28 September 2004

Atoll Records, Rattle Records and Trust Records (ART) announced today the appointment of Codaex UK Ltd to distribute their combined catalogue of some 100 classical music CDs. Codaex UK will also act as the distribution hub for its associated European companies in France, Germany, and Belgium.

ART have been working with Codaex for nearly a year to finalise the arrangement, and it is the first of a number of anticipated appointments to be made in the short- to medium-term.

Said Tjerk Sekeris, Managing Director, Codaex UK Ltd: "It is a delight to represent Atoll, Rattle and Morrison Trust CDs in the UK. It is good to know that these recordings from New Zealand that have greatly enriched music and cultural life in that part of the world will now have the chance to do so in the UK. These recordings are a wonderful resource that will attract both collectors and new audiences alike".

In 2002 the three record labels began to work together on overseas marketing and distribution initiatives. ART has received funding from Creative New Zealand for this initiative, and support was also received from the New Zealand Music Industry Commission and NZTE (formerly TradeNZ) to attend MIDEM in 2003.

Some of the first classical CDs to be released by Codaex this month are
• Fragments - Music by John Psathas performed by Stephen Gosling, Jeremy Fitzsimons and the New Zealand String Quartet (Trust Records)
• Islands - Music of Christopher Blake performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (Atoll Records)
• Te Hekenga-a-rangi - music performed on traditional Maori instruments by Richard Nunns and the late Hirini Melbourne (Rattle Records)