This is an announcement from Monica O’Brien that most of you will have already heard of by now.
| IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT FROM MONICA O’BRIEN,MANAGING DIRECTOR OF WILLOW PUBLISHING New Digital Music Market Place for Catholic/Christian Music in Australia. Dear Friends, In 2021 Willow Publishing will launch a brand-new website Willow Publishing – Digital Shop and a new direction for the Company. For more than four decades Willow has served the Church by publishing and distributing music, books and resources for the worshipping community. As One Voice, our hallmark hymnal series, together with published local and international titles provide an accessible and affordable way for parishes, schools and organisations to access a diverse selection of musical styles and genres suitable for liturgy, catechesis and personal use. NEW DIGITAL SHOP Like many businesses, COVID-19 has negatively impacted us like nothing we have ever encountered before. Sales of physical products have fallen dramatically since February and we could not see improvement on the immediate horizon. When faced with the very real possibility of having to close the business we set about reimaging a future which would ensure the Australian church continues to have access to the best music and resources possible. The choice was clear… we must be innovative and respond with faith and courage. The idea of the Willow Publishing Digital Shop was born. If well supported, it will ensure that Willow continues its core mission of serving the local church and supporting Australian songwriters. The new website will launch in 2021 initially with over 2500 items. Additional titles will be added on a daily basis. Items available for purchase will include: · Mass settings· Responsorial Psalm Collections· Music Collections· Single Title Sheet Music· Recorded Music· eBooks The online, 24/7 service will include popular and new releases across various topics, musical styles and applications. To my knowledge, it will be the only online digital music service in Australia specifically serving the Catholic community and beyond. Selections will be available from Australian and international composers. CLOSURE OF DISTRIBUTION OF PHYSICAL PRODUCTS Willow’s distribution model of business in this current climate was simply no longer sustainable. Therefore, effective December 1, we will no longer provide a distribution service for physical products including music collections, CDs or books. AS ONE VOICE As One Voice continues to be the popular choice of hymns/songs for parishes and schools. Therefore, the As One Voice Vols 1 & 2 People’s Editions will continue to be available as physical hymnals. A dedicated As One Voice web page on the new site will provide details for ordering these editions. All other As One Voice products will be transitioned to digital delivery. LITURGICAL SONG SELECTIONS The new website will have advanced search options and will include a remodelled version of our popular Liturgical Song Selections, free weekly music planner. This planning tool provides music minsters with selections for every Sunday of the liturgical calendar, with options to listen to a sound sample and buy the sheet music and/or mp3 without leaving the planning tool page. ONE LICENSE In addition to providing digital products, Willow Publishing will continue to represent ONE LICENSE throughout Australia and New Zealand. CONCLUSION I have come to appreciate that crisis often brings a new direction and even though I feel somewhat nervous about the future, I am excited about creating a dedicated digital marketplace and the possibility of Willow leading in a new way for promoting music for worship. When writing this message, I realised that this is the 45th year that Willow has been serving the Church in Australia. It’s a humbling realisation that we have been blessed beyond measure and weathered many a storm. We have never been shy of taking calculated risks and changing direction when needed. I was comforted by the deep belief that God has and continues to be with us on this journey. The truth is, we will be completely at the mercy of our customers. If you want to be able to access traditional and new, contemporary Australian church music I ask that you support this new initiative. Without your support, we will be forced to close our doors indefinitely. We are working solidly to launch our new website. I can hardly wait to show it to you in the new year.Thank you for support Willow Publishing. We look forward to serving you in the future. Warm wishes for the Advent season.  |
| Monica O’Brien |