The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation is seeking the top school districts and schools with an exemplary commitment to music education curriculum to be recognized as part of the Foundation’s Best Communities for Music Education (BCME) program.

The inaugural AES@NAMM Pro Sound Symposium: Live & Studio is a unique education and training program from the Audio Engineering Society targeted at working professionals in the live sound, recording and performance-audio communities.

For NAMM members seeking a jumpstart to retail success in 2018, The NAMM Show returns with the perennial favorite: Retail Boot Camp. On Wednesday, January 24, before the Show officially opens, retail business owners, managers, sales personnel, marketers and accountants can rev up their retail and financial know-how through two tracks: Sales, Marketing and Website; or Financial Management. Each track is designed to impart practical, easy-to-implement ideas and business strategies designed to impact the bottom line.

The NAMM Foundation has announced that the organization will benefit 24 different music education programs with $675,000 in grants, an increase made possible by NAMM Foundation donors. The beneficiaries, located both domestically and abroad, provide access and instruction to a variety of different communities and demographics. While unique in instrumentation and location, each organization’s mission underscores the Foundation’s commitment to creating and supporting access to quality music education programs to inspire a life-long love of music making.

Echoing the long-term stability of the 117-year-old organization, the NAMM Board of Directors unanimously voted in the next slate of officers earlier today at Summer NAMM in Nashville. At the meeting, the board officially welcomed each industry leader to new roles, representing a balanced composition of retail and commercial members. The 2017 Executive Committee includes Chair Robin Walenta, Vice-Chair Chris Martin IV, Treasurer Joel Menchy and Secretary Tom Sumner.

NASHVILLE – July 14, 2017 –  Earlier this evening at Nashville’s Music City Center, The National Association of Music Merchants honored the Top 100 Dealers in the industry and announced the list of enterprising music product retailers who received “Best of” awards for their excellence in several areas, including the coveted “Dealer of the Year” award.

More than 25 iconic buildings and landmarks across the United States will turn orange in support of Make Music Day, the annual global celebration of music occurring each June 21 and featuring over 4,000 free, outdoor concerts, music lessons and jam sessions in more than 60 U.S. cities. The daylong musical celebration on the summer solstice brings people of all ages, backgrounds and skills levels together to make music. All lightings will take place in participating Make Music Day cities and occur on or one day prior to June 21.

The 2017 Summer NAMM Show is set to welcome a variety of music legends as it returns to Nashville’s Music City Center, July 13-15. The annual summer gathering of the music product, pro audio and entertainment tech community brings together top brands, professional development sessions and an opportunity to network with peers, with Music City as the backdrop.

Earlier this week, nearly 100 music industry leaders, notable artists and arts education activists traveled to Washington, D.C. to advocate for all school-aged children to have access to quality, comprehensive school music education programs. As part of the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Advocacy Fly-In, held May 22-24, the delegation met with Members of Congress and other policy stakeholders to reinforce the importance of music as part of a well-rounded education.

On Monday evening, The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) honored Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) with the organization’s SupportMusic Champion Award. The award was presented in recognition of the Senator’s long history in music education advocacy and comes on the heels of the historic passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act in 2015 (ESSA). This new federal law amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), to include music and arts as part of a “well-rounded” education, a term and concept championed by the Senator.