The Music Trades has reported a steady US Sales result at the September quarter – the crucial back to school period showed an overall increase of 6.2% in an environment of keen competition. Guitars showed a rise of 1.5% on the same quarter last year, driven by high end and speciality instruments according to some retailers. Pianos and keyboards were steady with digital a tick over 1% up. Accessories up nearly 7% and Percussion and Sound Reinforcement up over 2%. Overall retail sales up 3.1% as reported in the latest Music Trades magazine.

AWAG continues to negotiate on behalf of the industry with the ACMA about the transition to a new digital frequency. The AWAG Facebook page is of interest to you and your customers as the industry tackles to awareness campaign about 150,000 wireless devices being illegal to use after December 31, 2014! https://www.facebook.com/awagaustralia

Director Paul Myatt, enthused when speaking to us.“ In Perth recently we had our best Forte National Conference yet. 20 years on we have a team of enthusiastic Forte Business Partners raring to go to develop their business, their personal business skills and expand”.
Far from kicking back now Forte is looking at taking on some more Business Partners”.
Paul maintains that Forte is of major benefit to the music industry as a whole. They believe their best franchisees are people who play music but are engaged in main stream industries – People who have a passion for music and would love to work in the area of their passion, sharing this passion by developing a music education business.
From a modest start of a few schools in Brisbane, Forte has grown to a network which extends across Australia, New Zealand and UK. Several locations have 700+ students.
“We want to thank the support of Roland Corporation both in Australia and internationally in New Zealand and the UK who have always been there for us and were especially supportive in the first 5 years or so. We also want to thank Australian Music Association who have been supportive on an ongoing basis”. Paul wanted to mention.
Paul is very proud of the fact that all Forte business partners run profitable businesses.
Forte’s success as an educator is highlighted by it boasting the youngest students to achieve AMEB diplomas, teaching the first Australian to debut at Carnegie Hall, NY at 16-years of age and seeing children making the first round of Australia’s Got Talent and others.
Paul is excited as he observes, “More importantly though, we have given literally thousands of children the opportunity to learn music in a fun, stimulating and educationally sound way. Not only have we given them the skills, we have imparted a passion for music and so many go on to be lifelong music makers. This is the stuff of continued instrument sales of the future”.
“Over the last 5 years we have developed a group of Forte business partners who are really excited about the ongoing development of the Forte brand. The smallest school in the network is 300 students and the largest around 710 students and growing. Many have plans to open additional locations”.
Forte is keen to speak to AMA members who might be looking for opportunities to benefit from Forte’s model. Current business partners can be viewed at: http://www.fortemusic.com.au/forte-school-of-music-business/ and for more information call Paul Myatt on 0412 982169.

Law Firm, Maurice Blackburn is conducting a price fixing class action against major international airlines including Qantas, Lufthansa Cargo, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Air New Zealand and British Airways in relation to the provision of international air freight services since 1 January 2000. The class action seeks damages and other relief on behalf of purchasers of air freight services for losses suffered as a result of the alleged cartel conduct by the airlines.
Group members are all those persons resident in Australia as at 11 January 2007 who during the period 1 January 2000 to 11 January 2007 paid identified amounts totalling more than twenty thousand Australian dollars (AUD$20,000) for the carriage of goods to or from Australia including in each instance a component by air.
On 27 September 2013 the Court ordered that any group member who wishes to participate in any distribution of any amount agreed in settlement of these proceedings shall, by no later than 4:00pm on 15 November 2013, deliver to Maurice Blackburn a completed Group Member Registration Form.

Important AMA members Print Music Publishing Group Submission to the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) supported by the Australian Music Association regarding the Review of Copyright in the Digital Economy.  Download

These documents have now been loaded onto the members area of the website, if you have any problems with your login please contact the office, if you have queries regarding the stats please contact Rob Walker rob.walker@australianmusic.asn.au

After 9 months of planning, calling, budgeting, promoting we held our collective breath as it all came together. Solid attendances at the Saturday professional development sessions, orderly set up, no panic, no lost pallets, laid back cocktails by the pool, and a few drinks in the after-party lounge with some music and then bang! Sunday hit – queues at registration, great retailer roll up as the suppliers unveiled their compact but innovative use of exhibition stand space. Over 500 industry bods in one place for the first trade show in 3 years. 300 retailers circulating through a modest 30 odd supplier stands – but were they busy! Hal Leonard’s Richard Snape said “we’ve never been that busy at a trade show, ever!” Hot Half Hour sessions explored the internet issues, social media, selling online, weekend warriors, and much more. The dinner sat over 250 people who saw some outstanding performances from students to pros, they saw Glenn Dodson recognised for all his hard work for the industry over almost forty years, and they kicked on at the after-party. Monday, though not as frantic as Sunday was steady and put the icing on the exhibitor’s cake. Our keynote speaker, Chip Averwater shared anecdotes and history with Bernie Capicchiano for over 100 at breakfast, while Heath Michael of the ARA talked election issues for retailers. Facebook post from The Bass Place – “great show!”
AMAC is back, and it’s good to have it back. We’ll do our best to build the quality of this event, while providing value for money for all who take advantage of it.
See everyone at Jupiters on the Gold Coast August 9-11, 2014

The Resource Corporation’s Tony Burn has been elected as president of the AMA for the 2013-14 Year. Let us tell you a little about him.
Tony starting playing the organ at around 12 years old and within a couple of years was playing in public. During his last year at school he worked part time at the local music shop and when he left school he started there full time.
Over the following 8 years he progressed from sales assistant to managing their Guildford store.
He then went on to open the Roland Keyboard department in Harrods department store. It was here that he met a girl from Melbourne.
He travelled as a Roland rep for the south of England and Wales for a couple of years and then returned to retail before following that girl back to Melbourne.
Since then Tony has worked in retail at Brashs, Bernie’s Music Land, Music Junction Blackburn as well as playing keyboards in various bands. Then the Resource Corporation were looking for a rep and more or less hired him until they found someone good.
They’re still waiting.
Currently Tony enjoys the title of National Sales Manager although he still doesn’t know what that means.
For the last 2 years he has also been treasurer for the AMA and was just getting the hang of the calculator when they made him President.
What could go wrong?

Our new committee members are Warrick Baker, representing Kawai Australia and Paul Noble, representing Shriro (Casio). Welcome to them.  Returning members are Richard Snape, Hal Leonard, (vice president), Craig Johnston, Keyboard Corner-KC’s (treasurer), Dom Disisto, Holden Hill Music, Brendan Callinan, Roland Corporation, Tony Burn (The Resource Corporation), Michael Jongebloed (Fine Music), Anna Bagnato, (Yamaha Music)

After an absence of 10 years, punctuated by a 3-year stint as Director of Market Development at NAMM, and 7 years as marketing manager at Allans Music & Allans Billy Hyde, the AMA has once again appointed Rob to develop the AMA services into the future. Rob’s return is marked by the staging of the AMAC Convention back at Jupiters for the first time in 10 years. The event was universally hailed as a success by suppliers and retailers alike and gives the association a positive platform from which to re-establish itself on a sure footing and launch new initiatives. The association will continue its advocacy work with active support of the AWAG and ACETA campaign to seek justice for our users of wireless mics and devices. We will continue to work with the Fair Imports Alliance, and lobby for a drop in the GST free threshold on imports, we will develop our online presence to be more effective for subscribing members, and we will reinvigorate our publications and communications, and member benefits. “it’s been a hard few years for the AMA – we’ve kept the doors open, through the efforts of a dedicated few, and we’re looking forward to delivering exciting new member initiatives to promote music making – it’s good to have Rob back” said AMA President, Tony Burn.