NAMM Musikmesse Russia and Prolight + Sound NAMM Russia 2013 Boast Record Attendance

130 companies from 14 countries, including major industry brands, took part in the second edition of NAMM Musikmesse Russia and Prolight + Sound NAMM Russia 2013

Comprehensive education, entertainment and business programs received a wide acclaim by top experts of the Russian market and media.

Boasting record attendance and a renewed sense of vibrancy, the second annual NAMM Musikmesse Russia and Prolight + Sound NAMM Russia 2013 attracted manufacturers and distributors of leading brands from around the world. Music product and pro-light and sound companies from around the world, including major industry brands, took part in the second edition of these events designed to assist brands in reaching the growing markets in Russia and the CIS.

The shows demonstrated a 49-percent increase in attendance over 2012’s debut effort. Importers, retailers, concert venue representatives, conductors, sound and light directors, festival and concert organizers, music teachers, students, and both amateur and professional musicians crowded both show’s halls, checking out instruments, new technologies, and cutting-edge products from all corners of the music-products and live-performance industries. The gratifying increase in attendees of both shows comprised 9,281 unique visitors, many returning for multiple days, making the total number of visits 12,601. In what has historically been a challenging economic market, this increase indicates the growing enthusiasm in the Russian market laying groundwork for the success of NAMM Musikmesse Russia’s 2014 events.

More than 130 key companies from 14 countries, including leading world brands, demonstrated their newest products and developments to a keen Russian audience. Comprehensive education, entertainment and business programs headlined the trade events, which helped draw enthusiastic interest and acclaim from Russia’s business and consumer media.

Bearing the official support of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, both shows opened with a grand opening ceremony featuring Russian opera singer Maria Maksakova.

Music-products industry giants such as Taylor Guitars, Roland Music, Hal Leonard, Music Sales, König & Meyer, Karl Höfner, MixArt (Dean Guitars, Marc Bass), Artimusic (Casio, Sigma Guitars), Arsenal Music (Jupiter, Hercules, Schecter, Ashton), Pearl River, Grand Mystery (KAWAI, Ernie Ball, Music Man), and Avallon (ESP, Blackstar, Buffet Crampon, Miraphone, Paxman) participated in the four-day NAMM Musikmesse Russia event, held May 16-19 in Moscow’s IEC Expocentre.

The three-day Prolight + Sound NAMM Russia, which focuses on technologies and services for production and events was held May 16-18 in the Expocentre, and featured high-profile exhibitors including Panasonic, Clay Paky, Sonoruss (L-Acoustics), RutonS (ElectroVoice), Hi-Tech Media (Bosch), Coda Audio, Prolyte, Robe, Martin by Harman, Steinberg, T-Audio, ARIS (d&b audiotechnik, beyerdynamics) and MixArt (Allen&Heath, QSC).

“This is a big, new market for us, so this is a great opportunity to talk to the customers and present our great guitars to this market," said Taylor Guitars’ Frank Stevens. “The big advantage of the show is definitely to demonstrate our guitars to the dealers and distributors in person. They can touch the guitars, they can smell the guitars, they can actually see them. It’s very important to touch and feel them. That’s different from seeing a picture on a website.”

NAMM Musikmesse Russia played host to The German Pavilion, supported by the Ministry of Economy and Technologies of Germany, which presented nine exhibitors – from both the music industry and the pro-light and sound industry. Three California-based brands exhibited with support from the California STEP program, which helps California-based companies expand their business into new global channels.

“We are exhibiting for the second time and are very satisfied with the results of our participation,” said Roland’s Maxim Strashelyuk. “Owners of music instruments shops, music teachers and professional musicians have visited our booth, and we have met new partners. NAMM Musikmesse Russia provides a great platform to demostrate products to professional audience and potential buyers. The extensive business and educational programs attract professional visitors contributing to the development of the Russian MI industry.”

“We were glad to receive an offer from NAMM to participate in the show. We have never been selling instruments in the Russian market, so participation in NAMM Musikmesse Russia gives us an opportunity to find new clients,” said Budi Irawan of Major Music Supply. “The atmosphere of the show is fantastic, it’s beyond our expectations. The prospective clients are very enthusiastic about our products, we have received orders, so once again, everything is beyond our expectations and we are happy about our participation.”

“It is very important for our company to be part of an international business, because we are representing the world’s top brands in the pro-audio area; that’s why we are here. We are glad that Messe Frankfurt and NAMM started the trade fair here in Russia,” said Alexander Khorev from Aris Pro. “We can see the trade fair growing compared to last year. We see more visitors, and they are business-oriented specialists of the industry. So, the quality of the audience is very high. Business and educational programs within the trade fair are an extra benefit for both exhibitors and visitors. Next year we are planning to participate in Prolight + Sound NAMM Russia again with our products and within the framework of educational programs.”

“The show has brought our target audience in Russia. We have met many extremely influential quality buyers,” noted Alexander Pozinich of Steinberg. This show is conveniently located in the city of Moscow which helps bring buyers from all parts of Russia,”

Besides the many and varied exhibitors showcasing their newest products, both NAMM Musikmesse Russia and Prolight + Sound NAMM Russia presented enrichment programs, highlighting educational and fiscal topics within the music products and pro light and sound industries.

• Public Music Festival liveONstage hundreds of music lovers enjoyed leading Russian bands and singers.
• Piano Days the best piano tuners from across Russia demonstrated the latest technologies of the area.
• International Music Convention “Colisium” featured 50 speakers focusing on music media, marketing and new opportunities for the music promotion industry.
• “Music Without Borders,” an international conference, explored the issue of music education for all ages and physical abilities.
• “Music Space is Our Connection” covered topical issues such as cooperation among business and government institutions, civil society, mass media, parliamentary parties and music-education policy.
• Moscow Music and Art School Principals Meeting organized by Moscow’s Department of Culture, brought leaders of Moscow music schools together to discuss music education, promotion and advocacy.
• NAMM University Classes featured international and Russian industry experts, sharing their success stories in a series of peer-to-peer training courses tailored for Russian retailers.
• “Youth and Classical Music -- Solutions and Approaches for Attracting Young Audiences,” organized by Russian State Music Radio and TV Centre famous Russian classical musicians, opera singers, directors of music theaters, producers and journalists for a roundtable discussion.
• Prolight + Sound NAMM Rental Companies Forum Russia brought together the heads and staff of event agencies and rental companies, and leading manufacturers and distributors of lighting and sound equipment for a two-day forum to introduce current developments in the rental industry.
• Contest for Lighting Solutions, organized by Martin Pro, gathered the best Russian lighting designers at Prolight + Sound NAMM Russia.
• “Ideology of Sound and Music in Film and TV” featured specialists of this fast developing segment.
• XIII All-Russian Student’s Recording Competition Award Ceremony organized by Roland Music and portal ixbt.com.
• “Profession of Sound Engineer – Modern Trends” presented by the Association of Sound Engineers of Russia.

For more information about the audiences, benefits and services available at the events in Russia, or for information on how to sign up to exhibit at either of the trade shows, visit
www.namm-musikmesse.ru and www.prolight-namm.ru.

About Messe Frankfurt
Messe Frankfurt is Germany’s leading trade fair organiser, with 538* million euros in sales and 1,891* active employees worldwide. The Messe Frankfurt Group has a global network of 28 subsidiaries and approx. 50 international Sales Partners, giving it a presence for its customers in more than 150 countries. Events “made by Messe Frankfurt” take place at more than 30 locations around the globe. In 2012, Messe Frankfurt organised 109* trade fairs, of which more than half took place outside Germany. Messe Frankfurt’s exhibition grounds, featuring 578,000 square metres, are currently home to ten exhibition halls and an adjacent Congress Center. The company is publicly owned, with the City of Frankfurt holding 60 percent and the State of Hesse 40 percent. For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com 

*preliminary numbers (2012)