Mathieu Daniël Polak studied piano with Alwin Bar and Ton Hartsuiker at the Utrecht Conservatory and graduated there in 1997. He then obtained his master's degree in 2000 from the Nederlandse Beiaardschool (Dutch Carillon School) in Amersfoort. Specialization: carillon education. Mathieu obtained his master's degree in composition from the Lemmens Institute Leuven, Belgium (2013) and from the Hogeschool voor de Kunsten Utrecht (University of the Arts),2010. He studied under Jeff Hamburg and Jeroen D'hoe.

In 2003 he became carillonneur in Spakenburg and in 2008 at Erasmus University Rotterdam. From May 5, 2022, he is also appointed as the carillonneur of Plein 40-45 in Amsterdam. In June 2023 he became one of the carillonneurs of Nieuwegein (province of Utrecht).
He is a teacher at the Nederlands Beiaardcentrum (Dutch Carillon Center) in Amersfoort and teaches piano at the Music School Amersfoort, is a private teacher at the Utrechtse Heuvelrug (Netherlands) and pianist at the Beit Ha'Chidush (House of Renewal) and the Liberaal Joodse Gemeente (Liberal Jewish Community) in Amsterdam.

Mathieu won prizes at carillon competitions in Hamburg (Germany) and Enkhuizen (Netherlands). His composition "Fleurs de Cerisier" (Cherry Blossom) for wind quintet won third prize in the Coma Maastricht in 2011 and "Puppy Love" for horn was awarded third prize at the composition competition IVME Antwerp 2011. His carillon piece "Dandelion Field" was awarded the second prize at the Johan Franco composition competition 2017. His work "A Butterfly's Dance" won first prize at the Johan Franco Composition Competition in 2019.

With a grant from the Performing Arts Fund, Mathieu composed and arranged the carillon suite "Chag Sameach" (joyful and good holiday wishes), which focuses on the Jewish holidays such as Purim, Passover, Hanukkah, Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah. Its premiere took place on May 7, 2019, and was performed by carillonneur Boudewijn Zwart on the carillon of the Westertoren in Amsterdam. For this he received the prestigious Visser Neerlandia Prize on March 1, 2020. This prize is named after Herman Lodewijk Alexander Visser (Amersfoort April 24, 1872 - Deventer May 28, 1943), a Jewish philosopher and lawyer. After his self-chosen death, half of his fortune was donated to the Algemeen Nederlands Verbond, which formed the fund for the Visser-Neerlandia Prize.

He has given carillon recitals in Japan, Denmark, Portugal, France, Belgium, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Great-Britain, and the United States.

Mathieu Daniël Polak does groundbreaking work in composing and arranging carillon music. By using non-Western musical elements in his compositions and arrangements, he contributes to creative and innovative changes in the 'carillon landscape'. He adds these innovations to the existing traditional and stylistic forms of carillon music, a tradition with a history of more than 500 years. His music is accessible to a wide audience.

Mathieu composes works on commission for many, if not all, occasions.