NAMM Teams with Music Educators Association on National Anthem-Themed 2007 Rose Parade Float

NAMM, the trade association of the international music products industry, today announced it will work with MENC: The National Association for Music Education to produce its entry in the 118th Tournament of Roses Parade. This year's float will celebrate the music products industry's commitment to music education and will feature live performances by the Oak Ridge Boys, a 100-member honors chorus singing "The Star-Spangled Banner," as well as a live drum circle.

The 2007 Rose Parade, featuring the theme "Our Good Nature," will take place Monday, Jan. 1, 2007, with millions of people around the world expected to watch.

The NAMM float, themed "Natural Harmonies, Oh Say Can You Sing," commemorates the National Anthem Project, an MENC initiative that re-teaches Americans the words and significance of the National Anthem, and champions the importance of school music education programs.

To commemorate the music education efforts of the project, a choir of 100 students from all 50 U.S. states, called "America's National Anthem Honor Choir," will be established to perform on the float. The choir will sing live to pre-recorded music tracks. To find out more information about joining "America's National Anthem Honor Choir," visit www.americanmusicalsalute.com/rosebowl.

In addition, the legendary Oak Ridge Boys will ride on the float singing live. The Oak Ridge Boys have served as the national spokespersons for the National Anthem Project for the past two years.

"Learning to play music is fundamental to a well-rounded education and a child's education is not complete without music education," said Joe Lamond, president and CEO, NAMM. "Our 2007 Rose Parade float gives the music products industry a grand stage to present our message about the proven benefits of making music to people of all ages."

At 24 feet high, 18 feet wide and 75 feet long, the NAMM float, which will again be designed and built by Studio Concepts, Inc., will feature a majestic American bald eagle on the front of the float, carrying two American flags in its talons. Strobe lights and fireworks will add a spectacular element to the float that will be decorated with thousands of flowers and natural elements such as seeds and bark.

2007 will be NAMM's fourth year as a float sponsor in the Tournament of Roses Parade. In 2006, NAMM's "Making Music is Magical" float, designed with Disney Little Einstein characters, won the prestigious Grand Marshal's trophy for excellence in creative concept and design. In 2005, NAMM's float with Sesame Workshop, "Music Makes Us a Family," won the Bob Hope Humor trophy as the most comical and amusing float in the parade. NAMM's first-time entry in 2004 was in partnership with Sesame Workshop, and won the Isabella Coleman Award for Color and Color Harmony through Floral Use.

About MENC
MENC: The National Association for Music Education, the world's largest arts education organization, is the only association that addresses all aspects of music education. More than 130,000 members represent all levels of teaching from preschool to graduate school. Since 1907, MENC has worked to ensure that every student has access to a well-balanced, comprehensive and high-quality program of music instruction taught by qualified teachers. MENC's activities and resources have been largely responsible for the establishment of music education as a profession, for the promotion and guidance of music study as an integral part of the school curriculum, and for the development of the National Standards for Arts Education. For more information, visit www.menc.org/miosm.

About MENC's National Anthem Project
The National Anthem Project is MENC's campaign to restore America's voice through music education. A recent Harris poll found that two out of three American adults do not know all of the words to "The Star-Spangled Banner"—and many do not know which song the National Anthem is or why it was written. The project was formed on the principle that budget cuts to school music programs in recent years have led to dwindling opportunities for students to learn an important part of their cultural heritage. The National Anthem Project was launched to raise awareness about the importance of supporting and funding school music programs. For more information, visit www.thenationalanthemproject.org.

About Studio Concepts Inc.
Studio Concepts Inc. was founded in Portland, Ore., in 1977. It designs, manufactures and manages parade floats, stage productions and related festival and event services. Studio Concepts Inc. operates year-round out of a 70,000-square-foot facility in Portland. The company employs a full-time staff of 26 experienced professionals including designers, sculptors, animators and engineers. The staff of designers works closely with each client in the development of a project's concept, style and presentation. For more information, visit www.studioconcepts.com.