WMG Creates Arts Music Division

Warner Music Group (WMG) announced the creation of a new Arts Music division that will focus on signing, developing and marketing artists and releases across a spectrum of genres, including classical, musical theatre, jazz, children’s music, film scores and other fields generally considered to be outside the pop mainstream. Kevin Gore, who formerly served as President & CEO of WMG’s Rhino Entertainment/Global Catalog Division and President of Universal Classics U.S. has been appointed President of this new Arts Music division. The New York-based Gore reports to Eliah Seton, President of ADA Worldwide.

As part of the creation of this Arts Music division, WMG has entered into a joint venture with Sh-K-Boom/Ghostlight Records, the Grammy Award winning theatrical music company founded by Kurt Deutsch in 2000. Deutsch, who will continue to serve as President of Sh-K-Boom/Ghostlight, is based in New York and will report to Kevin Gore. Deutsch will continue to serve as SVP, Theatrical & Catalog Development for Warner/Chappell Music (WCM) and report to WCM Chairman & CEO Jon Platt.

Warner Classics will also fall under the Arts Music umbrella. Warner Classics includes its namesake label, as well as the Erato label, along with artists and repertoire that came to WMG as part of the company’s acquisition of Parlophone Records, most notably the renowned EMI Classics catalog. Under the new structure, Warner Classics & Erato President Alain Lanceron will report to Gore and continue to be based in Paris. Seton said, “By bringing together these diverse genres and labels under unified leadership, the Arts Music division will provide a dynamic, focused infrastructure devoted to nurturing outstanding artists and projects, encouraging creative cross-pollination and strengthening our capacity for growth.”