MILWAUKEE, WI ( Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra) - 10/04/2005 - The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra announced the launch today of MSO Classics, an e-label created specifically for digital distribution of its recordings at the iTunes
Music Store and other digital music stores and services, including Yahoo! Music, Napster, RealNetworks Rhapsody, and MusicNet outlets including AOL, Virgin, and HMV, via a worldwide digital distribution deal with IODA, the Independent Online Distribution Alliance. The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra is the first American orchestra to distribute, through digital music stores, recordings previously unavailable for purchase. Performances on "MSO Classics," an e-label owned by the Symphony, will be available for 90 days, beginning today, exclusively on the iTunes
Music Store - the world's most popular digital music store.
"The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra has always been a pioneer - in the world of new music, through innovative programming and by being the first American orchestra to visit Cuba," said Andreas Delfs, MSO Music Director. "Now a new age for classical music distribution has begun, and we are pioneers once again."
MSO Classics' catalog is comprised of more than 300 live works recorded from 1970 to 2005 for its long-running national radio broadcast series. Among its inaugural set of 14 releases, MSO Classics will offer the world premiere recording of a Milwaukee Symphony commission, "Symphony No. 3," by Puerto-Rican born composer Roberto Sierra, taped just weeks ago at its debut performance. Additional titles include works of Brahms, Beethoven, Mozart, Dvorak, Mussorgsky, and Haydn.
"This is an important milestone both for the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and the American orchestra industry," said Robert Levine, MSO musician and chairman emeritus of the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians. "For the first time, an American orchestra is making available its archives on iTunes and other commercial download sites, finally realizing the promise of the groundbreaking AF of M (American Federation of Musicians) Internet Agreement of 2000."
Although language regarding internet distribution of their work has existed in a national musician's union contract for over 5 years, many groups have found the logistics and details of royalties, payment, distribution, and contracts to be insurmountable hurdles in getting e-distribution. The terms of the Milwaukee local agreement makes payment to musicians, conductors, soloists, and publishers on a revenue-sharing basis rather than traditional advance payments.
The MSO's online distribution will give worldwide access to performances that have never been made available commercially. "The Internet provides the Milwaukee Symphony with a direct and unique link to listeners across the globe," said Mark Hanson, MSO President and Executive Director.
"We are thrilled to welcome the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and MSO Classics to the roster of IODA-distributed labels," said IODA founder and CEO Kevin Arnold. "IODA's industry-leading technology solution for licensing, metadata management, and royalty administration is a great fit for ground-breaking organizations like MSO that are charting new territory for classical music in the digital world."
