American Composers Forum Receives $1 Million McKnight Endowment Grant for its Groundbreaking innova Recordings Label

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- (February 16, 2002) -- The McKnight Foundation has awarded a $1 million grant to the American Composers Forum to endow its innova Recordings label and Recording Assistance Program.
"The McKnight grant is a tremendous vote of confidence in innova and the artists we serve," said Forum senior program director Dr. Philip Blackburn, who directs the label. "This endowment will enable us to serve more artists, increase our staff, and remain at the forefront of recording and distribution technologies.

“The McKnight grant is a tremendous vote of confidence in innova and the artists we serve,” said Forum senior program director Dr. Philip Blackburn, who directs the label. “This endowment will enable us to serve more artists, increase our staff, and remain at the forefront of recording and distribution technologies.

Commercial labels are narrowing their artistic focus in order remain profitable. We maintain faith in the artists and their visions, so this grant definitely helps us buck the trend in the recording industry. McKnight’s long-standing support of innova, along with substantial support from the National Endowment for the Arts, helps us serve artists working well outside the commercial realm.”

An Alternative to Major Labels
Known for its artist-friendly policies and high-quality recordings, innova has earned an international reputation as a leading independent label. Innova releases 15 to 20 compact discs of new American music each year, ranging from new classical and jazz to world, electronic, and experimental music. Artists from larger labels are turning to innova as an increasingly-attractive alternative.

"Innova pushes the boundaries of contemporary music that is unlikely to find support in the conventional record industry," said Forum executive director Linda Hoeschler, "New releases are selected for the integrity and originality of the work, the artist’s willingness to support and promote the CD, and the technical quality of the sound recording."

Empowering Artists
Artists who publish with innova can receive a low-interest loan through the Forum’s Recording Assistance Program with no money down. They retain 100 percent of the net profit, full artistic control and all rights to their work.

"Innova offers artists the advantages of self-releasing along with the distribution benefits of being on a larger label. And because innova is a nonprofit record label -- one of the few in the country -- artists also have the financial incentive to promote their work to a wider public," Blackburn explained.

Commercial Distribution Technologies
Innova works in partnership with artists to guide them through the complexities of releasing a CD, and provides them with the technologies and industry relationships to create a buzz around their work. "Innova connects non-mainstream artists to new audiences using distribution technologies now common in the world of popular music, but strikingly absent from the world of classical and new music," Blackburn explained.
Five Web radio stations, Liquid Audio MP3 tracks, printable music scores, and a variety of purchasing options are among innova’s offerings. The label’s line of enhanced CDs allows users to access multi-media content (video, texts, graphics, interactive projects, etc.) on their personal computers, and recent titles incorporate the latest surround sound technologies. DVD releases are also in the works.


"The music industry has become an increasingly bewildering place for independent artists," Blackburn said. "Between the rapidly changing technologies and the daunting process of producing and distributing a CD, it’s no wonder many artists feel overwhelmed. That’s why we’re here – to serve artists and to champion their music to the wider world. The McKnight endowment not only assures that we will continue to do so, but that we will do so effectively, keeping a humane balance between service and business."

About innova Recordings
Founded in 1975 by the American Composers Forum, innova Recordings currently offers more than 75 titles, including Steve Heitzeg’s Emmy Award-winning "Death of the Dream" and Paul Schoenfield’s 2002 Grammy-nominated "Café Music." It has also garnered worldwide acclaim for its ASCAP-Deems Taylor Award-winning "Enclosures" series on composer and instrument-builder Harry Partch, and for its annual release of music from the Sonic Circuits International Festival of Electronic Music and Art.

For more information about innova or the Recording Assistance Program, call (651) 251-2823 or visit www.innova.mu.

About the American Composers Forum
Founded in 1973, the American Composers Forum is committed to supporting the artistic growth of composers and developing new markets for their music. With 10 chapters across the nation, the Forum offers an array of programs and services including fellowships, commissions, community residencies, educational materials, and a daily radio show. For more information visit www.ComposersForum.org.