'Groove over the orchestra'

Mason Bates, the Richmond-bred composer now in residence with the Chicago Symphony, will introduce his "Mothership" for orchestra, electronica and improvising soloists with conductor Michael Tilson Thomas and the YouTube Symphony in their March 20 concert and worldwide webcast from the Sydney Opera House in Australia.

Bates discussed the evolution of his melding of electronic and symphonic sounds on NPR's "All Things Considered" over the weekend:

www.npr.org/2011/03/13/134457684/mason-bates-electronica-meet-orchestra

The webcast, beginning at 8 p.m. (EDT) March 20, can be heard here:

http://yt-symphony.appspot.com/finale