Composer/DJ Mason Bates Launches Virtual Masterclass Series: 'Curating the Concert Experience'

Symphonic music composer and electronic music DJ Mason Bates has demonstrated a strong commitment to bringing classical music to new audiences in fresh ways throughout his career. Now, he shares the knowledge gained from his many years composing, deejaying and curating series-such as Mercury Soul, the Kennedy Center's KC Jukebox and Chicago Symphony Orchestra's MusicNOW-in a new virtual masterclass: "Curating the Concert Experience."

This current time of upheaval for the music field serves as an opportunity to question and reimagine the live-music experience, as well as to think of ways to better serve audiences who will be hungry for thoughtfully produced events once it is safe to gather again.

"During the past 15 years of creating concerts for orchestras as a composer and club shows as a deejay, I've thought a lot about how we experience music, how we can get information to audiences in new ways, and how we can experiment with the frame around the music that we hear," Bates explains.

In this multipart "mini mini-series," produced by Bates and available on the Kennedy Center's website, the Center's composer-in-residence breaks down the main elements of concert curation, employing direct examples from events that he has put together to establish what works and what doesn't.

Part 1: Programming explains the process for selecting music for a well-curated series. In Bates's view, diversity is the keyword: diversity of musical styles, eras and composer backgrounds all make for a balanced and compelling program. Choosing good and varied music is only the first step, however;

Part 2: Production delves into how to use stage plots, lighting and screens to design an event that is visually and tactilely as exciting as it sounds (and that avoids the dreaded "drive-in-movie vibe").

Part 3: Platform focuses on the overall audience experience-from the moment they walk into a venue until the moment they leave; from pre- and post-concert events featuring a wide array of classical and non-classical artists; to branding and promotion; to finding opportunities for educational outreach.

Episodes of "Curating the Concert Experience" premiere on a weekly basis beginning April 27, 2020 at kennedy-center.org/masonbates. They will also be archived on Mason Bates's website at www.masonbates.com/curating.

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