And the response was: " From: "Thomas Matyas" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> David, Delians - I have found an application form on the Apple website that allows independent artists or record labels to submit their music for sale on iTunes. Here¹s the URL: https://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZLabel.woa/wa/apply I haven¹t applied myself, so I¹m not sure what hoops they make one jump through to be considered, but it might be worth a try.
- Tom Matyas" ----- Original Message ----- From: "Roman Turovsky" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Lutelist" <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, January 20, 2007 8:54 AM Subject: For ambitious lutenists - iTunes > This came up on the Delian listserv: > > From: "nnamelet" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > >> I'm not sure my earlier memo to Joe Ford got to members' attention but >> recent information has emerged that the classical music category in >> Apple's iTunes is reporting a nearly unbelievable 12% of all downloads. >> That might put it ahead of rock, oldies, new age, jazz, Christian music, >> Spanish, etc.It could be just behind major popular genres like urban >> adult, adult contemporary, country, and rhythmic (i.e. hip hop), using >> the Arbitron categories for music types. >> >> Given the fact that only 2.2% of national radio listeners choose >> classical programs (Arbitron) and CD recordings are well below 3% >> (Billboard), this rating for classical music downloads will come as a >> tremendous surprise to many musicians and educated people. It will not >> be a surprise to the readers of the Knight Foundation report on American >> Symphonies. (See my blog on the report: >> http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2004/July04/View_tough.htm >> ). >> >> The Knight Foundation's 10-year, 10$million study reported polls in many >> cities where participating symphony orchestras were located. These showed >> that up to a quarter or more of the public had an interest or potential >> interest in classical music. However, only around 4% were interested in >> buying tickets for live events like symphonies. >> >> I am sure the iTunes people don't make mistakes in their stats. When we >> realize that iPod-iTunes has 75% of the burgeoning download market, then >> it is clear that there's something enormously important here. I won't go >> into details now but I'll offer my own simple explanation of the iTunes >> results. >> >> Everywhere else - in concerts, classical radio, etc. you get what >> somebody else wants to give you. You have more choice in classical CD's, >> but these suffer from somebody elses' programming, packaging - the >> uncertainties and confusion about knowing what to order (especially for >> newcomers to classical music) and the cost of getting what you don't >> want with what you do. In iTunes people are free to shop a large and >> diverse set of offerings of every music genre under the sun. They can >> listen to short segments of the music and then download only what they >> want at an affordable cost. Classical is subdivided into subcategories, >> where one can also find include introductions to classical music, >> favorite composers, and other attractive organizational features. >> >> One of iTunes classical categories is NEW MUSIC. When I checked this >> out, I found it a jumble of styles dominated by pretentious obscurantism, >> nihilism, minimalism, etc. There';s certainly a coterie (though perhaps >> small) of enthusiasts for this material - and iTunes offers whatever it >> gets. >> >> But here's the opportunity: if Delians got collective heads together >> with other likeminded composers that may be out there in the closet, I >> feel quite sure that a new category of music, say "New tonal", "New >> traditional classic" or you pick a catchy name, would be accepted by >> iTunes managers. They're probably open to new ideas or they wouldn't work >> for Apple. And they are NOT partly beholden to the establishment, as >> are even some of the best recording labels like NAXOS. >> >> I think you composers (you lucky ones, I'm merely a music consumer and >> writer-strategist) can grasp the potential. Your meaningful work should >> and can be clearly separated from the ordinary "new music" genre, which >> may be browsed by curious newbies as well as more experienced music >> lovers, but will probably get a bad image by the majority. The >> establishment musicians may be little conversant with iTunes as yet. But >> I suspectmost may not be thrilled with the New Music category, because >> there may be too many flaky or unrespectable recordings represented. >> Respectability in the right circles is all important to modern >> establishment musicians. >> >> Remember, too, that the huge audience for iTunes isn't just American, but >> has a growing global component - all on an even playing field. >> >> Now having ballyhooed this opportunity, I want to warn against rushing in >> to take advantage of it prematurely. I think It's too valuable to not >> exploit to maximum advantage and impact. If there's a critical mass of >> Delian members who share my idea that this poses a significant >> opportunity, then I suggest first that you noise it around, but only to >> people who are in sympathy with the Delian philosophies and goals. >> >> Then, if the idea of concerted action has support, perhaps we can >> carefully build an agreed-upon consensus plan for introducing a new >> category with attractively prepared and illustrated offerings. >> Simultaneous newsreleases and articles, prepared after appropriate >> background research, would help this palace revolt become big news right >> away- and attract large and curious audiences. >> >> I think of the indignities wrongly visited on Joe Ford and other of you >> composers: >> >> "Most of my work has never been heard in any but homemade electronic >> versions--but at least MIDI and mp3s can give some impression for anyone >> who's interested. The digital age has, in that respect, been a godsend >> to us composers!" >> >> Well, I suggest that we're only at the beginning of a potentially new >> era, in which the barriers erected by the professional music >> establishment, walling off "classical composition" as its private >> fiefdom, can be potentially torn down! >> >> I tell you frankly, this is the most important potential breakthrough to >> restore the hijacked tradition of meaningful musical composition that >> I've seen in my lifetime. I think it's worth devoting time and effort to >> getting it right, and I'm eager to hear what others think. >> >> Frank >> >> > To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
