What
do you get when you combine orchestral writing with jazz harmonies and techno
rhythms? Mason Bates—modern composer and DJ extraordinaire also known as DJ
Masonic. This month, Clef Notes explores the music of composers living in
today’s world. We kick things off with Mason Bates, a thirty-eight year old
composer who strives to share music with people in a way where no one feels
isolated.
How
does he accomplish this? One way is what Bates calls “Mercury Soul”—an idea
that has brought classical music to thousands of people in non-traditional
settings including clubs and warehouses. Mercury Soul is headed by Bates and
Maestro Benjamin Shwartz who first launched it in San Francisco’s Mezzanine
Club in 2008 for an audience of 1,400 people. They use modern stagecraft
designed for the space in which the performance is held and incorporate
lighting elements created by Anne Patterson. The end result fuses electronic
dance music with contemporary classical.
Written
in 2011, Bates’ Mothership combines
orchestral music and electronica. In the video clip below, notice the visual
presentation of the soloists and the special lighting effects. This is one way
Bates may attract a younger audience. Also note the types of instruments that
are used as soloists. The electric guitar and zither are not common orchestral
instruments! While Mothership uses
these modern elements, it also has historical roots in that it is quite similar
to the symphonic scherzo, however it incorporates techno rather than waltz
rhythms.
Did
you notice the composer in the video clip above? Bates often appears with his
laptop in the percussion section of the orchestra. Mason Bates has found great
success in his approach to composition and was recently appointed the first
composer-in-residence at the Kennedy Center.
Join
me next time as we learn about Jennifer Higdon!
