Category Archives: News

New Quarterly Import Report from the AMA

17th November 2023

The first of a new seasonal report from the AMA, sharing up to date import data throughout the year, has just been released. As part of the recent review of the Annual Market Report, and the updated methodology and presentation, these reports will be released soon after quarterly data is made available.

Members: See the report (Login required) |  Non-members: Join Now Continue reading

Vale Chris Erkus

27th October 2023

Chris Erkus, well known and respected in our industry for his work developing MUSICPOS, APIC and DHOUSE, passed away earlier this week.

Chris was the loved husband of Fatma (dec.) and loving father of Jason and Ella.

The service to celebrate the life of Christopher Huseyin Erkus was held in the Cirrus Reflection Space, Bunurong Memorial Park, on Friday 27th October, 2023, and he was laid to rest with his beloved wife Fatma.

Halifax Consulting Group was established in 1999 by Chris Erkus, who designed and developed the Point of Sale system called MUSIPOS that year. After the successful deployment of MUSIPOS, HCG completed developing DHOUSE for the suppliers in 2001.The Australian Print & Instrument Catalogue (APIC), designed and programmed by Chris in 1998, was acquired by Halifax Consulting Group in 2014.

The services developed by Chris have been widely used in our industry for a quarter of a century. Many AMA members have expressed their condolences this week.

AMA Election Results

The Annual General Meeting of the Australian Music Association was held on 18th October 2023 in Sydney.

Cameron Leitch (Soundbay) has been elected President, while Warrick Baker (Kawai) and Michael Jago (Link Audio) continue in the other office bearer roles of Vice President & Treasurer respectively.

Three new members were elected to the Executive Committee, Matt Walsham (Roland), Tosh-Jake Finnigan (Toshco Music) and Aaron Hill (Yamaha).

Thanks to all members that participated in the AGM, and for those that have served and are continuing to serve on the Executive Committee. Each of these members makes a substantial contribution to the governance and operations of the AMA and its work to support the industry.

In particular, thanks to Mat Taylor (Yamaha) who has departed after several years on the Executive Committee and his integral role in key decisions, practical support including hosting meetings, the Education & Community Subcommittee, and other AMA work. Yamaha has nominated Aaron Hill this year instead. Tony Burn did not continue as an elected Executive Committee member but offered to continue his involvement as an ex-officio member.

Read more about the full Executive Committee for 2023-24. Members can also read the Annual Report & Financial Statements for 2022-23, presented & accepted at the AGM.

 

ENTECH Roadshow 2023

The touring trade show for the AV industry takes place around Australia from 10th-24th October, 2023.

ENTECH Roadshow is the only trade show for AV and entertainment technology professionals that visits every major population centre in Australia, opening up access to more business opportunities than any other event. ENTECH will visit Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth in October 2023, bringing a fresh perspective on the industry as a whole to every local market. Continue reading

Vale Ross Cole

Ross Cole passed away on 28th July 2023, aged 84. The widely respected and much loved musician, conductor, band master and owner of Cove Music and Dicksons Music for many years was added to the Australian Music Association’s Honour Roll in 2017.

Loving husband of Marilyn, father/stepfather of Steph, Steve, Virginia, Nich, Sam, Louise, Bruce, Kate. Grandfather to Emma, Beth, Andrew, Kat, Jono, Macca, Jacko, Dom, Daniel, Bec, Georgia & Anthony and great-grandfather to Jordan.

Ross Cole started learning piano in primary school but after two years the teacher said she could not control him and had no talent so he stopped. Ross then went to North Sydney Boys High, joined the brass band playing Euphonium and loved it and music. By his final year Ross was playing cornet and trombone in two different music groups and the following year, 1955, won the State Junior Trombone Title.

In those days music shops were very few, Frank Dickson in a backstreet of Chatswood, and Palings, Nicholsons, J Stanley Johnsons and Harry Landis in town although Landis stopped him coming in after a while because he kept going in and testing trombones and mouthpieces and never buying.

Over the next 20 odd years music was still a very strong hobby while he married and had a number of career changes. However, in 1979 while lecturing at UTS and Sydney TAFE he met his present wife Marilyn with whom he had gone through infant school at Willoughby and they were married shortly after this with 5 children between them.

That year. after attending a parent/teacher interview at Roseville Public School he heard some children trying to play musical instruments. He immediately corrected a couple of the children and within a couple of weeks of pressure from the teacher concerned and Principal agreed to take over setting up their band program. This grew very quickly and with the demand for private lessons and other schools wanting to start band programs, in 1982, after numerous complaints from neighbours in Castle Cove and across the water in Killarney Heights about the noise every afternoon and early evening, Ross set up Cove Music in Roseville Chase with a music school and retail operation.

By 1986, having grown and expanded, the business wanted to become full line but could not get piano/keyboard agencies because they were held by Dickson’s Music, so they bought out that store. By the mid-1990s they were running band programs in more than 20 schools on the northside of Sydney, were already running and expanding the Dickson’s Yamaha Band Festival, which in its 24th year of 2013 when health issues forced its closure, had over 240 bands and orchestras participating. The business also had acquired Action Music and had operations in Chatswood, Roseville, Brookvale, North Perth (WA) and Westchester, Los Angeles and was heavily involved in ABODA.

The business continued until 2014, with regular trips to Chicago (where he met many publishers and composers) and NAMM Shows in Anaheim. Ross and Marilyn then ended their full time involvement in the industry although Ross continued to conduct two community bands, the Latestarters and the Northside Concert Band.

Ross was interviewed for NAMM’s Oral History project in 2017.

Spectrum Update: WRC Agenda Item 1.5

25th August 2023

The World Radiocommunications Conference will be held later this year (WRC-23) and will as usual consider a wide range of telecommunications and spectrum management issues.

There is one agenda item of particular interest to the music products industry, item 1.5 relating to the 470-694 MHz frequency band in Region 1 (Europe / Africa). This covers the frequency range (520 to 694 MHz) currently available for broadcast in Australia, and devices such as wireless microphones. Continue reading