St. Olaf Records Goes Digital
From radio broadcasts and vinyl records to tape decks and compact discs, St. Olaf Records has delivered the recordings of St. Olaf College’s music ensembles to audiences through every popular medium. That tradition continues as St. Olaf Records has entered a formal partnership with Naxos Music Group to become one of the company’s distributed labels.
Not only will Naxos handle the distribution of physical products (CDs, vinyl LPs, and DVDs), but more critically, it also will assist in the digital distribution of St. Olaf Records’ discography of nearly 100 recorded titles to digital service providers that include Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube, and many more.
To date, more than 65 titles from the St. Olaf Records back catalog have been fully distributed to digital and streaming platforms, featuring recordings by nine ensembles, including the St. Olaf Band, St. Olaf Choir, and St. Olaf Orchestra. Additionally, titles from the back catalog are still forthcoming, the bulk of which are recordings of the annual St. Olaf Christmas Festival.
“In order to reach current and new audiences, it was imperative for us to get our music to where people consume music most: streaming,” says Jean Parish ’88, director of College Relations for Music Organizations. “The flexibility of the digital distribution model will enable us to curate new releases composed of both previously performed and new works, showcasing the highest level of artistry for which our ensembles are well known.”
While select projects will be curated for distribution through St. Olaf Records, the extensive online archive of past and future concert streams produced by the college will continue to highlight the breadth of St. Olaf music ensembles, offering our audiences the continued ability to listen to everything we produce.
Planning is currently underway for new releases, and all listeners and fans of St. Olaf Music are invited to follow and subscribe to St. Olaf Records’ artists on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, or wherever they consume music.
“It was imperative for us to get our music to where people consume music most.” Jean Parish ’88
Connor Boritzke Smith is assistant director of St. Olaf Music Organizations