Hal Leonard Forms Joint Venture with Music Sales

June 23, 2009 - PRLog -- MILWAUKEE – Hal Leonard Chairman and CEO Keith Mardak, and Robert Wise, Chairman and Managing Director of the Music Sales Group, today announced the formation of Music Sales America (MSA), a new joint venture between their two companies created to expand the availability of Music Sales publications in North America.
 
With creative input from both publishers, MSA will produce publications which Hal Leonard will exclusively distribute throughout North America. As part of the long-term deal, Hal Leonard will also gain exclusive distribution rights to the entire catalog of Music Sales Corporation, and the publishers it represents. Barrie Edwards will remain the president of the US-based Music Sales Corporation.
 
Music Sales Corporation publishes songbooks and sheet music for many of the most respected artists in popular music, including AC/DC, Tori Amos, Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd, Paul Simon, Cat Stevens and many others. They boast a backlist of more than 6,500 titles, and publish over 100 new US releases a year.
 
MSA will also distribute in North America publications from the classical imprints within the Music Sales  Group, including Bosworth & Co., Chester Music, Novello & Company, J. Curwen & Sons, Edition Wilhelm Hansen, and Unión Musical Ediciones.
 
Comments Wise, “This development represents the latest chapter in the long and successful history of Hal Leonard and Music Sales working together. The formation of MSA will allow us to expand the volume, availability and distribution of Music Sales product in North America. Hal Leonard is not only our proven partner, but also the print publisher with the most extensive distribution network.”
 
Mardak states, “Music Sales is the largest print publisher in Europe, with a distinguished history and a vigorous output of new titles. We are thrilled with this new deal, which will help two thriving and distinctive publishers create new products and make the most efficient, cost-effective use of their respective resources.”

About the Music Sales Group
Based in London, Music Sales is one of the world’s leading independent music publishers, owning, managing and exploiting over 200,000 music copyrights. It is also Europe’s largest printed music publisher, distributing products worldwide. Music Sales owns a chain of retail outlets in the UK, and also owns the world’s leading e-tailer of printed music through musicroom.com.
 
About Hal Leonard Corporation
Founded in 1947, Hal Leonard Corporation (www.halleonard.com    ) is the world’s largest music print publisher, producing songbooks, sheet music, educational publications, reference books, DVDs, CD-ROMs, children’s music products and more. In its more than 120,000 publications sold worldwide, the company represents in print some of the world’s best known and most respected publishers, artists, songwriters and arrangers. Hal Leonard is headquartered in Milwaukee, WI.

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Founded in 1947, Hal Leonard is the world’s largest music print publisher, producing songbooks, sheets, educational and reference books, DVDs, CD-ROMs, children’s music products & more. Headquartered in Milwaukee, the company has 120,000+ products.