The Bob Moog Foundation has announced their 2022 calendar, Synthesizer Pioneers, covering 18 months and honoring innovators in the field of synthesis from the past 60 years.
All proceeds from the sale of the calendar support the non-profit organization and its projects, including the Moogseum, the Foundation archive and a ‘STEAM’ project to teach the physics of sound using the tools of electronic music.
The calendar focuses on the historic achievements of synthesizer pioneers from all over the world, including Harry Olsen and Herbert Belar (RCA), Harald Bode, Raymond Scott, Bob Moog, Don Buchla, Peter Zinovieff (EMS), Alan R. Pearlman (ARP), Ikutaro Kakehashi (Roland), Fumio Mieda (KORG), Tom Oberheim, Dave Smith, Roger Linn, Wolfgang Palm (PPG), Dave Rossum, Peter Vogel and Kim Ryrie (Fairlight), Ray Kurzweil, Felix Visser (Synton), and Makoto Fukuda (Casio).
Many of the pioneers contributed historical photos of themselves with their hallmark inventions. The calendar goes further to trace the history by highlighting scores of historically significant dates within the calendar grid.
Many people featured shared connections with Bob Moog, ranging from inspirations to friends, colleagues and business associates. Secondary photos on many of the pages highlight these connections and show Moog with his fellow pioneers.
“Bob Moog was a dedicated student to the history of synthesis, and he was the first to acknowledge not only the work of those who came before him, but those whose work continued the evolution of synthesis,” notes Michelle Moog-Koussa, Executive Director of the Bob Moog Foundation.
“Carrying that spirit forward, the Bob Moog Foundation is excited to bring the important work of so many synthesizer pioneers from around the world together in one document, where they can be appreciated and considered, as individuals and as a collective. Every month is dedicated to a new trailblazing innovator. We are honored to help represent their stories and connections in this way.”
The calendar is available to pre-order now, with shipping expected to start later in the month.
Note: The Bob Moog Foundation is an independent 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, dedicated to preserving the legacy of Bob Moog by inspiring others through science, music, and innovation. It is not affiliated with Moog Music, and depends on supporters for its funding.
This type of independent non-profit is an alter modus of apologetic advertising for Moog: the ways of capitalism are endless … In some cases, not this, the non-profit becomes a new type of profit. Notwithstanding the innovative and historical value not only of Moog but also of others, both brands and individuals … EMS deserves a separate foundation, but it no longer produces and does not need crypto advertising.
You clearly are uninformed or misguided.
Anyone with knowledge of Moog Music knows that they are essentially at odds with The Bob Moog Foundation, because Moog Music considers Bob Moog’s legacy, and how it is presented, as their asset to control.
Moog Music does not want an independent non-profit, run by Moog’s daughter, in control of any part of Moog’s legacy, the history of his work or Moog-related historical artifacts.
Moog Music may have even used their influence so that items that were at Bob Moog’s house after he died were not donated to the Foundation.
Moog Music is also extremely protective of their brand, and they think an independent non-profit with ‘Moog’ in the name dilutes their brand.
This doesn’t make Moog Music ‘bad guys’, just a smart business. But smart business puts them at odds with the Foundation to a certain degree.
The Bob Moog Foundation is a completely separate entity from Moog Music. The foundation does nothing to promote current Moog Music products. Zero. The foundation exists to keep the history of Dr. Bob’s designs, and contributions to electronic music alive, as well as educating a new generation of musicians.
The non-profit still has to make rent for their museum. So they sell calendars, T-shirts, posters, and hoodies.
Over at Moog Music, the ways of capitalism involve designing and building electronic instruments and selling them to people who choose to buy them. Capitalists who pay their workers a decent wage and have them own part of the company.
On the term they choose one could write weighty books and they have been written … the goods are imposed on us, we choose to buy what is presented to us. However, the Bob Moog Foundation, unwittingly advertises … Moog, is a question of logic of speech.
That makes no sense. At all.
As far as goods (products?) being imposed on us? Nonsense. A particular product either suits your needs, or it doesn’t. You choose to buy it, or you don’t buy it. Nothing is imposed.
As far as the foundation goes, yes sir, they sure do have the name Moog right in the title. It would be hard to have a Bob Moog Foundation without his last name being involved. But they are all about Dr. Bob’s legacy as an engineer, and his place in music history. They are not the Buy This Synthesizer Foundation. If you would go on their website you would see all of the disclaimers that they are in NO WAY affiliated with Moog Music.
There must be some kind of reason for that. Be curious and find out why that might be.
It’s interesting, and sad, that the same technology that allows people to make comments on the internet, could be used for a couple of minutes to get the facts straight first. Nope. Ready, fire, aim.
“The foundation does nothing to promote current Moog Music products. Zero.”
Not entirely true. While you are factually correct about these two entities being mostly at odds, in reality, the activities of the Moog “foundation” do little more than to both sustain themselves economically, and continue to stir the pot about how great they think “Bob Moog” was. To anyone outside the immediate know (which is most every human on the planet) this is nothing other than awareness raising and promotion for “Moog” the company and it’s products. So while the foundation may be a bother to Moog the company, it’s also some of its’ best advertising. If the foundation does its mission well, you get excited to buy a synth, not donate money to the people who turned you on to a really great guy and the synths he made/makes”
Directly from the page where you can order the calendar…
“The Bob Moog Foundation is an independent 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the legacy of Bob Moog by inspiring others through science, music, and innovation.
We are not associated with the manufacturing company Moog Music, Inc. in any way. Our support comes from people like you.”
If the Foundation inspires anyone to buy a synthesizer, it is an unintended consequence. You guys seem to be missing the point.
I really appreciate this discussion because I’d also forgotten that Bob Moog Foundation had a minor tiff with Moog Music. Just now I can’t find any stories about it online either.
(Many might assume that the disclaimer was just typical legalese for a non-profit — many companies _do_ have a non-profit wing.)
As has already been pointed out by more informed voices, the Bob Moog Foundation is an independent 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization and is not associated with Moog Music, Inc. in any way. In regards to this gross misrepresentation, “Moog “foundation” do little more than to both sustain themselves economically, and continue to stir the pot about how great they think “Bob Moog” was.”, first, we do much more than sustain ourselves. We’ve taught over 20,000 elementary school children about the science of sound through Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool, and our goal is to grown that program nationwide. We are at the tale end of developing a custom educational tool, to make scaling possible, a project that has taken both time and financial resources. The Moogseum has welcomed over 13,000 visitors from all over the world since it opened in May of 2019 (including being shuttered for five month due to the pandemic). Those visitors leave inspired, not only by Bob’s life and work, but by the opportunity to understand how electricity turns into sound, the opportunity to understand the various building blocks of synthesis, the opportunity to understand how to play a theremin and synthesizer, the opportunity to explore over 1,000 pieces of archival material from the Bob Moog Foundation Archives, and the opportunity to explore 34 innovations in synthesis over the past 100 years, starting with the Teleharmonium and ending with the Haken Contiuum, only three of which are Moog instruments. This is all done through custom-designed, technology-centered, interactive, multi-sensory exhibits, which we invested in heavily to give our visitors the most meaningful educational experience.
While Bob Moog may be the inspiration for his work, our work extends far beyond his legacy. We honor scores of inventors, inventions, musicians, and creatives. It is bewildering that one would make the mis-informed assertion that we do little else than “stir the pot about Bob Moog” in reaction to a historical calendar that honors 18 synthesizer pioneers. I conceptualized and curated the calendar. Virtually all of the pioneers thanked me for representing them and their fellow pioneers in this way, some noting that they are historically under-represented. Lauded synthesizer historians, who have reviewed the calendar text, also applauded the effort to explore this subject, one that obviously goes far beyond any one brand or legacy.
More information about the Bob Moog Foundation’s projects can be found here: http://www.moogfoundation.org.
Very thoughtful Michelle of you for joining the discussion and settings things straight.
Keep up the good work. It is not just from a musical but also from a technical point of view very relevant to educate our children about how the basics of electronics may lead to inspiring results.
Lots of love from Belgium
I don’t want Ms. Michelle Moog-Koussa, but is the Bob Moog Foundation in parental-filial way associated with the ex? owner of the Moog (Music) brand … moreover, in order to do music education, it was necessary to combine the brand name of her father, to this good cause? Operation certainly dictated in part also by her being proud of such a great father.
The Bob Moog Foundation does a lot of great work. Look into before basically slandering them. The work Ms. Michelle Moog-Koussa has done it creating this foundation is very admirable. The two entities are separate and have their own agendas.
No one is forcing you to give and/or purchase.