Expansive Fringe Events at Music China Nurture Business Strategies and Support Music Culture

Dedicated to providing the musical instrument industry with invaluable opportunities for business networking, music education, and appreciation, Music China 2017 will take place from October 11 – 14.

Held at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, the fair will present a broad range of concurrent events and music celebrations. More than 1000 indoor and outdoor live shows, forums, workshops and master classes will light up the exhibition halls and outdoor areas during the course of the four-day show.  

Some of the fair’s signature fringe events will return once again this year, gathering prestigious speakers who will explore the musical instrument market’s untapped potential and share effective business strategies with attendees.

In cooperation with the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) and the China Musical Instruments Association (CMIA), the NAMM CMIA Industry Forum will focus on the theme of “Music is around me – a discussion on community music making and education”. The event will invite industry leading experts from around the globe to share their invaluable insight. Speakers of this forum include:

• Mr Wang Shicheng, Vice President of China National Light Industry Council / President of China Musical Instrument Association
• Ms Robin Walenta, Chairwoman of NAMM
• Mr Aaron Friedman, President of Make Music Alliance Inc
• Ms Zhu Wenyu, President of Best Friend Music Culture Co Ltd

Meanwhile, the NAMM University Courses are tailor-made for musical instrument dealers and retailers, addressing best practice options for business expansion through case sharing. One of the featured topics here will be customer relationship management – in particular on how to increase sales through personalised engagement with customers. 

Elsewhere during the course of Music China 2017, a complete range of educational programmes, master classes and workshops from across all sectors for professionals and music lovers will improve visitors’ knowledge of music and its culture. These include:

• Music China Educational Programme

Representatives from renowned brands such as Roland, Casio and more will unveil their successful formulas for music education.

• Forums and Workshops for Bowed and Stringed Instruments

The events here will cover instrument making skills, performances and appreciation of bowed and stringed instruments. A number of famous luthiers will demonstrate their extraordinary violinmaking craftsmanship.

• All About Jazz

Leading jazz musicians and professors will share their global insights on jazz promotion and the history of jazz, including Ms Tina May, an English jazz vocalist who has recorded several albums for 33 Jazz Records.

• Forum on Traditional Chinese Instruments

To preserve and promote the essence of traditional Chinese music, a variety of seminars on guzheng, erhu, pipa and guqin will be organised. A themed display area for the ‘konghou’, an ancient plucked instrument which made its way into China from the Silk Road, will also be set up to promote trade and cultural collaboration in the countries and regions along this route.

• Music Lab and Kids’ Music Castle

A whole range of experimental musical instruments will be on display at the Music Lab. These have been created by students from the China Central Academy of Fine Arts and other innovators, and will reveal the enormous possibilities of musical instruments and music creation. Meanwhile, the Kids’ Music Castle is a specially designed multi-sensory zone, which will enable children to experience the world of music and sound by touching and trying out a variety of musical instruments first hand.

Live concerts and industry stars to boost the show’s offerings

As Asia’s most anticipated annual music event, this year’s Music China will be further enriched by more than 1000 indoor and outdoor live shows, covering a variety of music genres such as rock, jazz, folk, heavy metal, pop and classical music.

One of the highlights here will be the SchoolJam, where attendees can experience live performances by 2017 SchoolJam award winner Mikroschrei. This talented band of teenagers is the youngest band ever to have won SchoolJam award, and their talent and enthusiasm was demonstrated at some German summer festivals including Hurricane and Southside. The Drum Circles will also allow participants to explore a diverse range of musical and rhythmic expressions.

In addition to these exciting activities for visitors, the fair will also welcome a strong line-up of stars and musicians to perform on the outdoor stages. Some of these include:
 

• Lamb of God’s Will Adler and John Steven Campbell: Will and John are two members of US heavy metal band Lamb of God. Primary songwriter Will is known for his unconventional style of guitar playing, which includes using odd or dissonant chords, unique timing patterns and rhythms, and wide stretches between frets. John is the band’s bassist and founding member. Unlike many bassists who use four and five string bass guitars, Campbell is known for playing with a self-modified three-stringed Guild Pilot bass, which excludes the higher G-string. In 2010 and 2011 Lamb of God received Grammy nominations for songs from their 2009 album Wrath.

• Mr Jost Nickel: A contemporary drummer, composer and educator from Germany whose name can be found on the credits of many global hit records. Jost is known for his punchy, articulate drum sound, which he counterbalances with a jazzy, exotic cymbal wash. This reflects a cutting edge drummer who looks to combine tradition with a pocket and groove that is undeniable.
   

• Mr Doug Aldrich: A famous hard rock guitarist who founded the band Burning Rain and has played previously with various bands including Whitesnake, House of Lords, Revolution Saints and more. He is currently in the band The Dead Daisies.

• Mr John Frederick Robinson: Regarded as the most recorded drummer in history, Mr Robinson has contributed to numerous blockbuster film soundtracks, including Independence Day, Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

• Mr Hikaru Tanimoto: This outstanding Japanese acoustic guitarist was ranked in the top 20 most popular Japanese guitarists by Swing Journal, a well-known magazine for the jazz music sector.

• Ms Baek A-yeon: A famous singer and songwriter from South Korea.  She is well known as one of the final three contestants from the first season of the Korean talent show K-pop Star. She has released several popular albums and soundtracks including an original soundtrack “So We Are” for Korean drama series “Yong-Pal”.

For more details about the show, visit www.musikmesse-china.com or send an email to [email protected].