Wise Music Group Digital education division has been acquired by Achieve Partners, a New York-based private equity firm that focuses on education investments.
According to an announcement made on Thursday (Jan. 9), the move “marks a turning point” for Wise Music Group “as it completes its transition to a pure-play music publishing company.”
Comments on the Acquisition
Commenting on the deal, Thomas Wise, CEO of Wise Music Group, stated: “This milestone represents the culmination of Wise Music Group’s multi-year strategic transformation.”
“We can now fully devote ourselves to our core mission of music publishing, strengthening our position as the leading independent company in the industry.”
Thomas Wise, Wise Music Group
He emphasized: “By entrusting our education business to Achieve Partners, we are confident that these brands will thrive under their leadership.
“At the same time, we can now fully devote ourselves to our core mission of music publishing, strengthening our position as the leading independent company in the industry.”
The acquisition encompasses educational platforms such as MusicFirst, Charanga, Rising Software, Focus on Sound, and O-Generator.
Dr. Jim Frankel, founder and managing director of MusicFirst, will continue to serve as president of the company following the acquisition.
Achieve stated that the deal furthers its efforts to create a “comprehensive educational software platform for the performing and visual arts.”
Aside from MusicFirst, which acts as a central hub for K-12 music education software and hardware, the acquisition includes Rising Software, recognized for its popular music theory and ear training tools Auralia and Musition.
The deal also encompasses Charanga, described as the UK’s largest music education platform serving primary schools, along with Focus on Sound and O-Generator software platforms.
“This is an exciting new chapter for MusicFirst and our subsidiaries.”
Dr. Jim Frankel, MusicFirst
“This is an exciting new chapter for MusicFirst and our subsidiaries. Achieve Partners’ commitment to education and technology aligns perfectly with our mission to empower music educators and students,” stated Dr. Jim Frankel in reaction to the acquisition.
“I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished and look forward to collaborating with Achieve to create even greater innovation and impact in music education.”
“We are thrilled to welcome Wise Music Group’s entire suite of innovative educational tools to the Achieve family.”
Troy Williams, Achieve Partners
Troy Williams, Managing Director of Achieve Partners, expressed: “We are thrilled to welcome Wise Music Group’s entire suite of innovative educational tools to the Achieve family.
“These companies have a remarkable track record of providing innovative music education solutions to schools, teachers, and students around the world.
“It’s not just about supporting their continued growth, but also ensuring they continue to set the standard in digital music education.”
Elsewhere in Wise Music, previously Music sales group, the company acquired a controlling stake in April 2023 from Published by Peters Group, which claims to be “one of the oldest” music publishers in the world.
Lucas focuses on the interaction between music and society. He specializes in how music influences and reflects cultures, analyzing the role of sound in social, political, and cultural events around the world.
