Universal Music Publishing Classics & Screen is thrilled to welcome acclaimed composer Mason Bates, who has been signed to an exclusive, global publishing agreement. Through this new agreement, Bates’s catalog is now represented worldwide by Universal Music Publishing Classics & Screen U.S., under the Ricordi imprint.

Natasha Baldwin, President, Global Classics, Jazz & Screen, said: “We are delighted to welcome Mason to UMPG. Mason is a world class composer whose artistry is recognized at the highest level. We are excited to help amplify his unique compositions to an even broader, global audience.”



Composer of the Grammy-winning opera The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs, Mason Bates is imaginatively transforming the way classical music is created and experienced as a composer, DJ, and curator. With electro-acoustic works such as Mothership and multimedia projects such as the animated film Philharmonia Fantastique: The Making of the Orchestra, Bates has become a visible advocate for transforming the modern orchestra and integrating it into contemporary culture.

In awarding Bates the Heinz Medal, Teresa Heinz remarked that “his music has moved the orchestra into the digital age and dissolved the boundaries of classical music,” while composer John Williams hailed the Grammy-winning Philharmonia Fantastique as “the biggest step forward since Fantasia itself … a truly magnificent achievement.”

Championed by legendary conductors from Riccardo Muti to Michael Tilson Thomas to Marin Alsop, Bates’ symphonic music is the first to receive widespread acceptance for its unique integration of electronic sounds. The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs, recorded with Santa Fe Opera, received the 2019 Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording. Bates has also composed for feature film, including Gus Van Sant’s The Sea of Trees starring Matthew McConaughey and Naomi Watts. Other critically acclaimed works include his Piano Concerto, written for Daniil Trifonov; Nomad Concerto for Gil Shaham; and The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, which opens the Metropolitan Opera’s 2025/26 season.

As a producer, curator, and storyteller, Bates is deeply impacting younger generations with his reimagination of classical music. His nonprofit Mercury Soul animates spectacular spaces with DJs, gripping classical performances, and immersive production, from San Francisco’s iconic Grace Cathedral to sites such as the US Mint that he transforms into packed clubs. Sprite’s World, the educational portal built on his beloved film Philharmonia Fantastique, excites tens of thousands of schoolchildren each year with innovative digital education.

As a reflection of his innovations as a curator, he was appointed the inaugural composer-in-residence appointed by the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Named as the most-performed composer of his generation in a recent survey of American music, Bates was named Musical America’s Composer of the Year in 2018. He serves on the faculty of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and is represented by Opus 3 Artists.



Bates said: “I’m thrilled to join the innovative world of Universal Music Publishing Classics & Screen, whose diverse range of composers and genres resonates with my passion for expanding the boundaries of classical music. The transformation of the genre in this century has been fascinating, with orchestras and opera houses incorporating fresh voices and digital technology into their programming, while also staying committed to the historic repertoire. I’ve been thankful to be part of this evolution and am excited to build more with Universal Music.”

Jude Vaclavik, Vice President, U.S. Classical Publishing & Promotion at UMPG, added: “Mason Bates has been a leading creative voice for the entirety of his career, and we’re honored that he has chosen to entrust us with his catalog. I look forward to our partnership and cannot wait to see and hear the new visionary paths that Mason will forge for the industry.”

Bates joins UMPG Classics & Screen, which includes iconic catalogs Ricordi, Durand/Salabert-Eschig, Editio Musica Budapest, and Decca Publishing, featuring composers from Puccini to Poulenc, Julia Wolfe to Kevin Puts, and Max Richter to Isobel Waller-Bridge.

Photo: Todd Rosenberg