Mercury Soul at Saint Joseph’s Arts Society

Mercury Soul returns to the luxe cathedral space of the Saint Joseph’s Arts Society for a night of performances from world-renowned DJs and classical artists on Friday April 7th at 8pm.

Enjoy speciality cocktails while exploring this stunning cathedral-turned-club designed by the renowned Ken Fulk, with groovy alternations of DJ sets and popup classical performances.

Sets by DJ Masonic (Mason Bates), DJ Justin Reed (illmeasures Chicago), and special guest DJ Gavin Hardkiss are interspersed by performances of Renaissance chorales by Gesualdo and Lotti and music by modern masters Arvo Pärt, Aphex Twin, John Cage, and Philip Glass conducted by Arun Saigal.

For more information and tickets visit Mercury Soul.

Stream The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs on Amazon Prime via Marquee TV

The new production of Mason’s Grammy-winning Opera The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs is now available to stream on Amazon Prime via Marquee TV! Watch the performance from East Coast premiere with The Atlanta Opera conducted by Michael Christie and featuring John Moore.

Live performances of The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs continue in April with Utah Opera and in September with San Francisco Opera. 

Full performance dates: 

Utah Opera:

Saturday May 6, 2023 – Utah Opera

Monday May 8, 2023 – Utah Opera

Wednesday May 10, 2023 – Utah Opera

Friday May 12, 2023 – Utah Opera

Sunday May 14, 2023 – Utah Opera

San Francisco Opera:

Friday September 22, 2023 7:30pm 

Sunday September 24, 2023 2:00pm 

Wednesday September 27, 2023 7:30pm 

Saturday September 30, 2023 7:30pm  

 Tuesday October 3, 2023 7:30pm  

 Saturday October 7, 2023 7:30pm 

The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs deemed a“must-see” event

The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs saw its Canadian premiere by Calgary Opera last week, conducted by Michael Christie, and was deemed a “must-see” event by The Calgary Herald. 

“[A] splendid libretto by Mark Campbell and an imaginative musical score by Mason Bates. Filled with unusual effects, big choral numbers, powerful solo monologues, and ear-catching orchestration, this is an opera that captures attention from the outset and never loses focus or flags.”

“Here the brilliance of the production, and manner of how the show is put on, carried all before it, producing an immediate standing ovation at the end.”

“For those apprehensive about the very idea of modern opera, there is nothing to fear here. Everyone will be swept up in the dynamism and power of this production, and the music falls gracefully upon the ears. It is the “must-see” event in Calgary at the moment.”

Read the full review on Calgary Herald’s website. 

Upcoming Performances Include:

Utah Opera:

Saturday May 6, 2023 – Utah Opera

Monday May 8, 2023 – Utah Opera

Wednesday May 10, 2023 – Utah Opera

Friday May 12, 2023 – Utah Opera

Sunday May 14, 2023 – Utah Opera

San Francisco Opera:

Friday September 22, 2023 7:30pm 

Sunday September 24, 2023 2:00pm 

Wednesday September 27, 2023 7:30pm 

Saturday September 30, 2023 7:30pm  

 Tuesday October 3, 2023 7:30pm  

 Saturday October 7, 2023 7:30pm 

Philharmonia Fantastique Wins a Grammy

Mason’s new album Philharmonia Fantastique: The Making of the Orchestra released on Sony Classical in April 2022, has been awarded a Grammy for Best Engineered Album, Classical.

Philharmonia Fantastique: The Making of the Orchestra is a captivating introduction to the instruments, sounds and science of the orchestra with a masterful score and classy, creative animation. The album was performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and conducted Edwin Outwater.

“I’m very thankful to Shawn Murphy, Gary Rydstrom, Charlie Post, Michael Romanowski, whose work resulted in a Grammy for Philharmonia Fantastique: The Making of the Orchestra. Their superb work recording, mixing, & mastering this celebration of the orchestra – at the height of covid – is evident in every minute of the album. The stunning isolation of the instruments required by distancing protocols actually gave us unprecedented control in the studio. Bravi!” – Mason Bates

Listen to the full album on all major streaming platforms and watch on Apple TV and Apple Music.

Upcoming 2023 Performances include:

March 4 & 5 – New West Symphony – CA, USA

March 8 13 & 14  – National Symphony Orchestra – D.C, USA

April 2  – The Cleveland Orchestra – OH, USA

April 11 & 15 – Utah Symphony – UT USA

April 16 – Aurora Orchestra –  London, UK

April 30 – Vancouver Symphony Orchestra – Vancouver, Canada

The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs at Calgary Opera

The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs heads to Calgary tomorrow for its Canadian premiere with Calgary Opera, conducted by Michael Christie. 

Ahead of the upcoming performances, Mason spoke to Eric Volmers from the Calgary Herald to talk about he came up with the idea for his Grammy-winning opera, how it developed and the message behind it. 

“He’s this iconic figure we think of as a technologist, but his life is really the stuff of opera. He has obsession and passion, betrayal. He’s got obviously a very tragic death, an early death, that might have been avoided had he not had this Achilles heel or fatal flaw of trying to control everything, including his cancer treatments. He was trying to diet his way out of cancer which, unfortunately, is not going to happen. All of that attracted me: Bringing some of those topics we deal with in the 21st-century people – devices, communication, technology mitigating our lives – but in a way that would also bring in opera history.” Mason Bates

“The awards, acclaim and worldwide interest in (R)evolution suggest it could be well on its way to becoming a rare achievement in the world of contemporary opera.” Calgary Herald

Read the full article on the Calgary Herald’s website.

The premiere was also featured in The San Francisco Standard where the opera was described as “just as dazzling as the devices Jobs brought to life and as equally dramatic as the tech mogul’s life.”

Upcoming Performances:

Saturday February 4, 7:30pm 

Wednesday February 8, 7:30pm 

Friday February 10, 7:30pm 

Philharmonia Fantastique Featured in Animation Magazine

Mason’s Philharmonia Fantastique: The Making of the Orchestra, has been featured in Animation Magazine, the no.1 magazine for business, technology, VFX and the art of animation.

The 25-minute concerto for orchestra and animated film, was directed by seven-time Academy Award-winning sound designer Gary Rydstrom (Titanic) and animation director Jim Capobianco (Ratatouille, Mary Poppins Returns), has recently been released on Apple TV app and is available to stream on Apple Music.

Read the full article on Animation Magazine’s website.

Upcoming live performances include:

January 29 2023 – Kansas City Symphony – Kauffman Center, Kansas City, MO, USA

March 4 2023 – New West Symphony – Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA

March 5 2023 – New West Symphony – Rancho Campana Performing Arts Center, Camarillo, CA, USA

March 8, 13 & 14 2023 – National Symphony Orchestra –The Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C. USA

April 2 2023 – The Cleveland Orchestra – Severance Music Center, Cleveland, OH, USA

April 30 2023 – Vancouver Symphony Orchestra – The Orpheum, Vancouver, BC, Canada

April 11 2023 – Utah Symphony – Noorda Center for the Performing Arts, Orem, UT, USA

April 15 2023 – Utah Symphony – Abravanel Hall, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

April 16 2023 – Aurora Orchestra – Southbank Centre, London, UK

CBS News Profile

Mason joined Mary Lee on CBS News to talk all things classical and electronic music including Philharmonia Fantastique, The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs and Mercury Soul’s Symphonic Techno event.

“San Francisco is where it all came together for me,” said Bates. “By day, I was writing symphonies for the Phoenix Symphony or the LA Philharmonic. And then at night, I would get out and DJ in SoMa. I finally decided one night, I was sitting at the turntables at an old place named Varnish, which has since disappeared. And I thought, why can’t I have an orchestra play with these beats at the same time?”

“For Mason, he’s a DJ and he’s all out in the community,” said Red Curtain Addict founder Kari Lincks Coomans. “He’s so charismatic. He’s an innovator, and getting to work side-by-side with him for events with Mercury Soul has been so exciting. He’s always pushing the envelope.”

Watch online on the CBS website.

The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs: San Francisco Opera

Mason’s Grammy-winning opera, The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs, finally makes its premiere at San Francisco Opera in this new production with performances from September 22 – October 7, 2023. 

“Under the baton of Michael Christie, Mason Bates’ score takes us on an operatic journey through the fragmented memory of love, betrayal, obsession, and death, weaving together classical lyricism and a techno soundscape formed from the sounds of early computing. A cutting-edge vision of opera and a meditation on the impact of technology in our lives.” San Francisco Opera

“At long last, the Steve Jobs opera comes home to San Francisco!  After travelling the globe in productions in 8+ cities, the opera comes to the place of its setting.  One of the things that surprises people about this telling is the focus on the amazing role of Laureen Powell Jobs.” Mason Bates

The (R)evolution of Steve Job’s was commissioned by San Francisco Opera, The Santa Fe Opera and Seattle Opera with support from Cal Performances and co-produced with Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.

Upcoming Performances: 

Friday September 22, 7:30pm 

Sunday September 24, 2:00pm 

Wednesday September 27, 7:30pm 

Saturday September 30, 7:30pm 

Tuesday October 3, 7:30pm 

Saturday October 7, 7:30pm 

For more information and tickets visit San Francisco Opera’s website. 

Blog: Mercury Soul with Juan Atkins

How often do you work with an artist who created a genre?  This month I’ll reconnect with legendary DJ and producer Juan Atkins, who pioneered early techno music in Detroit in the early 1980’s, for Mercury Soul’s January 27 show at San Francisco’s Public Works.  Juan will perform alongside a string orchestra that’s performing new arrangements of his music in addition to the music of JS Bach and Philip Glass.

Juan and I first collaborated at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.  I invited him to headline one of my KC Jukebox shows because of his historic role in the creation of techno in early 1980’s Detroit.  Amidst the continuing adulation of DJs from northern Europe, Juan Atkins stands apart for this astonishing vision and seriousness of purpose.

Many fans of electronic dance music don’t realize the genre emerged from the ashes of Motown, created by African-Americans who were hacking synths and drum machines in a kind of futuristic utopia.  The so-called Belleville Three – Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson – are credited with inventing techno in the abandoned warehouses and factories of Detroit.

Techno was the beginning of the soon-burgeoning genre of electronica, made up of a universe of different dance beats, from house to trance.  Using jacked audio gear to conjure an Afro-futurist soundworld of robotic synths and beats, Atkins earned the moniker ‘godfather of techno.’  

On Jan 27, Mercury Soul pairs this unique artist’s industrial sound-world with a string orchestra at San Francisco’s Public Works.  The stunningly effective pairing of live musicians and Upper Midwest techno is a first for the Bay Area.

Key Atkins releases of that era will be featured, such as the groundbreaking “Clear” (from Atkins aka Cybotron).  It’s a fun challenge to create arrangements for music this stripped-down, yet in some ways the electro-acoustic mix can be more successful than with more produced tracks.  Having a bit more sonic space allows the strings to spread out more in the mix.

Leading up to Juan’s appearance will be performances of iconic classical works from JS Bach and Philip Glass.  The Bach preludes feature mechanistic and motoric rhythms, while the Glass explores an early minimalist aesthetic.  The richness of the string orchestra beautifully supports the futuristic sounds of Juan Atkins.

Also performing are DJ Milan Aerial, DJ Justin Reed (illmeasures), and yours truly, DJ Masonic.  Rarely is Juan Atkins seen in the Bay Area, so don’t miss this very special event!

For more information and tickets visit Mercury Soul on Eventbrite.

Garages of the Valley: Kansas City Symphony

Mason’s Garages of the Valley, will be performed this weekend by the Kansas City Symphony under the baton of Francesco Lecce-Chong at the Kauffman Center.

“Mason has carved out a reputation as an innovator and he delivers on that promise with Garages of the Valley, a trek through the imagined music of Silicon Valley’s tech geniuses in their garage development days.”  – Kansas City Symphony

Mason says: “Much of the Digital Age was dreamed up in the most low-tech of spaces. The garages that dot the landscape of Silicon Valley housed the visionaries behind Apple, Hewlett Packard, Intel, and Google. The imagined music of these tech workshops begins hyper-kinetically yet sporadically, filled with false starts. It soon flashes into a quicksilver world of exotic textures and tunings that is informed by the music of Frenchman Gérard Grisey (whose imaginative orchestrations sound electronic but are completely unplugged). The exhilarating finale reflects the infectious optimism of the great inventors of our time, who conjured new worlds within the bright Valley’s dark garages.”

Performances: 

Friday January 13, 8pm 

Saturday January 14, 8pm 

Sunday January 15,  2pm 

For more information and tickets visit Kansas City Symphony’s website.