FRANKLIN, TN--(Marketwire - October 12, 2010) -  A part of Grappa Music Group, Simax Classics has presented repertoire from composers of the western classical tradition since 1978 and remains one of Scandinavia's leading classical record companies. Beginning immediately, Naxos of America will launch distribution of Simax Classics new releases and its catalog of over 250 recordings in the United States and Canada.

Scandinavian classical music, and Norwegian in particular, constitutes a significant portion of the orchestral and chamber music canon. Simax Classics features not only composers like Grieg, Svendsen, Tveitt, Halvorsen and Sæverud, but also the music of European composers as performed by Scandinavian conductors and ensembles. Examples of this in the Simax Classics catalog are releases such as The Complete Orchestral Works of Beethoven performed by Thomas Dausgaard and the Swedish Chamber Orchestra, Mahler's Symphony No. 7 by Mariss Jansons and the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra and Debussy's Complete Works for Piano by Håkon Austbø.

Simax Classics also strives to internationally introduce young Scandinavian artists and new music from Scandinavian composers. Recordings by youthful artists like trumpet Tine Thing Helseth and pianist Christian Ihle Hadland are matched by the thriving new compositions by Scandinavia composers Kjærulf, Tellefsen, Freithoff, Borgstrøm, Selmer, Fliflet Bræin, Monrad Johansen and Elling.

Established in 1983, Grappa Music Group is the No. 1 independent record company in Norway. The name has come to represent a broad musical scope, high quality and first-rate Norwegian performers. The main currents of Norwegian music are presented on several labels. The primary objectives of the record company are to present a wide variety of recordings of all musical genres from traditional music to contemporary musical trends. Grappa Music Group consists of the Simax Classics, Aurora, Hemera, and Pro Musica labels.

Headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville, Naxos of America is the No. 1 independent classical music distributor in the U.S. Specializing in state-of-the-art distribution, marketing and promotion, Naxos of America distributes nearly 20,000 SKUs to traditional brick and mortar retail, as well as offering a comprehensive suite of services tailored to consumer direct fulfillment. Naxos of America is also the largest digital distributor of independent classical music, supplying a catalog of over 25,000 albums to hundreds of digital download and mobile outlets worldwide.

Contact Information:

Kelly Rach
Publicist
Naxos of America
615-465-3806