Despite naysayers claiming no one purchases compact discs (CDs) anymore, Newtown resident Robert LaPorta begs to differ.

Not only does he showcase an extensive personal collection of CDs, perfectly organized by record label along his wooden bookshelves, but he even has a second stockpile specifically for shipping CDs from his music label, MSR Classics.

As owner and director of MSR Classics, Mr LaPorta works diligently to coordinate everything from the production of the CD to the post-release promotion for the artist.

His creative vision and keen eye for detail — from cover artwork to liner notes — creates a tangible product that people can hold in their hands when the CD is completed.

From there, he sends out roughly 125 copies to press, radio stations, libraries, and music schools to help the artist gain exposure to audiences interested in buying, sharing, and being educated by the music.

MSR Classics, and its ability to continue the production of CDs, has been an important career building tool for classical artists like James Brawn, an Australian Brit now based in Shanghai, China, who has embarked on a ten-year plan to complete Beethoven’s cycle of 32 sonatas; Danielle Talamantes, an American soprano who made a recording of the Duke Ellington song book; and The Choir of St Luke in the Fields, with director David Shuler, which is a church group based out of New York.

A Lifetime Of Music

Growing up, Mr LaPorta was introduced to the technical side of music recording from a young age.

“My father was an audiophile, so he was one of the people in the late-50s that bought the first stereophonic equipment — amplifiers, turntables, tape recorders,” he recalled.

Being surrounded by the recording environment made for an easy transition for Mr LaPorta to become a musician himself and begin writing music. He even passed down his passion to his son, Robby, who plays music with his friend, Chris Manfredi, under the name Field of Crows every Sunday at Market Place in Newtown.

Despite Mr LaPorta’s father not being a fan of the classical genre like he was, the early musical influence allowed him to build a knowledge of the ins-and-outs of the music world and hone his craft.

At the start of his career in the ‘80s, Mr LaPorta gained experience as a publicity and contracts associate at ICM Artists management in New York and went on to work as the marketing and production manager with London-Decca Records, Deutsche Grammophon, and Philips Classics at the PolyGram Classics & Jazz label group — at the height of the CD boom.

In 1993, he became the director of classics at the Angel Records group, which encompassed EMI Classics, Virgin Classics, and Angel Records.

During his time at both PolyGram and EMI, Mr LaPorta was involved with several Gold Record Projects, including The Three Tenors.

Coming from a background of major labels, Mr LaPorta joined Musicians Showcase Recordings — the former incarnation of MSR Classics — and ventured into the role of studio manager at Squires Music Production in Elmsford, N.Y., in 2003.

Just a short three years later, he decided to buy the label and hit the ground running.

“In 2006 is when I moved to Newtown, and literally the same day I closed on the house, I closed on the company,” Mr LaPorta said. “It was exciting, but it was stressful.”

Today, he explained, “MSR is a company of one — me — but there is a very regular virtual staff of people I work with who all work from home.”

Modern Era Of CDs

With more than 30 years of experience in the music industry, Mr LaPorta has seen the shifts in the way people listen to and purchase music.

There was the fall of cassettes and the rise of CDs, but it was the popularity of the MP3 file and online streaming sites at the turn of the century that brought the most dramatic effect.

“I think what happened is that technology really began racing forward with what could be done, and it was way more exciting than the content itself,” Mr LaPorta explained. “The delivery system and convenience of technology has now outpaced the valuing of the content that is being delivered.”

The change allowed for the younger generation of consumers to be brought up in a culture of experiencing music for free, or simply purchasing individual singles, and when faced with those options or the fee of paying for a full album, the majority chose — and continue to choose — the most cost effective.

“I think people get lost with how cheap it is,” Mr LaPorta said.

The convenience not only changed consumer’s perspectives, but also those distributing the music.

“It’s not physical, so you don’t have to ship it, make it, store it. It’s just ones and zeros going back and forth between servers, so in that way, it’s more profit because everything is profit-driven,” he explained.

However, Mr LaPorta has found that purchasing CDs is similar to how book lovers choose to continue buying print copies despite the accessibility of eBooks. It is all about personal preference in how the user wishes to enjoy the content.

“Technology has made the CD seem obsolete, but it’s just different,” he stated.

The days of people lining outside Tower Records in New York City to buy a CD are over, but that does not mean there is no market for the discs.

“Now I see the CD as a premium product, rather than an everyday music product, because the everyday music product is iTunes — it’s MP3s,” Mr LaPorta said.

For the classical genre of music, especially, there is still a following of consumers who want CDs. As a result, each year, MSR Classics releases 35 to 40 titles and uses the physical CD format in conjunction with digital options.

“There is no shortage of artists that want to come out and make a CD… artists still sell tons of CDs at their own gigs; more than ever before,” he said.

With that in mind, Mr LaPorta added, “CD sales are down, but they are not nonexistent.”

For more information about Robert LaPorta and MSR Classics, visit msrcd.com.