NAMM To Host ‘Doing Business In a New Key’ Recreational Music Making Meeting at the 2011 NAMM Show

The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) announced today that it will host an open meeting during the 2011 NAMM Show for all NAMM Members and guests seeking to learn more about Recreational Music Making (RMM) and ways to incorporate innovative new market development strategies to attract and retain customers.  

The meeting will feature a live demonstration of recreational music making followed by presentations and a panel discussion, led by Christine Stevens of UpBeat Drum Circles, with retailers, manufacturers, and facilitators who have been successful using RMM programs and how playing music for fun can be promoted in today’s retail music stores. The meeting will be held Friday, Jan. 14, 2011, starting at 8:30 a.m. at the Hilton Anaheim, level 4, El Capitan Room. Continental breakfast will be served.  

The panelists will comprise:
Paul Bailie, Co-founder, Soul Drums
Greg Billings, Owner, Steinway Piano Gallery
Bill Erlandson, Institutional Sales Manager, Education and Business Development Division at Roland U.S.                
John Fitzgerald, Manager of Recreational Music Activities, Remo Inc.
Mike Upton, Founder and President, Kala Ukuleles
Ryan West, Senior Vice President, West Music

In addition to the panel discussion, NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond will formally announce a NAMM Foundation music research award program that will celebrate the life and legacy of researcher Karl Bruhn.  The foundation will fund an annual research award to acknowledge Mr. Bruhn’s remarkable and important contributions to recreational music making, music education and the music products industry.  

Meeting attendees will also hear a presentation from Barry Bittman, M.D., president and CEO of the Yamaha Music and Wellness Institute, chief innovations officer of Meadville Medical Center and medical director of the Mind-Body Wellness Center in Meadville, Pa., and from Terry Lewis, board chairman of the Yamaha Music and Wellness Institute and former executive vice president of Yamaha Corporation of America, who will speak about the extensive work of the Institute in the area of RMM.

The meeting is open to all NAMM Members and guests. To RSVP, please visit http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=5w7ndndab&oeidk=a07e352jjv71d7ae0fa

About NAMM
NAMM is the not-for-profit association that unifies, leads and strengthens the $17 billion international musical instruments and products industry. NAMM’s activities and programs are designed to promote music making to people of all ages. NAMM is comprised of approximately 9,000 Member companies. For more information about NAMM or the proven benefits of making music, interested parties can visit www.namm.org or call 800-767-NAMM (6266).