Oscar-Winning Composer Stephen Schwartz Signs Publishing Admin Deal With UMPG

Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) has signed Academy Award and Grammy-winning composer Stephen Schwartz to an exclusive global administration agreement. 

Schwartz has also received six Tony nominations for composing the music for such shows as Godspell, Pippin and Wicked, which is being turned into a two-part Universal Pictures film starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. 

Schwartz has won three Oscars: best score and best song (“Colors of the Wind”) for Pocahontas and best song for “When You Believe” from The Prince of Egypt. The 2009 Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee has also won four Grammys for his work on Godspell, Pocahontas and Wicked. 

UMPG president of North America Evan Lamberg said in a statement, “Stephen Schwartz is one of the greatest generational hit songwriters of all time. From Wicked to The Magic Show, to all his wonderful songs for animated features and so much more, it’s a true honor for Jody Gerson and myself to welcome Stephen to our UMPG family as his global music publisher.” 

Schwartz, who was previously with Warner Chappell, added, “I am very much looking forward to working with Evan Lamberg and his superb team at UMPG. I value the great expertise and imagination they bring, and I have already experienced their high level of support and encouragement.  I know we’ll enjoy this adventure together.”

Other credits for Schwartz include composing the opera Séance on a Wet Afternoon, which was performed at Opera Santa Barbara and NY City Opera. He collaborated with fellow UMPG composer Leonard Bernstein on the English texts for Bernstein’s Mass and has also composed several frequently performed choral pieces.