Universal Music Group‘s UK-based Decca has hired widely respected publishing exec Natasha Baldwin to launch a music publishing division dedicated to expanding opportunities for neo-classical composers to write for television, film and video games.
Decca Publishing, which launches in the UK this week, will complement Universal Music Publishing Classical (UMPC).
UMPC will represent Decca Publishing’s repertoire in the concert, opera and ballet fields and will work with Decca Publishing on synchronization and film uses and writing opportunities for its composers and repertoire.
Baldwin (pictured) joins Universal Music Group as Senior Vice President, Head of Decca Publishing from Imagem Music where she was Group President, Creative & Marketing.
Based in London, she reports directly to Dickon Stainer, President and CEO Universal Global Classics, while working closely with the senior team at Universal Music Publishing in London, New York and Santa Monica.
“Bringing together records and publishing under one roof at Decca will help us build the UK’s number one home for modern classical composers.”
Decca says the launch means it can ‘offer an aligned recording and publishing strategy for [our] artists and their unique creative projects’, such as Ludovico Einaudi’s Elements on Decca and Max Richter’s Sleep on Deutsche Grammophon.
The new division will add to Universal Music UK’s other recent soundtrack composer initiatives, such as Globe Soundtrack and Score, a label services offering for filmmakers and composers launched in conjunction with Abbey Road Studios.
David Joseph, Chairman & CEO of Universal Music UK, says: “Bringing together records and publishing under one roof at Decca will help us build the UK’s number one home for modern classical composers. Natasha’s incredible knowledge and vision for the potential of neo-classical music mean she is uniquely qualified to be its architect.”
Dickon Stainer, President and CEO, Global Classics, Universal Music Group says, “Natasha Baldwin is an exceptionally skilled and experienced publishing executive with a renowned track record.
“Her appointment will enable us to offer new publishing and synchronisation services to our classical artists and neo-classical composers, alongside the recording activities of our legendary classical labels and the world-famous Universal Music Publishing Classical catalogue.”
Natasha Baldwin says, “Using the platform of global brand campaigns, movies and media exploitation I’ve spent many years proving the versatility and accessibility of classical and neo-classical music. We’ve reached a moment where the democratisation of music discovery via streaming is giving developing genres a voice like never before. Through Decca Publishing my goal will be to amplify this offering and further broaden the impact of neo-classical music worldwide.”
“We’ve reached a moment where the democratisation of music discovery via streaming is giving developing genres a voice like never before.”
Natasha Baldwin, Decca Publishing
Baldwin was previously Group President, Creative & Marketing for Imagem Music Group, where she represented the publishing rights of rights including Elvis Presley, Pink Floyd and Mark Ronson alongside the Rogers & Hammerstein musicals and the classical Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishing composers.
Her role saw her use brand partnerships and sub-publishing deals to build the company’s footprint in developing media and emerging music markets.
Before joining the central team at Imagem in 2009 as Group VP, Synch and Creative Services, Baldwin spent seven years at Boosey & Hawkes in roles including Head of Music Consultancy (Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers) and Head of Sales (Cavendish Production Library Music).
She is Chairwoman of the MPA Education and Training Board and a speaker for BPI, AIM and MPA. She was also a UK Imagem board director.Music Business Worldwide
