Over 122,000 visitors flocked to Music China’s ‘We’re back!’ celebration exhibition in Shanghai which came to a close on 14 October.
Organisers reported a rush of on-site orders and many new connections forged across 13 bustling exhibition areas, and a fairground alive with activity.
Attendance equalled the show’s all-time record from 2019, and with more than 1,800 exhibitors spread over 120,000sqm of exhibition space, the four-day fair attracted high praise from the local musical instruments industry.
French violin bridge supplier Nicolas Despiau hailed the event as “one of the most important fairs in the world,” – a sentiment that was supported by the attendance of trade visitors and end consumers from 92 countries and regions.
“Across all the important metrics, the response to this 20th edition has exceeded our expectations,” said Judy Cheung, deputy general manager at organiser Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd.
“After the pandemic hiatus, participants wanted to know if the magic is still here, and the feedback we’ve received from exhibitors and visitors has confirmed this is indeed the case. The sheer scale of the Chinese market, driven by a sustained focus on music education, ensures that leading players from around the world continue to view the fair as a ‘must-attend’. It was pleasing to hear from exhibitors that there was a strong flow of new, high-quality buyers visiting their booths throughout the show – with many reporting strong on-site sales orders. After the difficulties the musical instruments industry has faced over the past few years, we are delighted to have truly moved the needle in terms of re-establishing business connections.”
Barend Van Mullem, VP sales and marketing, Henri Selmer Paris, was an exhibitor in the woodwind and brass instrument halls. He said: “It’s very busy. The Asian market currently accounts for more than 50% of our turnover, so this fair is pivotal for us. It enables us to connect not only with Chinese consumers but also with those from Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia and beyond.”
The piano halls E1 and E2 expanded their footprint by 20% this year, making them the largest piano halls worldwide.
Occupying one of the largest booths at the fairground, Yamaha were introducing their ‘Live up to the Love of Music’ campaign in an effort to stimulate domestic music education, and promote widespread music culture in China. Daisuke Yamamuro, general manager of the company’s Marketing (and Band & Orchestral) Division in China, said: “This year’s Music China is celebrating its 20th edition, and last year happened to be the 20th anniversary of Yamaha China. Our aim is to use this platform to continue creating new dynamics and cultures among music lovers.”
Seiler Samick, an exhibitor since the inaugural edition in 2002, reported orders for over a hundred pianos at the show.
The exhibition also staged 600 industry-leading forums, exhibitor events, hands-on training sessions, global product launches, and live shows.
Music China is organised by Messe Frankfurt, the China Musical Instrument Association and Shanghai Intex Exhibition Co Ltd. The next edition will take place 10–13 October 2024.
For more details, visit www.musikmesse-china.com
