Changes at Decca

[Richard]

Hello everybody!

This is an interesting news item from The Gramophone.

All change at Decca
February 20 2006

After 17 years, Costa Pilavachi is stepping down from the Decca Music Group, where he was most recently president. In his place, a change in job title sees Bogdan Rošcic – currently vice president, A&R at Deutsche Grammophon – become managing director of the Decca Music Group. Rošcic joined DG in 2003, having previously been managing director of Universal Music Austria. He will report to Christopher Roberts, president of classics & jazz at Universal Music Group International.

Pilavachi, meanwhile, will ‘explore key new business opportunities in classical music for the group’, according to a company statement, though terms have yet to be agreed.

Decca Music Group, which includes the Philips Classics label, boasts an artist roster including Cecilia Bartoli, Alfred Brendel, Renée Fleming, Valery Gergiev, Luciano Pavarotti and Mitsuko Uchida, as well as – in partnership with other Universal Music companies – Andrea Bocelli and Hayley Westenra.

Roberts said, ‘Bogdan has been a huge part of the recent success and revitalisation of Deutsche Grammophon, and I am confident he will bring the same focus, intelligence and artistic knowledge and passion to his new position.’

‘I would like to offer my heartfelt appreciation to Costa for the dedication and achievements he has brought to the Philips and Decca labels over the last 17 years,’ Roberts added.

Martin Cullingford, The Gramophone

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Richard

[roger]

I had the pleasure of meeting Costa Pilavachi on a couple of occasions, albeit incredibly briefly. It was not unusual to see him in the audience at Hayley's concerts in London. He was with her at the Classical Brit Awards in 2004 and 2005. He attended her concert for UNICEF at Canada House in November 2004, he was at the concert in Piccadilly (also attended by so many of the HWI team) in September last year and he was even at the signing session in HMV a few days later. But before any of that, it was Costa who flew to New Zealand to sign Hayley in the first place.

I also heard him express his genuine appreciation to Keith for everything that HWI does in order to promote Hayley.

Costa, HWI wish you well in your new role and thank you sincerely for everything you have done for Hayley.

Roger

[stevemacdonald]

This news story is hardly "off topic".

Costa has been a huge driving force in Hayley's career. Not only did he "bring her up to the majors" as we Yanks would say, he went out of his way to support her at concerts and special appearances around the world.

Yes, Hayley is one of Decca's hottest properties and he was wise to look after her so diligently, but he was also one of the most decent and unassuming individuals who could have been placed in that position.

Several of us who post in here met Costa at Hayley's Takashimaya appearance in New York City (Oct 84). I was wearing my blue HWI sweatshirt that Keith sent me earlier in the year and this caught his eye and he personally thanked me for wearing the shirt that day. I didn't know this was Costa himself who was chatting me up until a moment later when Steve Abbot introduced him.

I remember telling Costa that Hayley had the most beautiful voice I'd ever heard in my life. When Hayley continued singing for us he had a look of complete enrapturement on his face. All of us should be so lucky to have a mentor that profoundly appreciative of our work.

So now with Costa shifting gears it's a whole new Decca cards for Hayley.

[Dave]

stevemacdonald said:

This news story is hardly "off topic".

Costa has been a huge driving force in Hayley's career.

Quite right Steve - moved to Miscellaneous.

I agree entirely about Costa, as "The Boss" he has been highly influential in Hayley's career from the moment he first heard her NZ album being played in London, all those years ago (2001?).

Hayley could not at that moment have even guessed that soon, she would be leaving her beloved homeland for all but a handful of weeks each year, at the start of what is sure to be a long and successful International Career - if that is what she wants.

Who knows what would have happened if Costa Pilavachi had not heard that CD being played on that day. Not only Hayley but all her fans too should be immensely grateful for what he did; I know I am!

Cheers, Dave

[Richard]

I would also like to thank Costa for all he has done for Hayley, and I wish him every success in his new role.

Richard

[Dave]

Hi guys,

There is a follow-up story to this in The Gramophone online today (thanks to Google Alerts). Costa Pilavachi has now joined EMI Classics as label president; EMI is not part of the Universal group and is one of its biggest rivals.

Perhaps Costa did not like losing his position as President of Decca; or perhaps the move to EMI was all planned in advance and Costa gave everyone plenty of notice of what was to come? But of course, Universal would then want to replace him immediately as President of Decca. Who knows?

EMI classics appoints new president June 1 2006

Decca president Costa Pilavachi is to move to EMI Classics as label president, where he will succeed Richard Lyttelton who retires in July.

Costa Pilavachi

After several positions in arts administration Pilavachi joined Philips in 1989 as vice president of A&R in The Netherlands, and was promoted to president of Philips Music Group in 1997. In 1999 he took on the additional role of president of Decca and in the same year consolidated Decca and Philips Classics into a single organisation, the Decca Music Group, based in London.

His career he seen him work with artists across the classical and crossover spectrum, including Luciano Pavarotti, Andrea Bocelli, Cecilia Bartoli, Renée Fleming and Valery Gergiev, as well as working with million-selling album artists Bond, Russell Watson and Hayley Westenra.

In a joint statement, Alain Levy and David Munns, EMI Music's chairman and vice chairman said, 'We are delighted to welcome Costa to EMI in this important role. His knowledge and passion for classical music make him the ideal person to build on the unrivalled history of EMI Classics and take it to the next level, both creatively and commercially.'

Charlotte Smith

Dave

[Richard]

Hello Dave and everybody!

This is very interesting news, especially as Becky Jane Taylor is signed to EMI Classics. Perhaps she will start to get the promotion she deserves with Costa in charge!

Best Wishes,

Richard

[Raymond]

Thank you for the news.

Raymond