08.01.24
Wise Music Group announced today the sale of its music education division, including MusicFirst, Rising Software, Charanga, O-Generator, and Focus on Sound to the private equity firm Achieve Partners.
Robert Wise, Chairman of Wise Music Group, commented: “This milestone represents the culmination of several years of strategic transformation for Wise Music Group. By entrusting our education businesses to Achieve Partners, we are confident that these brands will continue to thrive under their stewardship. At the same time, we can now fully dedicate ourselves to our core mission of music publishing with clarity and purpose, reinforcing our position as the leading independent in the industry.”
Wise Music Group plans to reinvest the capital raised from the sale of its education division to fund acquisitions of music copyrights and other music publishing assets. Recent purchases include Edition Peters, a prestigious German classical music publisher and the original publisher of composers such as Beethoven, Strauss, and John Cage; and the publishing rights to The Zombies’ iconic catalogue, featuring hits like “Time of the Season” and “She’s Not There”. Additionally, Wise Music has acquired publishing and recording interests in the works of jazz legend Thelonious Monk, including classics such as “Round Midnight” and “Straight, No Chaser”. The company also remains committed to nurturing its contemporary roster of over 100 composers, recently securing exclusive publishing rights to Volker Bertelmann (Oscar winner), Ólafur Arnalds, The Staves, and members of Apparat/Moderat.
Achieve Partners will bring its unique expertise in education technology to bear on accelerating the development of all five educational brands, expanding their reach in ways that advance the role of technology in education while also prioritizing the unique needs of the music education community. Dr. Jim Frankel, Managing Director of MusicFirst and the combined businesses, stated: “Partnering with Achieve Partners opens an exciting new chapter for MusicFirst. Their dedication to innovation in education technology aligns perfectly with our vision, and we look forward to expanding our reach and impact in music education.” Troy Williams, Managing Director at Achieve Partners, added: “We are delighted to welcome Wise Music Group’s entire suite of ground-breaking education tools to the Achieve family. These companies have a remarkable track record of delivering innovative music education solutions to schools, teachers, and students worldwide. This is about not just supporting their continued growth, but also ensuring that they continue to set the standard in digital music education.”
About MusicFirst
MusicFirst is the premier online music education platform. It has revolutionized music learning through its innovative technology and software bundles. MusicFirst’s sister companies include: Charanga, Focus on Sound, O-Generator and Rising Software. To learn more about MusicFirst, please visit musicfirst.com.
About Achieve Partners
Achieve Partners is engineering the future of learning and earning by investing in cutting-edge technologies and novel business models to bolster skill development and secure the future of work for millions of Americans. By harnessing digital transformation, Achieve helps teachers, administrators, and schools improve student learning and outcomes. To learn more about Achieve Partners, please visit achievepartners.com.