Mason Bates

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.  As the first composer-in-residence appointed by the Kennedy Center, he presented a diverse array of artists on his series KC Jukebox using immersive production and stagecraft.  Championed by legendary conductors from Riccardo Muti, Michael Tilson Thomas and Marin Alsop, his symphonic music is the first to receive widespread acceptance for its unique integration of electronic sounds. Named as the most-performed composer of his generation in a recent survey of American music, Bates has also composed for feature film including Gus Van Sant’s The Sea of Trees. His new opera based on The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay was commissioned by The Metropolitan Opera, which will present the piece next season after its debut at Indiana University in 2024.

Mason Bates created Philharmonia Fantastique: The Making of the Orchestra for animated film and live orchestra with Gary Rydstrom of Lucasfilm and Jim Capobianco of Aerial Contrivance which explores the connection between creativity and technology.  The GRAMMY-winning soundtrack was recorded by the Chicago Symphony for Sony Classical, and the film is available on Apple TV and Apple Music.

Working under the name DJ Masonic, Bates developed Mercury Soul, a show combining DJing and classical music, to packed crowds with clubs and orchestras around the country. A diverse artist exploring the ways classical music integrates into contemporary cultures, he serves on the faculty of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.