There was good foot-traffic, but challenges facing the European markets were the talk of the 2013 edition of the Musikmesse and Prolight + Sound shows in Frankfurt, Germany that took place from April 10-13.

The combined gathering featured 2,285 exhibitors from 54 countries during the four-day exhibition.  An additional half-day of consumer time was added on Friday afternoon, which in past years only took place on Saturday.  According to the Messe Frankfurt organization, a new visitor record of 113,000 visitors from 142 countries (2012: 109,481 visitors, 120 countries) was set in 2013.  “We are particularly pleased that, with a total of 42,300, the increase in the number of foreign visitors kept pace with that of domestic visitors,” said Detlef Braun, member of the executive board of Messe Frankfurt, while explaining the overall figure. “Visitors to the two leading fairs came primarily from Germany (71,200 visitors, up from 68,267 in 2012), as well as from The Netherlands, France, Italy, Switzerland, Great Britain, Belgium, Austria, the Russian Federation, Sweden, and Poland. The bulk of new attendees came from Italy, Belgium, Austria and Russia.”

Shifting Focus

Just a few years ago, the conversations at Frankfurt focused on how the US market was facing extraordinary challenges, but now the tables have turned and the talk centered around difficult economic conditions being faced by Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece, and, of course, Cypress.

According to Horst Wittner of Wittner GmbH, last year was very successful in America, but business was challenging in the Eurozone countries.  Detlef Braun stated that, “Musikmesse is directly affected by the tense situation in the musical instrument sector and has suffered a decline in exhibitor numbers.”  This was evident in the fact that some of the halls this year were consolidated to accommodate fewer exhibitors.   “On the other hand,” Braun continued, “The Prolight & Sound show set a new exhibitor record…”  This market, which includes event technology, audio-visual media systems, and professional sound and lighting, had more than 900 exhibits from over 41 countries, including 60 percent from outside of Germany.

Consolidation and Evolution

There were some shifts in the layout of the show, which included a merging of halls in the Musikmesse portion of the exhibition, which included moving the brass and woodwind companies to a hall that was previously occupied by guitar companies, and moving the string suppliers into the hall with the publishers.  The condensed Musikmesse Show removed two halls from the overall show.

However, the Pro-Light & Sound show reached a new record in terms of exhibitors with 901 in 2013, an increase of 23 from 2012.  Prolight + Sound also featured new content, especially with the 2nd Eventplaza Conference on event-management issues which greatly enhanced the already comprehensive conference and discussion program. Additionally, I-ESC – 1st International Event Safety Conference – put the spotlight on safety at events, a question of great legal, organizational, and financial significance for the sector. More than 3,000 visitors took part in that special segment of the conference.

Welcome to the new and improved 49th annual MMR Supplier Directory. All updated information here is based upon the results of a mailing sent to supplier companies in the Fall of 2012. MMR gathered information from recent trade show exhibitor listings, industry organization membership compilations, and other reliable sources.

The Company Listings section includes company names, nature of business (Manufacturer, Distributor, Importer, Exporter, et cetera), mailing addresses, phone and fax numbers, e-mail address, website, principal brand names, and a brief description of the companies’ product involvement.

The Trade Organizations and Societies section is a compilation of major trade groups within the MI industry, while the Associations & Societies section lists more specialized and instrument-specific organizations.

Product Sources is designed to inform the reader about which specific instruments, equipment, and other products and services are provided by companies. Example: If you wish to find out if Prescott Industries carries electric basses, you would look for the Prescott listing in the Guitar Family section of Product Sources.

The Brand Names section serves as a cross-reference for the Company Listings. Example: If you want to know what company manufactures or distributes Global Truss equipment check Brand Names under “Global Truss” to find the supplying company. Then proceed to the Company Listings for that firm’s address, phone, et cetera.

You can find the 49th Annual Supplier Directory in the May 2013 Issue of MMR Magazine.

The 51^st annual National Association of School Music Dealers convention took place in San Antonio, Texas from March 14-17, featuring practical workshops and breakout sessions covering the gamut of topics related to the school music market, in addition to a host of activities designed to build camaraderie among school music dealers and their manufacturer and supplier reps. Building on momentum from last year’s big 50^th anniversary event, the 2013 gathering reported an identical attendance of 370, bolstered by a whopping 78 NASMD convention first-timers.

“It’s a really positive thing that the attendance is so high,” declares NASMD board member Robert Christie of Central Michigan’s A&G Central Music. “That says something about the commitment of the dealers who are involved, and it also says something about the environment right now. There’s an expense in time and money to coming here, and the fact that so many people are here speaks well to the state of the market.”

Those who made the trip were pleased by the turnout and eager to rekindle and build on connections in this niche field. “There are a lot of people here and everyone seems to be positive and very upbeat,” says Connolly Music’s Stephen Greenfield. “I can get with my clients and customers, visit with them about their business, see what they’d like to do in the future, and explore how we can help them grow. The school music market is very much a growing market. More and more, the younger generation of parents are seeing the value of music education for their children. That, combined with increasing sales – we had a 1.1 percent increase in sales last month, nationwide – is starting to open some doors.”

“It’s been great,” agrees Jonathan Watkins of Wright Music in Port Washington, N.Y. “The seminars have really wonderful information. It’s also good to see some manufacturers that I know, as well as some of the other store owners. Just being able to talk to other music dealers – it makes you feel good when you hear that they have the same problems I do. [laughs] It’s reassuring, and then some people have wonderful ways of dealing with those issues that I never would have thought about. That’s the invaluable part of this. To me, it’s great.”

The convention kicked off after registration with an evening reception sponsored by Yamaha that included fine food and drink set to the music of a roving Mariachi band. “We are delighted with the attendance,” gushes outgoing NASMD president Joel Menchey of Menchey Music. “Considering this is the first year after the 50^th anniversary – and that was in Orlando, where we historically have very high attendance – we’re really happy with the numbers.” In particular, Menchey pointed to the high number of first-time NASMD attendees, accounting for about 20 percent of those gathered, as a positive indicator of the direction of the organization.

“This is a close-knit group, people tend to know each other, and like in any organization, new members can have a tough time breaking into the group,” Menchey continues. “We’re trying to make [the first timers] feel comfortable, so they come back and continue to invest. I’d like to think that this year’s surprisingly high number is the result of the efforts we’ve made over the last few years.”

In Thursday morning’s opening presentation, “Take the Stairs,” speaker Rory Vaden linked self-discipline to success in the business world. The breakout sessions Thursday morning included discussions on employee engagement, how to be a productive road rep, and strategic marketing.

Francois Kloc and Al Maniscalco of Buffet Group USA enjoy the outdoors.

“It seems like everyone is saying, ‘Oh the school market is down, this is down, that’s down,’” shrugs Tim Elvy of Légère Reeds. “I don’t see it that way. I look for attitude changes, especially with our product. And in that regard, I’m seeing big progress. The band market is really embracing our product, as a synthetic. It’s saving them money. The trend I see in the school market – for our product, anyway – is that demand is increasing greatly. We haven’t seen this kind of increase for some time, so I’m very happy about it.”

The first round of sessions on Thursday afternoon offered presentations on improving customer passion and loyalty, how to make the most of rental nights, and an exploration of customer-driven selling, as well as the ever-popular fourth annual NASMD Road Rep Olympics. Many convention attendees partook in the friendly competitions in emergency instrument repair, an obstacle course, van loading/schlepping, and “Repardy,” a trivia game hosted by Quinlan & Fabish’s George Quinlan Jr. following the Jeopardy! format.

“The school market is kind of its own animal, in that when it’s really good, you see a little tick up, and when it’s really bad, you see a little tick down,” Quinlan notes. “For most kids, when they’re going to play in a band or orchestra, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime deal. So even if it means that parents have to choose between doing with or doing without, they’ll do without in order to let their kids give music a try.”

The conventional wisdom is that the school market moves with the MI market as a whole, only lagging a year or two behind the broader industry. With that in mind, those working in that market segment should be patient, says Tabor Stamper of KHS America. “School budgets won’t start being restored until about 18 months after the economy recovers,” he cautions. “Where we are today, schools are continuing to be challenged. It’s not going to rebound for a while – we need to understand that. But the programs aren’t going to go away. Band programs are going to find a way to stay around, but they’re going to be challenged from an economic standpoint.”

Feedback from many dealers indicates that recent trends in sales tend to be region-specific for the school market. “For parents and the individuals, business is as strong as it ever has been,” says Gregg Stauffer of Cincinnati, Ohio’s Buddy Rogers Music. “The school money on the other hand, at least in our area, just isn’t there. The tax base within the states of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana that supports schools has dwindled by some 30 percent. That’s where we see the biggest effect in the school systems. Until the state governments figure out how to refinance the school systems, it’s from state to state. The parental support will always be there; it’s just a matter of the government getting its act together.”

Don Rheem presents a workshop on “The Basics of Employee Engagement.”

“This is a long-term industry, so fortunately we don’t have real radical swings,” affirms Joel Menchey. “At least in Pennsylvania, where we are, we’re seeing budget cuts and we’re losing some teachers, and there are retired teachers who aren’t being replaced. In general, the rest of the country is pretty solid, though. We’re pretty solid, too – we just seem to be noticing this soft patch now, as opposed to other states that maybe saw this a year or two ago.”

“It takes a while for [the improving economy] to trickle down to the school market, at least in our area,”says Travis Roberts of The Band House in Shreveport, La. “The metro areas start doing better, and then usually six months to a year later the more rural areas start to feel it. Right now I’m a road man on the front lines visiting a lot of schools, and I’m seeing that the school districts out there are just starting to get a little more money to play with.”

Doug Davis of Griggs Music in Davenport, Iowa touts the steadiness of the school market. “We’ve experienced stability,” he says. “We haven’t seen a ton of movement up or down. Despite so many changes in the economy, the school market in our area has been stable, and there are a lot of industries that can’t say that.”

“I can only speak to our school market in the Midwest,” opines Jim Kidder of Peoria, Illinois’ Kidder Music Service Inc. “We’ve been around for 41 years and in that time we’ve had a lot of supposed crises that never really came. In Illinois right now, though, we are the worst state in the country as far as paying bills. Congress is not doing anything, and our schools are not getting money, and we are facing, in our area, our first real crisis as far as funding for music programs is concerned. NAMM’s and NASMD’s efforts through the last 25 or 30 years about spreading the message of the importance of music through various media has been a wonderful catalyst, because parents are doing whatever they can do to save the music programs. All in all, I’m not worried, but I know that we’re facing a crisis because the State of Illinois isn’t sending money for schools.  If schools are used to getting 300 or 400 thousand dollars in state aid and now they’re not getting any, that’s a big hit.”

Thursday afternoon’s second round of sessions included Chip Averwater’s spirited “Retail Truths” presentation, during which he expounded on sales wisdom culled from generations of retail experience. The day culminated with a delightful evening reception sponsored by the Eastman Music Company on the historic Alamo Plaza in picturesque late-winter San Antonio weather (mid-70s, sunny, no humidity).

Friday morning began with a presentation on the state of the school market by music education advocate Bob Morrison of Quadrant Arts Education Research. “The issues that we face as an industry in the music education market are the same issues that we’ve been dealing with for 75 years,” says Morrison. “Whether that’s budget cuts or the narrowing of the curriculum because of Sputnik or because of a nation at risk or because of national education goals, we’ve seen variations of this script before. Now we call it common core and teacher evaluations. We’re better armed and better trained to deal with these issues today, relative to 50 years ago. If someone wants to do well in this business, there is business to be had.”

George Quinlan Jr., Quinlan & Fabish Music, Whitney Grisaffi of Ted Brown Music, Cindy Quinlan, and Saul Friedgood, Eastman Music Company.

Morrison continues, “I came to this conference four years ago when we were at the bottom of the economic downturn. I pointed everyone to the numbers that said, ‘This too shall pass.’ Even then, student populations were still growing. State budget deficits were forecast to decline and started going into the black, and the school music market has barely missed a beat. There’s also been competition. Now people are talking about Amazon. Before that, it was online. Before that, it was mail order. Before that it was 800 numbers. There’s always going to be competition. But if you provide good products and good service, you can generate customer loyalty and you’re going to be okay.”

Friday morning’s breakout sessions included a look at changing Internet Sales Tax policy, strategies for turning outdated inventory into cash, online marketing, and getting involved with advocacy on the state and local levels.

“This past year was one of the better years we’ve had in the last five or six years,” says Randy Collins of Collins Music Center in El Campo, Texas. “We’re seeing people really interested in purchasing quality instruments and it’s a lot different than it was in, say, 2009 or 2010. Where we’re located, the economy is really starting to rebound.”

Yet, like many dealers, Collins is still waiting for the widespread economic recovery to find its way into the school market. “We’re seeing a lot of schools still being very conservative with their budgets, doing a lot more repairs on old instruments than they were 10 years ago,” he says. “I don’t know that we’re ever going to get back to the blowing and going economy, but I’m of the feeling that it’ll be a good thing if we can just have some steady growth and watch it get a little more positive.”

“Initially, budgets were trimmed, but I feel like they’ve stabilized and people are comfortable with where they are now with their budgets,” states Gary Pearce of The Music Store in Garland, Texas. “I see a lot of good feelings. It feels like everyone’s going to feel alright.”

Friday afternoon had a lighter schedule that also featured the annual NASMD golf outing, this year’s at San Antonio’s Quarry Golf Club. The winning quartet was comprised of Doug Davis, Jeff Eckroth, Jim Mareda, and Don Reynolds, who teamed up for a very respectable 63.

Mark Ragin and Gail Rose, St. Louis Music, Ellen and John Cavanaugh of the Cavanaugh Company, and Kathy Donahoe and John Musselman of American Way Marketing.

Saturday morning began with an update from the Music Achievement Council’s Bill Harvey, owner of Buddy Rogers Music in Cincinnati, Ohio. The MAC is a volunteer group of manufacturers and retailers who have developed materials for music educators on subjects like advocacy and recruiting and retention, disseminating their materials through presentations at state Music Educator Association conferences, as well as through the web and social media.

After another round of breakout sessions, the keynote speech – an upbeat presentation on the importance of cultivating relationships in order to develop a customer base, close sales, and be more successful at work and at home – was delivered by Vicki Hitzges.

“This is a very relationship-based business,” says Menchey. One area where that facet of the school market can be most useful is in relation to a shift in the goals that younger professionals set for their careers. “What has happened over the past 15 to 20 years is the tenure of the band director has gone down. First, we have to try to help them stay interested and stick it out, but also we have to be prepared for the transitions between educators. If a teacher decides to get out of the field, we have to make sure that we’re working very quickly with his or her successor to maintain that relationship with the program.”

Saturday night’s closing dinner and celebration, sponsored by Jupiter-Majestic-Mapex-KHS, was a departure from the traditional formal banquet, with attendees ditching their suits and ties in favor of Texan flavored cowboy hats and boots at the Buckhorn Saloon & Museum. During these festivities, the NASMD announced the new legislative board. For 2013-2014, George Quinlan, Jr. of Quinlan & Fabish Music will serve as president, Rosi Johnson of Mississsippi Music will be vice president, and Mike Meyer of Meyer Music in Missouri will serve as the secretary/treasurer. The new NASMD directors will be CJ Averwater of Amro Music Stores, Robert Christie of A&G Central Music, Evan Jones of Bandland Music, Ron Kuykendall of Saied Music, and Lori Supinie of Senseney Music.

“This is the best professional development conference for our subset of the industry,” says Joel Menchey. “I know people have challenges getting away – figuring out who can run the store – but this really is a great investment in time for not only owners, but also staff.  We didn’t want to end the last 50 years with the same traditional format that we’ve always had. And we’re really trying to mix it up for the next 50 years so that it’s more inviting for people who may not be as familiar with the regular attendees.”

For more information about NASMD or to become a member, visit www.nasmd.com.

2013 – NAMM Members backstage at the Kennedy Center. (Photograph: NAMM Public Affairs Imagery)

by Christian Wissmuller

This year, MMR was once again invited to join NAMM Members and officers for the annual music education Advocacy “Fly-In” to Washington D.C.  Rounding out the team this year were drummer Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and former N.Y. Yankee and Latin Grammy-nominated guitarist Bernie Williams.

After being briefed on the ins and outs of congressional advocacy – during which NAMM president and CEO Joe Lamond, Kennedy Center educational advisors, and members of the NAMM executive committee offered their insight – the 2013 Fly-In team tackled a full day of appointments with congressional leaders, making the case for music education in our schools.

Bernie Williams and Chad Smith – they really are this upbeat/friendly.

A Changing Mission…

The goals of the Fly-In have evolved somewhat over the years. The changes speak to the successes these lobbying efforts, and other similar initiatives, have already achieved.  General awareness of the far-reaching benefits of music education is widespread these days, with many (if not, indeed, most) grasping that music students perform better in other academic areas, develop language and teamwork skills at a more advanced rate than children who are not exposed to music scholarship, and gain an outlet for self-expression and creativity.

So, if “the public” and (most) politicians are aware of the upsides of music scholarship and there’s agreement that it should be considered a key component of a child’s schooling, what’s the challenge in 2013?  Is there still a challenge?

As most MMR readers – especially those with businesses that work closely with local school districts – already know, the answer to the question above is a resounding: yes.  Music and arts programs continue to struggle, with many getting cut from school districts altogether.  One major hurdle revolves around the understanding (or lack thereof) of which curriculum subjects are able to access funds under the current iteration of ESEA (Elementary and Secondary Education Act – also known as “No Child Left Behind” or NCLB).   Under Title I and II, a music program – as a Core Subject – actually does qualify for Federal funding.  The problem lies in the wording of the legislation, which doesn’t make that fact abundantly clear.

“There was no [government figure] I met with this year, who didn’t support music education,” says NAMM chairman and president of Willis Music, Kevin Cranley.  “There was nobody who didn’t agree that the clarity of the language in ESEA needed to be taken care of as far as Title I and Title II.”

Good news, then – right?   Sort of.   As the saying goes, actions speak louder than words, and it’s notoriously difficult to get anything done in D.C. nowadays.  “Every year, they say ‘It’s not going to happen this year because of the election… It’s not going to happen this year because of health care, and so on,’ notes Cranley when asked about the likelihood of an actual redraft of ESEA in 2013.  However…  “There seemed to certainly be a light at the end of the tunnel this year,” he continues.   “There was a sense of, ‘We better start working together, we better get stuff done.’   It seemed like a different atmosphere to me.”

Representative James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.) discusses the present-day state of Congress with NAMM delegates.

Hal Leonard’s Larry Morton (and NAMM’s incoming chairman) agrees with Cranley’s take: “This is my fourth NAMM Advocacy trip to D.C. and I found this year to be the best in terms of urgency and responsiveness from our meetings with members of Congress, especially with the clarification we are asking for in the language of ESEA/NCLB.  In this era of extreme and hostile partisanship in D.C., I find it interesting that both sides agree on the importance of music in our schools.  Perhaps music could be a showcase area for our elected officials to show cooperation and bi-partisanship.  For example, Wisconsin’s two Senators, Ms. Baldwin (D) and Mr. Johnson (R) both play guitar and support music.  NAMM has done a great job of focusing our Member’s efforts on advocacy.  Thanks to their efforts, now elected officials all recognize the important benefits of school music and that was not always the case.”

Others made the point that by simply showing up and reminding elected officials that ours is an industry representing both sizable capital and considerable voting power, the Fly-In carried significant weight.  “While there is agreement on both sides of the aisle that music education is important to well-rounded education, members of Congress were especially impressed by the strength of our industry and the number of jobs it provides,” says Chalise Zolezzi of Taylor Guitars, who attended this year’s trip to Washington.  “At its core, by encouraging music education, we’re building new customers for the present and the future.”

Bringing the Heavy Hitters (Literally)

No doubt contributing to the success of this Spring’s jaunt to our nation’s capital was the presence of Smith and Williams, whose enthusiasm for the cause of music education was infectious and vocal.   It never hurts when you visit a Senator’s office with a recent inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and a future MLB Hall of Famer in tow. Hey, politicians like to take photos with exciting celebrities just like the rest of us!  In truth, NAMM couldn’t have asked for better “star” advocates.  “I’m not joking – I only graduated high school because of music,” says Smith.  “I only went to high school because of the music classes.  And that’s not to say, ‘Oh, if your kids take a music class, they’ll wind up as famous musicians.’   There’s so much more to it than that.   I really am a living example of why music education is vitally important.   It taught me discipline, it gave me a focus, and it kept me in school.”

Williams is no less effusive when discussing his own experiences growing up in Puerto Rico:  “It was very important to my mother that I take music classes.   Even once it became apparent that… ‘OK, You’ve got a good thing going with this baseball stuff,’ she still insisted I focus on school – and that included music.   This is a cause that I am completely behind and believe in.   I’ve been working with NAMM on this issue for a few years now and it truly feels like a family.”

Concurrent with this year’s Fly-in, Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Randall Reid-Smith, commissioner of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, were honored with SupportMusic Awards for their leadership of the statewide rebuild of West Virginia music education programs. Joe Lamond, VH1 Save the Music Foundation chairman Tom Calderone, and students from the Shepherdstown (W.Va.) Middle School jazz ensemble presented the awards.

Chad Smith and Bernie Williams joined the young jazzers in a spirited performance and singer/songwriter Vanessa Carlton saluted the students and senators with remarks. The Shepherdstown jazz band is a 2012 VH1 Save The Music Foundation grant recipient.

Musician and Kennedy Center artistic advisor for jazz, Jason Moran.

What’s the End Game?

So will ESEA be “clarified”?   If so, is that going to happen soon, or – as Cranley related, when discussing past visits to D.C. – will 2013 prove to be another year during which politicians are too distracted by other issues to make this a front-burner concern?    And if/when the current goals of these Fly-Ins are achieved, is that… it?    Is there going to come a time when there will be no pressing need to lobby for the continued support of music education?

NAMM president and CEO Joe Lamond has this to say on the topic: “Some NAMM Members may ask ‘What’s the end zone look like on all of the effort?’ The answer is we won’t be satisfied until we achieve NAMM’s vision of a world where every child has a deep desire to learn music and a recognized right to be taught.  The news we see out of D.C. is not positive these days; dysfunction and chaos seems to be the ‘new normal.’  But music and arts education has proven to be one of the few areas where we see bipartisanship agreement and the possibility of making headway right now. While not many are against us, we are competing in a crowded field of other educational interests. Can you imagine what might happen to music education in the U.S. if NAMM Members were not speaking up?”

This year’s Fly-In was truly inspirational and a marvelous testament to the dedication and passion of the folks within our industry.   Interested parties are strongly encouraged to visit www.namm.org to learn more about NAMM’s advocacy efforts and become involved.   Hats off to the whole NAMM team, in particular director of public affairs and government relations/executive director of the NAMM Foundation, Mary Luehrsen, who was largely responsible for organizing this (extremely large) undertaking and to Lora Bodmer, NAMM’s director of public relations, who made sure this event got the media attention it deserves (and also made sure I caught my return flight on time!) – Ed.

NAMM Member Steve McCreary Of Collings Guitars Presents Testimony At House Oversight Hearing On The Lacey Act

On Thursday of this week, the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Ocean and Insular Affairs of the US House of Representatives heard testimony at its oversight hearing on the 2008 Lacey Act Amendments.

The Subcommittee sought information on:

• How the Amendments have stopped the importation of illegally obtained plant and plant products
• Whether the amount of illegal wood entering international trade has increased or decreased during the past five years
• What has been the impact of the filing of thousands of declaration documents with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
• How many of these documents have resulted in the prosecution or seizure of illegally harvested wood or wood products
• Whether there are alternative ways to obtain this information in a more cost effective manner
• What modifications to this law should Congress consider

On behalf of NAMM, Steve McCreary of Collings Guitars testified, providing an update on the imp ace and unintended consequences of the 2008 amendment to the Act on the MI industry.  Other organizations testifying at the hearing include representatives from US regulators (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and Fish and Wildlife Service), International Wood Products Association, Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters Association, and the Hardwood Federation.

A list of Representatives on the Subcommittee is provided at http://www.namm.org/blog/namm-presents-testimony-house-oversight-hearing; NAMM Members can contact Representatives via their websites and provide information concerning the business impact of the Lacey Act Amendments.

“George Quinlan Sr. has spent his life serving others and is the perfect example of all that is right with our industry,” Joe Lamond, president of NAMM, said in the February 2013 MMR article on Quinlan and his son, George Jr. “It would probably be impossible to calculate the number of young people who had the opportunity to learn music because of his efforts, but I’d imagine it would be in the tens of thousands if not more.”

Quinlan served in the army during the World War II. Afterwards he would get a B.M. and then an M.M. from DePaul University (where he would meet future wife Lorraine, who also graduated with a music degree). George taught at DePaul University and St. Xavier College. He and fellow music educator Tom Fabish opened their first store in 1959 with the goal of helping Chicago area schools build music programs. Of his hectic schedule in the early days he said, “I’d conduct high school rehearsals from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., then go to grade schools, then stop by the store, then teach downtown at night… I’d sneak in to see my family once in a while when I wasn’t playing trumpet for whoever was headlining in Chicago, like Nat King Cole or Frank Sinatra.”

Fabish would be bought out in the late 1960s and son George Quinlan Jr. would be brought into service officially in 1979, and together father and son built a major band and orchestra chain that today includes seven locations in Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. The operation has 125 employees, serves scores of schools, and is a major booster of VanderCook College of Music. Through the years, Quinlan & Fabish has sponsored numerous workshops, clinics, and educational events for Chicago area band and orchestra directors, students, and student teachers.

George Sr. was a prolific advocate for music education, and perfected the art of getting music instruments into parochial schools. Concerts and festivals ensued. For the first 20 years Quinlan & Fabish focused on that market, which hinged on getting qualified teachers and quality instruments into those schools. The profit margins were negligible in the beginning and “it was a labor of love,” he said, but in the end a lot of kids were making music.

Quinlan became chairman of a local bank in the 1970s. It would give him an edge that is often cited for his success today: He understood money. In the 1980s he was an early adapter of computers, working with, and even consulting on, inventory software for retailers. He also learned to fly a plane, which he used for work and pleasure – sometimes both. He’d fly directors and employees around, and would shuffle instruments to schools in Peoria in the plane, as well.

Through it all, Lorraine Quinlan was part of the operation, even when polio confined her to a wheelchair early in her adulthood. George and his wife were among the first Charter Benefactors for the Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad, California. This year he and his George Jr. received MMR’s Don Johnson Award for their service to the music education and the industry.

On the Quinlan & Fabish website, his family reports:

“While he had a list of ailments similar to most nonagenarians, he was able to enjoy his last meal with his family which included a glass (or two…) of wine and some of his favorite chocolate dessert just minutes before he passed. All five of his children, and many grandchildren were with him until the very end. As the party ended, he struggled some to get into his beloved new Lincoln and just a few moments later drew his last breath of life.”

Quinlan leaves five children and more than a dozen grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Memorial donations can be made to the George Quinlan Sr. Legacy Fund, VanderCook College of Music 3140 S. Federal Street, Chicago, Ill. 60616 or the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation 11 S. LaSalle Street Suite 1800 Chicago, Ill. 60603.

“It’s not a just a store,” Quinlan Sr. said of his career. “It’s part of who I am.”

To view George Quinlan Sr. NAMM Oral History interview, click here.

Well, maybe not you, ma’am…

Earlier this week, an American Airlines flight made an emergency landing after a female passenger refused to refrain from singing (loudly) “I Will Always Love You,” written by Dolly Parton and made popular by the late Whitney Houston.

Rick Dorn, a 30-year veteran of Fletcher Music Centers (FMC), has been promoted to president and chief operating officer of the 19-store retail music chain that operates throughout Florida and Arizona.

According to John K. Riley, the company’s owner and chief executive officer, Dorn had been FMC’s executive vice president since 2011, and will oversee the company’s 100 employees and all daily operations.  FMC has 13 stores in Florida and six in Arizona.

Dorn began his career with Wurlitzer Retail Stores in 1974, and joined FMC nine years later.  Since coming to Fletcher, he also has served as a store manger, regional manager, and regional vice president.

As part of its ongoing philanthropy, Alfred Music recently donated more than $8,000 of music education materials to local nonprofit Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA), which provides local underserved youth with academics, arts, and athletics programs in the Rampart District. Members of the Alfred Music team visited HOLA’s music program to meet the students and staff, and present them with sheet music, songbooks, and method books.

HOLA provides group music instruction, private lessons, rock, and jazz programs to Los Angeles-area youth, ages 6-19. HOLA is also home to the Youth Orchestra LA (YOLA) at HOLA program, a partnership with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association in which 240 young musicians participate in a full youth orchestra (YOLA at HOLA) and choir program inspired by Venezuela’s revolutionary El Sistema. YOLA at HOLA students participate in 15 hours per week of ensemble instruction, musicianship, singing and solfége and targeted academic tutoring. This helps students gain an increased understanding of music theory, history, and composition, improvement in performance and ensemble playing, plus self-esteem, and willingness to try new things.

“We are so happy to share our resources with this great organization,” said Alfred Music CEO Ron Manus. “Each time we are able to help out, we get one step closer to helping the world experience the joy of making music.”

DANSR, Inc. announced that Denis Wick Products has been awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade 2013. This accolade is one of Britain’s most coveted business awards, and offers recognition for some of the UK’s most successful companies.

Announced on the Queen’s birthday, April 21, Denis Wick Products was awarded for the company’s achievements in the export market. Over 80 percent of the company’s production is sold overseas.

“It’s very exciting to see the recognition that Denis Wick Products is earning,” commented Richard Galime, Denis Wick productsSpecialist. “I’m proud to be working with a company based in a country that is one of our own nation’s best trading partners.” Since Denis began making mutes and mouthpieces in 1968, Denis Wick Products has sold millions of mutes and mouthpieces and continues to refine its designs. As a result, Denis Wick continually introduces innovative new products such as the best-selling Ultra mouthpiece range, the new American Classic trumpet mouthpieces and the ground-breaking travel mute series.

Hal Leonard Corporation has announced the promotion of Mark Mumford to the newly created position of managing director for Europe. In his expanded role, Mumford will oversee all aspects of the company’s business in the UK and throughout Europe.

Mumford will continue with sales and marketing of the Hal Leonard catalog, including his responsibilities related to the Hal Leonard Europe (HLE) business. HLE is a joint venture company formed in 1996 by Hal Leonard Corporation and Music Sales Limited.

In addition, Mumford will now also focus on the overall operations of Hal Leonard Corporation’s flagship companies MGB and De Haske Hal Leonard. Hal Leonard acquired De Haske in 2008, creating a premier print music publisher and distributor with sales, marketing and publishing offices in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and the UK. Based in Italy, MGB was formed as a result of the 2011 global deal between Universal Music Publishing and Hal Leonard. Hal Leonard took over the sales, marketing, distribution and print publishing operations of the legendary European classical catalogs Ricordi, Durand, Eschig and Salabert.

Mumford will continue to be based in the Hal Leonard offices at Covent Garden, London, but will visit the various locations throughout the continent on a regular basis. He will be directly involved with the sales, marketing and publishing side of each operation.

Symetrix has appointed Craig Richardson to the position of vice president of global sales. Richardson assumes responsibility for management of the company’s worldwide sales and business development.

Richardson most recently served as vice president of A/V Integrator Market Development with Polycom and prior to that was the vice president and general manager of Polycom’s Installed Voice Business for many years.

According to Symetrix CEO, Paul Roberts, “Craig Richardson is a major player in the world of audio for voice and video conferencing. We’re extremely excited to have a person of his caliber on board as we rapidly add teleconferencing products to our complete range of digital signal processors and accessories.”

Summer NAMM doesn’t end when the sun goes down.  NAMM has created a full schedule of networking events designed to entertain, inspire and pay tribute to NAMM Members. Following the NAMM at Night happenings, there’s plenty of evening left to check out the local Nashville music scene.

Wednesday, July 10

The Grand Opening Party

Featuring a ”Nashville Tribute to Jimi Hendrix” with the Billy Cox Band of Gypsys Experience and guests, as well as a special appearance by Janie Hendrix

Get an insider’s look at Jimi Hendrix’s Nashville connection from his Army buddy and longtime bassist, Billy Cox, who will perform with his group, The Band of Gypsys Experience. The show will weave together stories of Jimi’s days in Music City with live performances of some of his famous and not-so-famous songs. Janie Hendrix will also stop by to share recollections about her brother’s time in Nashville. Food and beverage provided.

Event 5:30- 7:30 p.m. in the Davidson Ballroom

Thursday, July 11

Insight: Hard-Earned Wisdom from Industry Icons

Moderated by country music legend Vince Gill and Two Old Hippies’ Tom Bedell

For the first time ever, NAMM has assembled an unparalleled group of the music-products industry’s most interesting, and sometimes outspoken, business leaders and invited them to share a message with dealers designed to help further their success. This is hard-earned advice that no

dealer will want to miss. Live music, food and beverage provided.

Doors open 6 p.m.; Event begins 6:30 p.m.; Concert 7:30 – 8:30 p.m. in the Davidson Ballroom

Friday, July 12

The 2013 NAMM Top 100 Dealer Awards

Honoring the Industry’s Most Proactive and Innovative Music Retailers

At the third-annual Top 100 Dealer Awards, NAMM pays tribute to the music products industry’s best and brightest, pro-active retailers who think outside the box. In addition to honoring the Top 100, NAMM will also announce the winners in the seven “Best of” categories and the 2013 Dealer of the Year. Food and beverage provided.

Doors open 6 p.m.; Event 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the Davidson Ballroom

Gene Joly

Earlier this spring, a flurry of criticism aimed at the nation’s largest MI retailer, Guitar Center, began sprouting up online.  Most specifically, GC workers in New York City ramped up an aggressive campaign for unionization, including a petition which lists a number of high profile artist endorsees of the initiative.

This week, Guitar Center’s executive VP of stores, Gene Joly, sat down for a brief, exclusive interview with MMR to offer his take on the complaints being leveled against GC, his take on the company’s relationship with employees, and more…

MMR: Can you briefly discuss how – from your and GC’s point of view – this whole unionization effort came about?  What was the catalyst?

Gene Joly: Well, I find it interesting that there’s a union office located on the same block as our Manhattan store – but I don’t want to speculate beyond that. I think only they know for sure why they’re doing this but it’s not complicated – the RWDSU [Retail Wholesale and Department Store Union] is a business too, and they need to grow revenues just like every other business…

MMR: My understanding is that in the past few years, GC’s employee turnover rate is actually down, salaries for some are up, and so on – in light of that data, how and why would now be the right time to launch such an aggressive unionization effort, if that’s truly the case?

GJ: Yes, I’m glad you’re reporting that, because that part of the story often gets overlooked. Look, our people are paramount to this organization and anyone who doubts that for even a moment should just look at how heavily we’ve invested in them over the past 5 years. We’ve made significant increases in training, improved our processes, upgraded IT infrastructure and delivered critical new customer service tools for them across the country. Right now, our average sales associate has actually seen a double digit pay increase and store turnover has decreased 38% over the last 5 years. Are we there yet? Of course not, but we’ve been working hard to introduce new programs and systems to improve our people’s career skills, work life and compensation potential long before this issue was on anyone’s radar.

MMR: Certain media channels are making something of a big deal out of the Bain Capital connection, even linking to the past year’s presidential campaign (Romney) and larger social and economical issues.  How do you respond – Fair?  Nonsense?

GJ: I think it’s absurd – total nonsense on several fronts. I’ve been in the M.I. industry for almost 40 years and I’ve worked with a variety of different owners. My past few years experience with Bain Capital has been extremely positive. These guys are smart, fair and they’re hard-working people. Working with them has helped us advance our skills in analytics/decision support and store site selection, as well. More importantly, they’re not trying to trip us up or interfere with Guitar Center’s executive leadership team. We manage the company day-to-day and we’re the ones who are accountable to every individual who works hard for this company. Our mission is clear and we’re free to pursue it our way. We’re going to continue helping people make music by providing our customers with a great mix of products and services at competitive prices, delivered by knowledgeable and empowered sales and operations associates, repair techs and teachers.

MMR: What about the allegations of commissions being docked if GC employees don’t meet certain goals or quotas?

GJ: Very few sales associates have their commission docked, and that’s less about meeting a quota than it is about accountability for consistently meeting customer service standards.”

MMR: Moving forward, what steps – if any – is GC hoping to take to resolve these unionization efforts?

GJ:It’s not our place to stop a union from attempting an organizing drive – it’s a free country. Unions are businesses that need revenue, and like most businesses they desire new sources. Guitar Center has expanded and grown over the years, and that makes us a more attractive target for unions.

MMR: Lastly, and mostly (if not entirely) unrelated, can you comment on the status of GC’s debt repayment that was to made in April of this year?

GJ: Yes – we paid off the $129.8 Mil note in April without a hitch – exactly as we said we would – and there are no additional debt payments due until 2017.

MMR: Thanks much for your time, Gene.

ChordBuddy LLC, makers of the ChordBuddy™ Guitar Learning System, have appointed Elena Ryan to the newly created position of national education marketing director for the growing company.

In this capacity, Ryan will help ChordBuddy expand its educational offerings in terms of both product development and curriculum for guitar programs in public schools. Ryan is a middle and high-school music educator with more than 10 years of experience in the Chicago area.

Representatives of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, KMCMusicorp and New York music retailer Sam Ash, presented 20 student-size Fender®, Applause® and Jasmine® brand classical-style acoustic guitars, gig bags, and electronic guitar tuners to the music program at the P.S. 317Q Waterside Children’s Studio School in Queens, New York. The school suffered significant losses due to Hurricane Sandy and funds are not currently available to completely rebuild the music program.

In addition, five student-size Fender acoustic guitars, gig bags and electronic guitar tuners were presented to KidCare and Homes for the Homeless, in support of KidCare’s ongoing work with Homes for the Homeless Summer Camps for inner-city kids. Since 1989, Homes for the Homeless has served more than 14,000 homeless children, ages 6 to 13, at two sleep away camps located less than an hour outside New York City.

A representative of the sponsoring charity, KidCare, and Queens Borough President, Helen Marshall were also there to thank Fender, KMCMusicorp and Sam Ash for their support. KidCare is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping underprivileged and homeless children. In addition, KidCare is helping to support and rebuild the Rockaway community from the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy.

Sammy Ash of Sam Ash music stores, Jason Kennedy of KMCMusicorp/FMIC, Waterside fifth-grader Christian Hernandez, music teacher Gary Heimbauer, Queens Borough President Helen Marshall and Principal Dana Gerendasi. Photo courtesy of the Office of the Queens Borough President.

Currently available, the D’Angelico Standard Series guitars have introductory pricing that starts at $1,149. The EXL-1 (Pictured here) has a single cutaway archtop featuring a signature D’Angelico stairstep tailpiece along with a floating pickup and hard maple neck.

In response to the tremendous success of the Standard Series, D’Angelico will be expanding the product line to include various electric, acoustic, and bass models, as well as a line of boutique amplifiers and effects.

Moving forward, D’Angelico Guitars of America pledges to build instruments that respect and honor D’Angelico’s pedigree as the standard for excellence in the guitar world.

www.dangelicoguitars.com

Confirming the suspicions of millions of teenage boys throughout the past four or five decades, a new study conducted by the Université de Bretagne-Sud in France has determined that, “women are attracted to men with guitars.”

This “news” is currently trending on a number of online media outlets, including The Huffington Post:

Researchers, led by social and cognitive psychologist Nicolas Guéguen, asked a 20 year-old man to approach 300 women in their 20s and early 30s in the public shopping district of a medium-sized French city. The subject introduced himself, complimented the woman and asked for her phone number. The subject was either empty-handed, holding a sports bag, or holding a guitar case.

As it turned out, women were much more interested in going out for drinks with someone who played the guitar. When the subject was carrying the guitar case, 31 percent of the women he approached agreed to hand over their number, compared to 14 percent when he was carrying nothing and nine percent when he was carrying the sports bag.

The study further suggests that the “attractiveness” of a male six-string-slinger to the fairer sex may be connected to the association between musical ability and intellect.   Conversely, related research apparently suggests that men are not especially attracted to a female musician.   [The latter hypothesis existing in wild contrast to my multi-decade-long obsession with Joan Jett – Ed.]

No word yet on whether the Université de Bretagne-Sud will be applying a similar model to explore the attractiveness of euphonium players.

When Wolfe established the Bari Company, he became an innovator in plastic reeds and developed a noted soprano saxophone mouthpiece that remains one of the company’s biggest sellers. Taninbaum sold the company to Super-Sensitive Strings upon his retirement.

Wolfe passed away on May 7, 2013, just shy of his 96th birthday.

To view a clip from Wolfe Taninbaum’s 2004 NAMM Oral History interview, click here.

On Wednesday, May 8th, Steinway Musical Instruments, Inc. (NYSE: LVB) announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2013.

Net sales for the first quarter of 2013 totaled $76.8 million compared to net sales of $78.0 million for the first quarter of 2012. The Company reported net income of $2.7 million, or $0.21 per diluted share, for the 2013 period compared to $0.6 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, for the prior-year period.

CEO Michael Sweeney commented, “Our first-quarter results demonstrate significant improvement in our profitability profile. Overall, our gross margin jumped 330 basis points while EPS rose fourfold. Our band division turned in an outstanding operating performance, with gross profit up more than 16%. While we posted a slight decrease in total revenue as compared to the prior-year period, we are confident that the robust U.S. piano sales we saw this quarter will continue and that our strong order position in Europe and Asia will contribute to solid results for the year overall.

“As announced in March, we entered into an agreement with JDS Development Group to sell our interest in the Steinway Hall building on West 57th Street in New York City for $46 million, subject to an upward adjustment associated with certain post-closing conditions. We expect the transaction to close during the second quarter, enabling us to recognize a taxable gain of approximately $22 million. The sale will strengthen our already healthy balance sheet, opening up many options to enhance our capital structure, and will enable us to focus all our attention on growing our musical instruments business.”

Piano Operations 

First quarter revenue totaled $45.4 million, a 2.9% increase over the prior-year quarter. A 13.5% increase in unit shipments of Steinway grand pianos in the Americas was offset by lower shipments in our European and Asia-Pacific regions, resulting in a 4.5% decrease as compared to the year-ago period. Worldwide, unit shipments of Boston and Essex pianos rose 23.3% over the first quarter of 2012. Gross margin improved 100 basis points despite increased training costs for new production workers in Germany.

Band Operations 

Revenues for the first quarter totaled $31.4 million, a decrease of 7.2% from the prior-year period, due to lower overall shipments. As compared to the prior-year quarter, the mix of products sold shifted toward professional instruments and sourced student instruments. Sales of these higher-margin instruments, coupled with price increases, led to exceptional gross margin improvement of 600 basis points over the first quarter of 2012.

Outlook

Mr. Sweeney concluded, “We see an exciting path to growth for our Company. The steps we took in mid- 2012 to ramp up Steinway grand piano production will soon enable us to realize even more fully the operating leverage inherent in our business. We increased our German production workforce by almost 20% over the last 12 months and will finish training the new workers by June. These expanded capabilities will enable us to fulfill orders for Steinway grand pianos in Europe and Asia in the second half of 2013. At our band division, we expect a pick-up in orders and deliveries as we enter the peak selling season and dealers have more visibility into their customers’ needs. We expect to benefit from the higher profitability that even a modest improvement in band revenue produces.”

Capitalization

As of March 31, 2013, the Company’s cash balance totaled $61.7 million. The Company’s West 57th Street building and its related assets and liabilities were reclassified as current due to the pending sale of the building.

“I’m pleased to add Steve to the already wonderful sales team at MMR,” says Timeless Communication president Terry Lowe. “He brings a depth of knowledge and experience from working for such magazines as Performer, Music Connection, and Sound On Sound that will make him an excellent fit in working with Rick Kessel and the others.” Lowe adds that Sattler’s three years working for Guitar Center also adds to his ability to understand and serve this market. Sattler will also be serving sister publications SBO, JAZZed, and Choral Director.

“I’m a strong believer in the value of personal relationships and constantly strive to exceed customer expectations, philosophies that have long been part of the culture of these magazines,” Sattler says. “I’m excited to be part of the evolution as they become part of the Timeless family, because I believe these great publications are more relevant than ever. I’m especially looking forward to being part of the current outstanding sales team.”

As previously reported, Lowe of Timeless recently acquired the four titles from Symphony Publishing. The new magazines will be referred to as the Musical Instrument and Education Division of Timeless Communications Corp. The new phone number as of June 1 will be (702) 479-1879. Sattler’s email address will be ssattler@timelesscom.com

Reloop, manufacturer of qDJ products and accessories based in Germany recently announced their new exclusive US distribution partnership with American Music and Sound.

“Reloop is one of the Top DJ brands in the world,” states Reloop sales director, Lars Jacobs.  “However in the US, Reloop has not yet established desired market positioning since its introduction in the year 2010. To appoint American Music & Sound as sole Reloop Distributor in the US is an important step and as a matter of fact, will create significant added value for retailers and end customers in the US.”  Lynn Martin, president of AM&S adds “The group at Reloop has done a spectacular job of establishing this product line as one of the most exciting and interesting offerings in the marketplace today. At AM&S we are extremely happy to be able to fill out their strategy in the US market.”

The following was posted on Facebook earlier this week.   Anyone with any relevant information, please reach out to the store at the email listed below:

Tim’s Music in Sacramento, California was burglarized twice, May 2 and May 3, by two men. They got away with over $70,000 in merchandise, and though we have footage of the two men in the store, days prior to their initial break in, and a clear face shot of one of the men, we have yet to identify either. We are working with the Sacramento County Sheriff, looking for this man and his accomplice. in order to make swift progress with the identification process, we’re making this photo public to the Internet, we hope to receive any information you may be able to provide. We appreciate any and all help in identifying these men. Please contact us at timsmusicsacramento@gmail.com. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Cappello Music Co., Inc. was the drum set sponsor of this year’s Camp Jam, suppling a Traps A400 acoustic kit to all the camps across the country.

This year’s national Camp Jam contest “Im in the Band” winner, Cameron McLenaghan, received the new kit from Cappello Music Co.  “I am amazed by the sound that can be produced from these drums and the volume surprises me,” sais McLenaghan.  “I am very impressed by the portability of this kit and it is clearly ideal for taking to university next year. I want to thank you and your company once again for this generous prize and I know I’m going to make good use of it.”

Camp Jam is a summer rock music camp created by rock guitarist/songwriter Jeff Carlisi, of 38 Special, and his longtime business partner Danny Lipson. Held in 18 cities across the U.S. and Canada, Camp Jam offers a number of programs for musicians of all skill levels, including summer camps for ages 9 to 17, Corporate Team Building Programs and Adult Rock Camp experiences.  For locations and dates visit www.campjam.com