Music China: hall space expands as international brands confirm their return

Looking ahead to the upcoming fair, Ms Judy Cheung, Deputy General Manager, Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, says: “We are still in the early stages, but the signs are looking positive for October. From talking to exhibitors, their number one concern is simple: after previous pandemic postponements, is the fair returning on a strong footing? I can say definitively that the answer is yes, and based on the confirmed bookings and enquiries we’ve received so far, we are confident for a productive and international fair in October. Of course, it will take more time for the fair to return to its usual pre-pandemic scale, but with the borders now open and the government relaxing its pandemic policy, our message is clear: Music China is back in business.”

International exhibitors re-focus on the Chinese market

While Chinese brands retain an edge in terms of production volumes and cost efficiency, in the eyes of many Chinese buyers, the heritage of European brands remains an important selling point when making purchasing decisions. This is evidenced by instrument imports, which reached a value of almost USD 569.9 million in 2022[1], representing a lucrative market and attracting major international exhibitors and pavilions to sign up for this year’s Music China.

Led by Petrof Pianos (established in 1864), this year's Czech Pavilion aims to showcase the country's tradition of craftsmanship that has been passed down from generation to generation – a history that extends across pianos, strings, wind, and many other kinds of instruments.

“The pandemic is over now and we are looking forward to meeting our customers in person again to do what we love the most: making them happy with the highest quality instruments and a feel-good playing experience,” says Adam Prousek, Marketing and Business Development Director of Petrof pianos.

“We can see the Chinese economy is regaining its strength step by step so it is crucial for us to be present at Music China. It’s always great to meet clients from around the globe in Shanghai because it’s currently the biggest event of its kind in the world. This is why we use every possibility to attend the fair: it’s a chance for domestic and international players to experience the quality and intricacy of Czech instruments first-hand. Of course, we also want to get feedback on our products from the wide range of visitors during the show.”

Major industry names countdown to show opening

Alongside Petrof Pianos, other major brands that have confirmed their attendance include: Altamira, AXL, BAM, C. Bechstein,  Casio, Central Music, Chairman, Conn-Selmer, D’Addario, Dun Huang, EUTERPE, Farida, Fazioli, Fender, Fengling, Gibson, GEWA, Hailun Piano, Hu Qiu, Jin Bao, Jin Yin, Kawai, KHS, Maderas Barber, Marigaux, Martin, Medeli, Parsons Music, Pearl River,  People’s Music Publishing House, Pianodisc, Pioneer DJ, Rampone & Cazzani, Reliance, Rönisch, RSL, Samick, Saverez, Schimmel, Seiko, Seiler, Selmer, Shanghai Music Publishing House, Steinway, Strauss, Taylor, Tenon, Thomastik,  Toyama, Yamaha, Yanagisawa and Yue Hai.

Music China is organised by Messe Frankfurt, the China Musical Instruments Association and Shanghai Intex Exhibition Co Ltd.

For more details, visit www.musikmesse-china.com or email the show’s organisers at music@hongkong.messefrankfurt.com. More press information and photographic material can be found here: https://music-china.hk.messefrankfurt.com/shanghai/en/press.html.  

Background information on Messe Frankfurt

The Messe Frankfurt Group is one of the world’s leading trade fair, congress and event organisers with their own exhibition grounds. With a workforce of some 2,200* people at its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main and in 28 subsidiaries, it organises events around the world. Group sales in financial year 2022 were around €450 million*. We serve our customers’ business interests efficiently within the framework of our Fairs & Events, Locations and Services business fields. One of Messe Frankfurt’s key strengths is its powerful and closely knit global sales network, which covers around 180 countries in all regions of the world. Our comprehensive range of services – both onsite and online – ensures that customers worldwide enjoy consistently high quality and flexibility when planning, organising and running their events. We are using our digital expertise to develop new business models. The wide range of services includes renting exhibition grounds, trade fair construction and marketing, personnel and food services. Sustainability is a central pillar of our corporate strategy. Here, we strike a healthy balance between ecological and economic interests, social responsibility and diversity.

For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com/sustainability. With its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, the company is owned by the City of Frankfurt (60 percent) and the State of Hesse (40 percent). For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com

* Preliminary figures for 2022

[1] Sourced from China customs statistics. http://stats.customs.gov.cn/indexEn