be entertained as well. The smiles, laughs and voices singing along (even the parents!) are rewards that drive Matt as he continues his lifelong dream of performing music professionally. Currently, Matt is working on a Youtube show to be released later in 2019!
MUSICAL SHOWS!
Book an exciting musical experience with a nominated Children’s Entertainer of the Year by Music Nova Scotia! Matt performs musical shows with a mission to empower students with self-confidence and respectful attitudes.
Matt has played at many schools, birthday parties, daycares, libraries, camps, special events, and more. It is always an exciting time full of music, laughs and learning!
Matt’s shows are ideal for children ages 1 to 12. You will receive an exciting one-hour performance and a FREE copy of Matt’s most recent CD. The shows are:
Educational!
Hear Matt’s messages about self- confidence and respectthrough music and stories. Children also learn about music and instruments.
Interactive!
Matt encourages children to sing and clap along. They can even dance with Pat the Platypus or try out a variety of Matt’s instruments.
Highly Entertaining!
Music, humour, stories, fun lyrics, a variety of instruments, puppets and other surprises… It’s easy to see how much Matt enjoys performing and that reflects directly on the audience!
SCHOOL WORKSHOPS!
Students write their own song and play it with Matt! All students receive Matt’s guide to writing a song and an activity sheet to take home! Workshops are approximately 45 minutes with 30 kids max.
Songwriting Workshop
Matt explains how he writes his songs and gives them a mini-performance. Then Children write their very own song and play it with Matt! Depending on the class age, students can also make a homemade instrument, do a special colouring activity or learn songwriting in more depth. These workshops are interactive and fun for ALL ages, even for older students, as the activities are made age appropriate.
School Song Workshop
Does your school have an official song? During this workshop, Matt helps students write their very own school song to show their school spirit! The song can then be used to sing at assemblies or other school events. It can be set to original music or to an existing song of your choice. Matt also talks about songwriting in general and performs some other songs for the group. Super fun!
HIGH SCHOOL SHOWS!
Matt played non-children’s music for about 20 years prior to the kids music scene! Matt performs a variety of songs for older students, from rock covers, to original acoustic songs. He throws in a few “kidish” ones too just for fun! Matt also talks about his past struggles growing up and how he came to overcome his fears by becoming self-confident through music and work experience.