Musikmesse and Prolight + Sound set a new exhibitor record
* Musikmesse and Prolight + Sound set a new exhibitor record
* More exhibitors at Musikmesse: 1,511 companies from 50 countries
* Four days of business, concerts and meetings
The international Musikmesse in Frankfurt am Main opens its doors tomorrow with an increased number of exhibitors that, for the first time since the financial crisis, has once again cleared the 1,500 hurdle. Over the next four days, Musikmesse – the world’s biggest trade fair for musical instruments, sheet music, music production and music business connections – will present the products and services of 1,511 exhibitors (2010:1,496) from 50 countries in Frankfurt am Main. With this product spectrum and the unrivalled complementary programme of 1,000 live concerts, autograph sessions and workshops, Musikmesse 2011 will once again make the world’s capital for the industry, trade, musicians and music lovers.
Together with the concurrent Prolight + Sound, which presents technologies and services for events and entertainment, this year’s Musikmesse has set a new record: “Altogether, 2,384 exhibitors are making presentations at the two fairs. The companies come from 55 countries around the world – more than ever before – and the two fairs also reflect this very encouraging overall result. For the first time since 2009, Musikmesse has cleared the 1,500 exhibitor hurdle again while Prolight + Sound is distinguished by an all-time record of 873 exhibitors”, said Detlef Braun, Member of the Board of Management of Messe Frankfurt, on the eve of the two fairs.
“Musikmesse and Prolight + Sound are once again in the process of demonstrating their unparalleled power of attraction for both the domestic and international music and entertainment markets. Moreover, two events of national significance – the PRG LEA Live Entertainment Award and the German Pianist Award – will also be held for the first time within the framework of the two fairs.”
With 1,511 exhibitors (2010: 1,496), Musikmesse 2011 has beaten the figures for the previous year and reflects the trend towards stabilisation in a market that, following the 2009 / 2010 crisis, can now report a slight increase in demand again. “The large number of exhibitors from 50 countries of the world (2010: 46) and the six percent growth in the number of companies representing the German musical-instrument industry constitute impressive evidence of the consistency and resistance of the Musikmesse and its exhibitors. All in all, this has consolidated the position of Musikmesse as the leading international trade fair for the sector”, adds Detlef Braun.
This year, the driving force behind the increased exhibitor numbers is the domestic market – altogether 577 German exhibitors are taking part, an increase of six percent compared to 2010. Over the years, the German market for musical instruments and accessories has proved to be extremely resistant to crises. This is due, on the one hand, to the structure of the sector, which is powered by export oriented, small to medium-sized companies that produce products of the highest quality. On the other hand, it is a consequence of the importance attached to culture and cultural services in , which also led to a slight increase in domestic demand in 2010. The other top-ten exhibitor nations are the People’s Republic of (147), the (139), (106), (68), (62), (42), (40), (34) and (33).
“We are very pleased to welcome many new companies to the fair. German manufacturers are distinguished by innovative and imaginative ideas, particularly when it comes to combining traditional musical instruments with new mobile developments”, adds Detlef Braun. As in the past, the exhibitors of Musikmesse 2011 include all important national and international brands, service providers and distributors.
With a series of important accompanying events, Musikmesse underscores not only the experiential character of the fair but also brings together important parts of the ‘music’ value chain at the same time and place for the four days of the fair. With the PRG LEA, the Live Entertainment Award, Messe Frankfurt has attached another music-business module to Musikmesse. By bringing together the live business, as well as concert promoters and booking agencies, with the exhibitors and visitors of Musikmesse and Prolight + Sound, the two fairs generate valuable synergies for all participants. The great stability of the live event sector, especially in comparison to other entertainment fields, leaves little doubt about the high degree of interest in live events and, therefore, in musical instruments and accessories.
On the public day (Saturday, 9 April), Musikmesse will be a magnet not only for the world of music professionals but also for music lovers from all points of the compass. And something for all tastes will be offered on the Musikmesse stages. The Agora Stage in front of Hall 3 is the main stage of the fair and the venue for almost 100 concerts. The Acoustic Stage is characterised by somewhat quieter tones. On Saturday, the PRG LEA Stage in the Festhalle will be the setting for a variety of awards ceremonies and concerts, including one by the German rock-pop band Silbermond.
Many artists and bands have already announced they will be giving concerts on the Musikmesse stages or live gigs or autograph sessions at the exhibition stands. They include Stefanie Heinzmann, Christoph Schneider (Rammstein), the rhythm section of PINK, Darryl Jones (Rolling Stones bassist), Bertram Engel (Maffay), Tom Coster (Santana), members of the Scorpions, Orianthi (guitarist with Michael Jackson), Bootsy Collins and many musicians of Revolerheld, Phil Collins and Fettes Brot. Metal fans are equally well catered for with members of bands such as Megadeath, Kreator, Avantasia, Whitesnake, Masterplan, Behemoth, Blind Guardian, Primal Fear, Mother’s Finest and Rage scheduled to play live or give autographs.
An absolute highlight for younger visitors is the music4kids area where, during the week of the fair, around 8,000 children will be given the chance to discover and try out musical instruments in a variety of experiential worlds. The atmosphere will be more professional during the final round of SchoolJam, the great competition for German school bands on Friday when eight bands will compete for the title of ‘Germany’s Best School Band’. They will play to an audience of hundreds and demonstrate their skills on the professional open-air stage. Headlining the event is the popular band Sunrise Avenue.
With the Musikbiz area in Hall 4.1, the Musikmesse has extended the spectrum covered to include representatives of the music industry, i.e., labels, aggregators, radio and television music stations, concert promoters, online platforms and music training institutes. This is where up-and-coming bands demonstrate their abilities.
Musikmesse is also the setting for numerous awards ceremonies for personalities and products. Every year, Messe Frankfurt and the Federal Association of German Musical Instrument Manufacturers (Bundesverband der Deutschen Musikinstrumenten-Hersteller e. V. – BDMH) present the Frankfurt Music Prize on the eve of the fair. This year, it goes to mezzo soprano Anne Sofie von Otter. For the first time, this year’s presentation will take place during the PRG LEA Awards when stars of the music scene honour the people behind the scenes, e.g., concert promoters, agents, venue operators and artists’ managers. The German Musical Instrument Award is given for outstanding achievements in the field of musical-instrument making. Sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Technologie – BMWi), this year’s award goes to two bass-trumpet manufacturers and two guitar makers. The Musikmesse International Press Award (MIPA) honours the best musical instruments, accessories and pro-audio equipment of 2010/2011 – the judges are journalists from 112 specialist magazines worldwide. The German Pianist Award is for aspiring interpreters of piano music. Organised by Musikmesse in cooperation with the International Piano Forum, the award carries a prize of € 20,000 Euro.
Details of all events, stars, autograph sessions and concerts on the stages and at the exhibition stands can be found in our list of events at www.musikmesse-events.com or on the Musikmesse website at www.musikmesse.com
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