1 AMA office: MBE 148/45 Glenferrie Rd Malvern VIC 3144 Ph 03 9527 6658 Fax: 03 9507 2316 AMA website: www.australianmusic.asn.au Music Makers website: www.musicmakers.org.au NOVEMBER 2009 All around Australia, hundreds of thousands of students, parents and families performed the song 'The Music is Everything’ at the same time. The music and singing rang out in primary and secondary schools, from the Kimberleys to Campbelltown. Why? To celebrate the value of music education for ALL students, as part of the Music Council of Australia’s ‘Music: Count Us In’ national program. In its third year, the program is supported Guy Sebastian led the countdown with 600 by the Australian Government and runs kids on the steps of Sydney Opera House, against the backdrop of research which 500 kids from around Victoria performed has found that, despite all its many with Jersey Boys’ star, Bobby Fox and benefits to kids’ development, music Chicago’s Sharon Millerchip and 500 kids education is losing its footing in too many in Darwin rocked the NT Parliament. schools. Aside from the big city signature events, ‘Our aim is to get every school in school communities all over Australia Australia offering a great, quality music celebrated in their own assembly halls, program to its students,” said program town centres, shopping centres, sporting Ambassador, John Foreman, as he hosted ovals and even on buses en route to the live broadcast of the Canberra swimming carnivals! countdown event outside Parliament “What’s so clever about Music: Count Us In House in Canberra with 2000 school kids, two of the four student is that it’s simultaneously huge and intimate,” said John Foreman. There songwriters, Jasmine Johnston and James Lange, and federal Arts aren’t many events that involve half a million people yet include a proud Minister, Peter Garrett. ‘What we want to ask parents, teachers and group of ten students and one teacher in an outback school.” principals to think about is: if there aren’t many musical activities In Canberra, as the Band of the Royal Military College, Duntroon, hit happening in your school, make it happen! It often takes just one or two the four bar intro and the kids joyously raised their voices, the sun inspired people to make a difference.” shone a little brighter across the whole nation. As you will read inside The Minister extolled the positive impacts of music for all students: this issue of AMTN, Music Makers provides core funding for Music: “The wonderful thing about music is that when you Count Us In. Due to the generosity of the Music Makers contributors, sing in a choir or play music with other people, it’s really good this great event continues to go from strength to strength. for you.” More info about the program at www.musiccountusin.org.au 2 YOUR AMA. WORKING FOR YOU By CAROL BRANDMAN Co-chair AMAC 2010 AMAC 2009 continued the tradition of an industry coming together for the latest training, product clinics, recognition of excellence and of course, the social interaction that has con- nected our industry and moved us forward. Pre- Registration this year was on target however there was a drop off in retail- er walk ups. Taking the economic climate into consideration, the convention was well supported, returning a modest sur- plus to the Association. Wow what a year! It has been fasten your seat belts with wondering where the economic roller coaster will take you next. It is hard to imagine that It is hard to believe that we are already working on a new for- exactly this time last year our Aussie dollar bought 37% lower US dollars than it does today. Japanese yen was affected too resulting in real confusion for mat for 2010 with plenty of planning well underway. AMAC wholesalers as to what to do with price lists and how to recover costs if the will run Thursday 30th September and Friday 1st October trend continued. Well let’s pray for stability and thank heaven again that we 2010, a response to many members not wanting any time are in the music products business. Why? Well… reduction for the event. AMAC itself will undergo a make- 1. Back in May we had our Music Makers Summit where we learnt the over but will still retain key social events such as the industry results of the amazing programs that Music Makers has facilitated. It was dinner and welcome party. clear then that the communication with the Federal Government needed more work. Two wins since have been the Music. Count Us In (approx The new ‘Public Show’ - yet to be officially named – will run $480,000) program on October 23 and the allowance for music and stage Saturday 2nd and 3rd October 2010, a truly great venue has permanent equipment for school's new performing arts complexes. been secured at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre, on the 2. In August AMAC was back on the Gold Coast. It really showed how even- Yarra at the heart of metropolitan Melbourne. It is ideally keeled we are in what many call the toughest times since the depression. located close to public transport surrounded by a wide range We had great support from exhibitors and attendees. There was a positive of accommodation at a variety of prices to suit all budgets. spirit with superb displays. Pre-registrations were actually similar to previous record years. Thanks to all those who completed surveys to help Please be assured that the public show will not merely be the planning for an expanded show next year in Melbourne. AMAC with the public let in. Instead it will be an all new 3. In September I attended the Music Council of Australia Assembly two- experiential, entertaining stand-alone event with lots of gear, day meeting. In a separate article in this issue I write about how fortunate and also lots of activities that will inspire people to start mak- we are to have this body in Australia and why the AMA gets such great ing music and keep on making music. Some key areas value from supporting it. already addressed include: 4. In October I attended the Music China Fair in Shanghai (at no cost to the association may I add). Although I have been to the fair many times, what struck me this time was how fortunate we are that the Chinese like An exhibitor prospectus being drafted with a view to launch- our type of music and music products. All of the live music presented was ing it before Christmas. similar to what we hear at AMAC, NAMM or Frankfurt. Of special interest to me were the piano displays that must have cost mega dollars and The exciting launch to the public of this event will take place reflected the massive piano market in that region. in February 2010. 5. The message is that even in tough times, people love to play and create music. Our association over the past ten years has become the peak body Talks are currently taking place with a number of major inter- in relating the benefits of active music making through the members and national names with a view to hosting a seriously exciting associated organisations to many people in the community. My special master class. People are working with us and the aim is to thanks go to those companies who support the Music Makers fund plus announce a name or two hopefully before Christmas, but those who support via voluntary membership of the committee. certainly in the New Year. We are fortunate to have the Morton Group, Ian Harvey and Sara Hood as our secretariat. Their dedication and experience has been a cornerstone to The programming of workshops, clinics and info sessions is the developments over the decade. underway addressing a range of instruments and levels from Finally, we will soon announce the date for the Annual General Meeting. pre-novice to expert, delivering on our commitment to Rather than squeezing it into the busy pre- Christmas period, we will hold include market development in the show program. the AGM in early February, when we are all very much back into our business activity following festivities and Winter NAMM. The date will be A lot of hard work looms ahead but there is great energy and advised shortly and the AGM will be held in Melbourne to include the enthusiasm for this new vision and now, as an industry as a presentation of the Australian Musician Music Gear Awards and a detailed briefing on AMAC and the yet to be named public show for 2010. whole, we have to build the excitement and vision and reap the results … watch this space! Special good luck for the Festive season to come, your President, Bernie Capicchiano, FAMI (dip), CPM, ANZM. 3 Many members will be aware of the announcement at GIVING POLITICIANS A AMAC that the AMA will sponsor the development and implementation of the Musical Futures program ‘MUSIC EDUCATION’! from the UK here in Australia. By RICHARD SNAPE, Musical Futures brings contemporary music making Chair of the Music Makers Committee and styles into the classroom and since its On October 22nd, the tremendously successful Music Count Us In introduction early this decade more than 1,000 UK was held around Australia again. Around half a million children schools have adopted this approach. It is took part, including my young son, who was part of the huge revolutionising the way music is learned in Britain’s concert at Melbourne’s Federation Square.