Music Works Wonders Wins 11 Video Awards

Free Award-Winning Video Helps NAMM Member Retailers Promote Music Making to Children and Parents

Carlsbad, CA

What do you get when you combine cute kids, furry Sesame Street Muppets and a variety of musical instruments? Lots of awards! That has certainly been the case with the NAMM-sponsored Music Works Wonders video. The 22-minute educational tape, currently used by many NAMM retail Members to promote the benefits of music making to preschoolers and their parents, took honors at more than a dozen recent video award presentations, including the New York Festivals Competition, the Telly Awards and the International Film and Video Awards.

The Music Works Wonders video—which showcases Elmo and many of Sesame Street’s favorite Muppet characters, is one of the components created as part of the Sesame Street Music Works program, an exciting music advocacy initiative partnering NAMM and Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street. The video sends the messages that music is all around us, everyone can make music, and children learn and grow with music. Savvy retailers are using the Music Works kit to create a kid-friendly focus in their stores where they can display the colorful posters and play the lively Music Works Wonders video for groups of visiting preschoolers and their parents.

“NAMM couldn’t be more pleased that so many distinguished groups are honoring the Music Works Wonders video,” said Joe Lamond, president and CEO, NAMM. “We hope this acknowledgement prompts more retailers to start using these tools in their stores and get in on the ground floor of the burgeoning early childhood music products market.”

“Music has always been a key component of Sesame Street, and the Sesame Street Music Works initiative is helping lots of children see themselves as music makers, as they reap the benefits of becoming actively involved with music,” said Gary E. Knell, president and CEO, Sesame Workshop. “NAMM’s strong support has been crucial to the success of Music Works. We look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with this valuable Sesame Workshop partner.”

Sesame Street is viewed by more than 8 million people a week in the United States and has been broadcast in more than 140 countries, making it the most widely watched television program in the world. The winner of 84 Emmy Awards—more than any other show in history—Sesame Street has been a global pioneer in the use of television in educating young minds.

About Sesame Workshop
Sesame Workshop is a nonprofit, educational organization making a meaningful difference in children’s lives around the world. Founded in 1968, the Workshop changed television forever with the legendary Sesame Street. Today, the Workshop continues to innovate on behalf of children in 120 countries, using its proprietary research methodology to ensure its programs and products are engaging and enriching. Sesame Workshop is behind the award-winning programs Dragon Tales and Sagwa, The Chinese Siamese Cat and groundbreaking multimedia productions in South Africa, Egypt and Russia. These are among many Workshop endeavors recognized for their deep understanding of children’s developmental needs and the most effective ways to address them. Find the Workshop online at www.sesameworkshop.org


Media Contacts
NAMM Communications - John Dolak, Director
johnd@namm.org
619.735.4028

The Lippin Group for NAMM
namm@lippingroup.com
201.317.6618

About NAMM

The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) is the not-for-profit association with a mission to strengthen the $19.5 billion music products industry. NAMM is comprised of 15,400 global member companies and individual professionals with a global workforce of over 475,000 employees. NAMM events and members fund The NAMM Foundation's efforts to promote the pleasures and benefits of music and advance active participation in music-making across the lifespan. For more information about NAMM, please visit www.namm.org.