NAMM Charts Path to More Music Makers in China

Two years ago, NAMM partnered in China’s first-ever National Music Education Conference, helping to bring award-winning, cutting-edge practitioners and researchers to this groundbreaking event. For a U.S. based organization to help shape music education in the world’s most populous country—and a one-party state at that—is a pretty big deal, particularly for an association from a niche industry that’s headquartered on the other side of the world. The conference was the first free subscription conference in China, with teachers, professors and graduate students traveling from all over the country to discuss tactics and strategies for creating more music education opportunities across China, and to develop techniques by music educators to stay relevant to the modern student.

Wu Bin, secretary general of the China Society of Music Education, praised NAMM’s efforts. “NAMM proposed to hold a China music education conference during the Music China show. Within two weeks, registration for the conference exceeded 1,500, demonstrating a warm welcome from music educators, invited speakers and practitioners, as well as the great influence of our society. I would like to express my sincere thanks to NAMM for their continuous support for the development of China’s music education.”

From its humble beginnings over a decade ago, NAMM U at Music China has since become an integral part of the show, one that’s fully financed by the event organizers. Over the course of the past decade, approximately 12,000 people have attended the 90+ sessions presented, and the program has played a significant role in developing China’s music retail sector through the tried-and-tested concept of sharing best practices for the benefit of the whole market.

Opportunities for NAMM members will undoubtedly grow, as 1 billion+ Chinese continue to embrace music. Former NAMM Chairman Mark Goff summarizes how efforts in China align with NAMM’s vision: “NAMM will continue its support of Music China and efforts to increase music education across China as a means to grow the industry and create a more musical world.”

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