Deutsche Grammophon President Promoted with New Strategic Classical Role

Clemens Trautmann's role will be expanded to seek new opportunities for UMG's classical labels and artists

Universal Music Group’s Global Classics & Jazz division announced that President of Deutsche Grammophon Dr. Clemens Trautmann will take on an expanded classical role, effective immediately.

He has been promoted to President of Deutsche Grammophon and New Business Strategy, Global Classics where he will seek new opportunities across the breadth of UMG’s classical labels and artist rosters. This appointment aims to strengthen Universal’s position in the classical genre, plus attract new audiences.

Clemens Trautmann is a Juilliard-trained clarinetist and digital media executive. He has served as President of Deutsche Grammophon for the past nine years. In that time, he has worked with many leading international artists — from Daniel Barenboim, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Lang Lang and Hilary Hahn to Max Richter and John Williams — and overseen the signings of such artists as Víkingur Ólafsson, Joe Hisaishi, Hildur Guðnadóttir, Seong-Jin Cho, Yannick Nézet-Séguin and María Dueñas.

Trautmann has also been responsible for the creation of STAGE+, the global live-streaming and on-demand platform for classical music, the Max Richter Sleep app, the acquisition of several independent audio and video catalogs, long-term brand partnerships with Google and Volkswagen, and the expansion of its live performance series Yellow Lounge to Asia. Under his leadership, Deutsche Grammophon releases have so far been recognized with 13 GRAMMY Awards.

"Clemens has an entrepreneurial spirit in the classical space and I’m thrilled he is taking on this unique new role," said Dickon Stainer, Chairman of Global Classics & Jazz. "His proven track record and passion for innovation will help bring UMG’s classical artists and labels even greater opportunities globally.”

“Together with my colleagues at Deutsche Grammophon and Global Classics, I am passionately committed to the ever-evolving genre of classical music and to creating ambitious opportunities for our community of outstanding artists, enabling synergies between recorded music, publishing and our partners in the live performance space and employing technology to convey the most impressive and lasting musical experiences,” Trautmann added.