Innovative by Design
Evolution of Technology at the
Canadian M i C t
C di Music Centre

A little bit about us…
Elisabeth Bihl

Founded in 1959 the CANADIAN MUSIC
1959,
CENTRE is Canada’s only organization mandated
to house and actively promote and disseminate the
music of Canada’s classical music composers
within Canada and internationally.
As a primary resource for scores, parts, recordings
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and information about Canadian composition, the
CMC is an essential body in the cultural
landscape.

Business Functions
• Archival Collections all works (approx. 500-600 yr.)
upon arrival are digitized along with sound/score
i l di iti d l ith d/
samples
• Library Services above works are catalogued, made
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accessible to public via online database for loan
• Music Publishing Services prints unpublished
scores for sales and parts for orchestral rentals to
customers around world
• Communications and Product development
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CMC e-newsletter,press releases, marketplace outreach
• Recording and Distributions
Centrediscs label, and Indie Distributor

IN 1999 CMC HAD A VISION
Digitization - the beginning
• 1999 - CMC became Xerox beta testing site for score scanning
software
• 2000 – Digitization begins of music score and audio collections
• 2002 – Development of a comprehensive web strategy with web
design company Ecentricarts
• 2003 – www.musiccentre.ca
– new interactive, e-commerce enabled website
– fully searchable library database,
– digital score and sound clips,
– composer bios extensive links
bios, links,
– dedicated Associate Services section,
– CMC Boutique (sample and buy),
– digital submissions of composer works
– i t
interactive and i t
ti d interconnected t l
t d tools,
• 2003 - Re-alignment of CMC staff to match our new digital reality.
Significant changes to operational and organizational
structures make delivery of our services more accessible,
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relevant to a broad range of user groups.

Web 2.0 Environment: A new Roadmap
• 2005 – Awarded best website design at World Expo in
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Aichi Japan
• 2006 - AV Trust Audio Digitization conversion of
entire 9000 plus archival recordings
• 2007 - Online Audio Gallery on website (full
recordings and video)
• 2007 - DDownloadable repertoire guides
l d bl t i id
• 2007 - New online model for Interactive
Composer profiles (Influences of Many Musics)
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• 2007 - CMC new Strategic/ Business Plan and
Stakeholder Survey (Digital Library)

In progress
2008 and beyond
• Centediscs label
• Podcasts
• Online Downloads
• Website: Improved interactivity through user communities
• User Accounts
• Online order Processing
• More interactive contributions, feedback, and connectivity
• Library:
• F ll a dio streaming
Full audio
• Online perusal of full scores and other musical artifacts
• Online listings of Associate non-collection materials from bios
• Digitization of composer vertical files
• Online Exhibitions and enriched composer profiles
• Music Publishing:
• Digital score transfer / download sales
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How can we help you?
User Access
Michelle Arbuckle

Where are we now?

Online Catalogue

Automated Request System

User Access Challenge
How d we give our users
H do i
digital access to our collection?
Ie. Scores and recordings

User Access:
The A di Response
Th Audio R
Online Streaming
• Grant money received from AV Trust to
deliver audio archive through streaming
• Work flow:
• Conversion of .wav files to .mp3
• Metadata clean-up – tied to scores
• Mental challenge of rethinking “collection”.
collection

Ann Southam Digital Audio Archive
• Includes all tracks from audio archive
archive.
• P
Password protected, available t lib
d t t d il bl to library
patrons.
• Will not include commercial recordings –
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these must still be purchased from
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Centrediscs or listened to in library.

User Access: Scores
Pdf On Screen Viewer
On-Screen
• Scores were already digitized
• Debate over how to present them to users
• Completely free/downloadable vs. View only vs. Commercial
loaning software
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• Unpublished collection can be viewed online in
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tandem with archived recording.
• Ultimately will assist in programming decisions.

Ensuring User Access

Steven & Greg talk
eCommerce
Steven Foster
Gregory Newsome

eCommerce
Where We Are Now
Audio - Centrediscs & CMCDS
• Physical product available through
Ph sical prod ct a ailable thro gh regional offices and online bo tiq e
boutique.
• Few opportunities for distribution to “traditional” vendors (ie. HMV).
New vendor models (big box stores) ill-suited to classical music.
• CMC i an “
is “arts service” organization” – f
i ” i i ” few marketing resources
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• Dwindling broadcast options – the “new CBC Radio 2”

eCommerce Challenge
How do we leverage online resources to broadly distribute our
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products – in the most efficient manner?
• Independent Online Distribution Alliance (IODA) – www.iodalliance.com
1) Network of digital retail partners includes all the major distributors (iTunes,
Amazon, eMusic, Puretracks, etc.) as well as newly emerging outlets.
2) Over 300 online and mobile retailers around the world.
3) Claim to have the most efficient delivery and content management systems
in the business.
• MaGaDa
1) Provides export services for physical product to e-retailers worldwide –
current focusing on France & Germany
2) Maintains relationships with suppliers and retailers through an online
interface

eCommerce Response - IODA
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CMC Music Services
Balancing Mandate Fulfillment
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and Revenue Generation
Gregory Newsome

CMC Music Services
Overview
O i
Acquire
• Manuscript, PDF
Digitize
• Scan, Clean
Reproduce
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• Specialized Print Shop
Sell
(Redirect)

CMC Music Services
Where We Are Now
Wh W A N
Starts with CMC Catalogue: a Shared Resource
• Library
• Music Services
Conversion: Visitor to Customer
• Passive
Fill Order or Redirect
• Semi-automated

CMC Music Services
Future Directions
F Di i
Targeted Marketing
• Active Visitor Conversion
• Long Tail Theory
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• “Packaging” Content
Increased Automation
• Integrated Shipping
• Public Pricing
Online Partnerships
• Redirect Commission

Greg talks
Internal Infrastructure

Internal Infrastructure
Where We Are Now
Wh W A N
CMC s
CMC’s internal organization is now largely
technology or web-based, i.e.
• Interlibrary loan
• Royalty payments
• Scanning
CMC catalogue represents most internal
workflows, i.e.
• From acquisition to library shelf
• From order to delivery

Internal Infrastructure
Case Studies

Internal Infrastructure
Music Services Order Queue
– Custom web-based tool that manages the life
cycle of an order
– Integrated with user side of CMC website and
Simply Accounting
– We programmed the internal workflow, and
transformed a staff position
– Point
• Automate wherever possible
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• Build a custom software solution if necessary

Internal Infrastructure
Influences of Many Musics Project
– Explores the lives and works of forty
internationally-born Canadian composers
– Primary goals
• Education
• Promotion
– Built a scalable, custom content management
system into CMC catalogue
– Point
• Leverage special p j
g p projects for long-term gain
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Internal Infrastructure
Simply Accounting
– Network-based accounting software
– Different accounting software in different
departments led to complex account
reconciliation, royalty payment process
– Switched to Simply Accounting last year
• Web integration with Music Se ces O de Queue
eb eg a o us c Services Order
– Point
• Centralize and standardize wherever possible
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Internal Infrastructure
Summary
– Automate wherever possible
– Build a custom software solution if necessary
– Leverage special projects for long-term gain
– Centralize and standardize wherever possible

Steven Communicates

Communications
Where We Are Now
• Newsletters – e-mail & physical format
• Regional e blasts
e-blasts
• Regularly updated web content – press
releases, news,
releases news event information etc
information, etc.
• CBC Radio 2 has functioned as a
communications partner

Communications
Challenges
Ch ll
• How can we engage users and provide exposure f
H d id for
specific “products” as well as the collection in general?
• How can we convert users to purchasers once they
have been exposed to our music?
• How can we personalize our communications
strategies and target specific user groups?

Communication Response – Exposure
Podcast – Sounds New Online Education Projects
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Audio Heritage Project External Web Radio
Blogs & Social Networking

Communication Response
Conversion
• Take advantage of every opportunity to move user from discovery to action – ie.
direct access to item listing in database from podcast page, provide options for
further exploration of similar materials.
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• Establish internal links within the collection - ie. works that appear in multiple
format (study score, rental parts, archival audio, commercial recording, etc.)
Personalized / Targeted Communications
Zookoda User Accounts

Future Directions

Future Web Strategy
• CONTENT: Make more primary content
accessible.
• USABILITY M k it easier t di
USABILITY: Make i to discover
new music.
• COMMUNITY: Foster a participatory
community of users that contribute new
forms of content.

Thank You ☺