"Themify the theme." 

That's the ethos behind Mason Bates' teaching style, and one of the main things he always repeats to his students, "It's a bit of a whimsical concept," Bates said, "But it basically means: It looks like there is supposed to be a theme here, can we make that a theme? With a clear beginning, middle, and end?" 

While this concept on its surface may appear composition-specific, according to Bates it can apply to anyone in music. "Whether you're a composer or a violin player, the basic idea is the same, you're working on technique," Bates continued, "What is your intention with this part, and are you doing everything you can to make it happen successfully?" 

Mason Bates.

'Themify the theme' comes down to making deliberate decisions about writing and creating music, "What is the harmony around this and how do you orchestrate this? All of these things are techniques that are as basic as scales," Bates added. "In composition the technique will be, how do you create a melody, with a beginning, a middle and an end." This concept can broaden well beyond melody to, for example, form and architecture. "What is the intended effect of this passage – or movement – and how can we most effectively achieve it?"

Bates is one of the most widely-performed symphonic composers of his generation and known for writing innovative, classically-conceived orchestral works that incorporate techniques derived from his career as a DJ and techno artist. He's been on SFCM faculty since 2014. 

From concept to concert stage, Bates wants students to make meaningful choices at every point in the process, "We are trying to take the composer's intention, and make sure it makes it through the composer's head, into reality, and into a performance. In order to make that happen you need craft, and that is what we teach."

Off the concert stage and outside the classroom, Bates' other passion is inspiring students to try new things outside their comfort zone, "Living creatively is as important as composing creatively," Bates said. Working under the name DJ Masonic, Bates has developed a post-classical rave reputation that has integrated classical music and electronica to packed crowds in collaborations with clubs and orchestras around the country. "All musicians now need to be curators, not just programmers, and thinking about the experience." 

Bates works with a student in Studio G.

This work around creating musical experiences outside the norm will translate into casting a wider net for audiences, and not only usher classical music into a new era, but bring audiences with them. One of Bates' goals is to advance what it means to be a modern musician and what it means to be classical music fan, "There are so many people who want to go to classical music concerts but feel like they can't because they don't understand it," Bates continued, "We need to make it more welcoming." 

Learn more about studying Composition at SFCM.