Sony Masterworks & Wise Music Group Announce Strategic Partnership

Sony Music Masterworks, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, and Wise Music Group today announced a new strategic partnership to identify and sign top artist and composer talent.

Masterworks and Wise Music will work together to sign new writers in the broad-based classical genre to recording and publishing agreements that allow both companies to apply their respective strengths to the development of successful, multi-faceted and long-term careers.

The first two signings under the new agreement are inventive, genre-defying Icelandic instrumental duo, Hugar, and New York based post-classical composer, Eydís Evensen.

Sony Music Masterworks President, Mark Cavell noted: “We are excited to be working with the creative and experienced team at Wise Music Group to further grow our business in the UK and around the world. By bringing together the incomparable skills and experience of both teams, we can offer artists the best possible home for their recorded and published works.”

Wise Music Group Head of Classical Publishing, James Rushton said: “We are delighted to be able to explore hand in glove with our long-time friends Sony Music Masterworks new relationships with new writers. The potential of the resultant joined-up thinking of our creative teams is indeed exciting.”

The agreement further enhances Masterworks’ portfolio of offerings and continues a series of strategic growth initiatives in support of its compelling roster of major artists. This includes the company’s acquisition of a 100% stake in Raymond Gubbay Ltd (RGL), the legendary music, ballet and event promoter; the acquisition of Milan Records, an international leader in film and television scores and soundtracks, the acquisition of a majority stake in Senbla, acclaimed concert promotion and production company, the formation of RoadCo, a new booking agency specializing in live events and attractions for viewers of all ages, and most recently, the acquisition of a majority stake in Terrapin Station Entertainment, distinguished U.S.-based artist management and production company.

Wise Music Group is an acknowledged and trusted global leader in its field. It owns or controls nearly half a million copyrights – including the world’s largest independent holding of historic and contemporary classical music – as well as a huge range of popular songs spanning every genre. The group represents nearly 100 of today’s most successful living composers and songwriters working in classical music, opera, ballet, pop, film, television and advertising.

Composers include Hans Abrahamsen, Ólafur Arnalds, Samuel Barber, John Corigliano, Ludovico Einaudi, Philip Glass, Aram Khachaturian, Missy Mazzoli, Olivier Messiaen, Francis Poulenc, Sergei Prokofiev, Kaija Saariaho, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Dmitri Shostakovich, Jean Sibelius, Igor Stravinsky, Tan Dun, Joby Talbot, John Tavener and Anna Thorvaldsdóttir.