Music is part of culture and, as such, is inherent to human beings. That doesn’t stop it from being a sector with certain complexities, like almost all artistic disciplines. But, fortunately, there are people, entities and organizations that are a source of momentum for the development of commerce in the music market.
On this occasion, we wanted to take the pulse of the big corporations that enrich the flows of the economy of instruments, events and shows.
This is the case of Music China. And for that, we have the privilege of speaking with Ms. Judy Cheung, Deputy General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, who has kindly given us her impressions of the current landscape, in which the planet is fighting energetically and toward victory (for there is no other destiny). With vaccines near and a large part of the continents de-escalating, we were interested in the current situation at the gateway to the Asian instrument market: Music China.
Music China is one of the fundamental pillars of the instrument sector, alongside The NAMM Show and Musikmesse Frankfurt. Music China consolidates import and export business in Asian markets. It is an unmissable event for manufacturers and importers from all over the world.
1. How do you think the pandemic has affected the flow of imports and exports? Do you think we will achieve a recovery in a reasonably short time?
In times as strange as these, we can see that the pandemic has affected us all equally. However, we have discussed this matter with our exhibitors and other stakeholders and concluded that these times are even more complicated for the entertainment industry, since its importance now doesn’t resemble its importance in the past. In this sense, it has suffered much more than other sectors. In any case, some surveys and statistics are already being carried out that reveal promising data for the music industry in China despite the coronavirus pandemic.
What ends up prevailing is precisely that, that we have an emerging market. In recent years, moreover, music has been added to the list of required subjects on the high school entrance exam. Although the exam conditions vary from region to region, music retains its importance. This growth in music policies is making more and more people take an interest in and buy musical instruments. For this reason, the crisis will not affect our industry as much, and when the economy recovers, we will start to take off.
In addition, the Chinese government is gradually undertaking a series of economic measures so that companies, organizations and chambers of commerce can slowly resume their economic activity and return to normal.
2. For the repeat exhibitor, for those who have attended Music China before, what is the added value of the 2020 edition? What can be expected from the big Asian event in October of this year?
We understand the concern of all the exhibitors who have to travel to China. Therefore, to help them overcome their difficulties, we will provide the following special services to all exhibitors who are unable to travel to the show:
- Temporary booth staffing services during the show
- AV equipment rental services for projections or product demonstrations
- Online scheduling of appointments and meetings in real time
- Exhibitor ID badges
- On-site attendance reports and analytics services
3. For companies that haven’t yet exhibited in Shanghai, what reasons should make them consider the event? What are the advantages?
For all those companies that haven’t yet visited Music China, I advise them to start preparing. Music China is the largest music trade show in Asia, and also one of the most prominent events in the industry overall. As an organization, we have 33 years of experience coordinating trade shows in the country, and specifically 19 years in the music industry. Throughout our history, we have expanded our sales channels and options, among which we highlight our collaboration with the China Musical Instrument Association. We can say without a doubt that Music China plays a fundamental role in the musical instrument industry.
From the exhibitor’s point of view, Music China is also an opportunity to gain ground in the vast Chinese market. For example, take Alhambra, a Spanish guitar maker. Alhambra added Music China to its expansion plans just when the show began to be held. Now, after many years, they are still regulars and are happy to attend Music China. There are also other exhibitors who have been with us since the first edition, such as AXL, Beijing Eastman, Bluethner, Casio, Central Music, Deviser, Fazioli, Gewa, Great Wall, Hailun, Hsinghai, Jinbao, Kawai, Maxtone, Music Center, Otto, Parsons, P. Mauriat, Pearl River, Roland, Sandner, Shanghai National Musical Instruments Factory no. 1, Steinway, Thomastik and Yamaha. For their trust, we are tremendously grateful. Thanks to their support we have been able to show that our show is an effective solution for business development and brand establishment. What’s more, Music China is the only show that combines such a large and varied number of Western and Eastern musical instruments. And, as I answered in the first question, the rise and importance of music education in the country is something you won’t find elsewhere.
But we don’t only have major exhibitors, because thanks to Music China’s great reputation, we also receive visitors and business professionals from education, as well as professionals and artists. With the exception of retailers and distributors, all our visitors (both domestic and international) have an excellent music education, and many of them are true music professionals. Our show draws several visitor profiles, which exponentially multiplies exhibitors’ business opportunities to understand their end users’ purchase intent.
From the visitor’s point of view, Music China is a great opportunity to discover and buy the best brands in the world. Some of the brands that have already confirmed their attendance at the show are BAM, C. Bechstein, Bergerault, Casio, Kawai, PianoDisc, Saga, Samick, Schimmel, Seiko, Steinway, Taylor, Thomastik, Yamaha, Yanagisawa, and many more.
An added value for Music China will be the Prolight + Sound Shanghai show, the leading trade show for the entertainment industry in Asia, which will be held at the same time in the city of Shanghai. Both shows will be a unique networking opportunity for sellers, buyers and professionals in the music, audio and lighting industries.
But let’s not forget that the show will not only be a meeting point for business and commercial development, but also the perfect excuse to learn new knowledge through its educational program. Organized jointly with NAMM, this edition will feature the participation of professionals from the CMIA Forum and the NAMM University Courses. Honestly, I think it is a very valuable opportunity to start up, negotiate and, of course, to learn. And all under one roof.
Over the four days of the exhibition, a positive and highly productive atmosphere will unfold, accompanied by a wide variety of live shows, performances and competitions.
4. Which market areas stand out the most? In other words, which sectors have the best prospects at the show? Traditional and classical instruments, piano, woodwinds and brass, the Spanish guitar. Contemporary instruments: electric guitar, acoustic, drums, keyboards, music technology, and so on.
The piano will be the central instrument at the show. It has been for several years, ever since it became established in the Chinese market. Its growing popularity translated last year into 60% growth in exhibition space, from 17,250 m2 to 28,750 m2. In the show’s aisles you can find pianos of every kind and for every taste, from antique pianos or beginner pianos to limited-edition or collector’s pianos. According to a survey of our visitors at the last edition, 45% of them came specifically because of their interest in pianos and keyboards. At the 2020 edition, we will have the presence of some renowned brands such as C. Bechstein, Casio, Dampp-chaser, Hsinghai, Kawai, PianoDisc, Samick, Schimmel, Seiler, Steinway and The One.
We should also acknowledge the rise of string instruments and music education. In 2019, the exhibition area for pianos and string instruments grew by 15%, while music education went from one hall in 2018 to two halls in 2019.
5. Is it easy to find contacts to export Asian products to the rest of the world?
Thanks to the trust the industry places in our show, every year we host a growing number of visitors from all over the world. In 2019, we registered 122,519 visitors from 79 countries and regions. Some of the countries that traveled the longest distances to attend the show were: Germany, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, the United Arab Emirates, Spain, France, Iran, Israel, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom, among others. I would say Music China is a golden opportunity, not only for entering the Chinese market, but for many countries to market their products and share them with other parts of the world.
As trade show organizers, we can’t help but express our interest in expanding or welcoming new ideas. We are currently working with new cultural and industry organizations to look for new potential customers in ASEAN.
6. At Music China, can manufacturers reach potential distributors for their product to open markets on this continent?
This show will always be a good occasion to find new opportunities and, in addition, it reflects exactly what is happening in the market. Some manufacturers and retailers have already realized the potential of the beginner market and the growth of online learning platforms. They will now do everything possible to explore these new market niches, and when they come to the show, they will continue to discover all the emerging trends.
7. Which Asian areas, countries or cities are the most active for the musical instrument sector?
At the last edition, the main Asian countries and regions that visited Music China were Taiwan, Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and India (in order of importance, from highest to lowest). All of them are, without a doubt, the industry’s big investors in musical instruments.
8. Will Music China feature live activities, demonstrations and events? Any new surprises you can reveal?
The program is still being developed, and event confirmations keep coming in. For that reason, I can’t confirm any surprises right now. But I can say that what we have already confirmed, we will soon be able to preview and share with everyone.
For this new edition, as I mentioned earlier, we will continue to develop educational programs together with the CMIA Forum and the University Courses from NAMM.
However, it won’t only be these two events; a series of other conferences will also be organized to meet the needs of our visitors. For example, the Music Education Conference will serve as a networking platform between teachers and students or interested parties, where some of the latest music teaching techniques and methods can be learned. In addition, at the Forum on Traditional Chinese Musical Instruments, attendees can learn about trends and new technologies in the instrument-making sector. It is also worth mentioning that at the Hall of Arts, all visitors will be able to learn about the most advanced technologies in craftsmanship and string instrument production.
