UK-headquartered classical music publisher Faber Music has acquired UK-based publisher and composer agency Manners McDade.
Described as a “seven-figure share deal,” the transaction includes both the Manners McDade composer agency and publishing companies.
UK-based Manners McDade agency, founded in 2001 by Catherine Manners, represents media composers and artists working in film, television, advertising and games in the UK.
Its roster includes Oli Julian (Sex Education, Catastrophe) Jessica Jones (Tinder Swindler), Vince Pope (You & Me, Misfits), Tim Phillips (Bad Sisters), Matthew Herbert (The Responder, Noughts & Crosses), Lindsay Wright & Tawiah (Without Sin) and Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch, who scored the Oscar-nominated film Living starring Bill Nighy.
The publishing catalogs of instrumental & and electronic artists such as Nils Frahm, Max Cooper, Poppy Ackroyd, Aisha Devi, Büsra Kayikçi and Balmorhea are also part of Manners McDade’s portfolio.
“Perfect synergies exist between the company and our own composer agency and commercial rights business, including shared beliefs in the values of creativity, integrity and fierce independence.”
Richard Paine, Faber Music
These catalogs have achieved considerable success in the sync area, says Faber Music.
The acquisition by Faber Music will see Manners McDade’s artists joining the existing roster of Faber Music’s agency clients, including Marc Canham, Paul Haslinger, David Mitcham, Marc Sylvan and Ayanna Witter-Johnson, and its film/TV publishing composers who include Carl Davis, Paul Englishby, Dan Jones, Howard Goodall, Sarah Warne and Stephen Warbeck.
Following the deal, Faber Music says it will create a new international creative hub under Commercial Rights & Business Affairs Director Richard Paine.
Manners McDade also says it “will preserve its brand after the acquisition” and will be headed by the company’s Managing Director Harriet Moss.
“In Manners McDade, Catherine Manners has created a composer-centred business that has legions of admirers here and overseas.
“Perfect synergies exist between the company and our own composer agency and commercial rights business, including shared beliefs in the values of creativity, integrity and fierce independence.
“We look forward to building on Catherine’s amazing legacy’,” said Paine.
The acquisition came over three years after Faber Music joined IMPEL, the international collective licensing agency representing digital publishing rights that is 100% owned and controlled by its members.
Other members include independent publishers such as Bucks Music Group, Beggars Music, Reservoir Music, Kassner Music CTM, ABKCO and Truelove Music.
In January 2019, Faber Music signed a publishing administration agreement with Downtown Music Publishing for the music feature film Cats, based on T.S. Eliot’s poetry collection Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats.
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