Musikmesse festival & export partners conclude successful year 1 showcase launch and announce plans for 2019

18 April 2018 - Press release

Musikmesse is known for being Europe's leading music instrument, music production and note sheet trade fair (in 2018 Musikmesse and Prolight + Sound attracted 90.000 visitors from 152 countries while hosting 1.803 exhibitors). What is less known is that Musikmesse's Festival (which takes place once the trade fair closes, and attracts 20.000 visitors) just concluded it's first showcase program, consisting of 3 showcase events on 11, 12 and 13 April, where 9 bands from Luxembourg, Hungary, Czech Republic, Latvia, Russia and Ireland, were presented to German and international music industry players, such as FKP Scorpio, Solar Penguin, Europavox, The Great Escape and festivalinfo.nl, by the music export initiatives youbloom Dublin, Music Development Russia, Music Latvia, HOTS, Soundczech and Music:LX.

The success of all 3 showcase nights confirmed that the showcase program at Musikmesse Festival is here to stay, with both organisors and showcase partners openly committing to the future development of the showcase program as explained by Zsolt Jeges, the General Manager of the CEEntral Party export initiative, which showcased CEEntral Eastern European bands on 12 April 2018:

"... We were delighted to be a Musikmesse showcase launch partner, and the feedback from our Central Eastern European delegates and bands confirm that we have taken an important step 1 in Frankfurt this year. We definitely plan to be here in 2019, with even more Central Eastern European export partners..."

This sentiment was shared by Giovanni Trono, Luxembourgish Music Export Manager from Music:LX, whom hosted the Luxembourg Sounds Like... showcase on 11 April 2018:

"... It's hard work to bring something new to the table, and even harder to make it work. I am therefore proud of our contribution to the successful launch of the showcase program at Musikmesse Festival, and already looking forward to year 2 ..."

... and further underlined by the youbloom Dublin showcase festival and conference General Manager Jeff Burns, whom brought Ireland to Frankfurt with the youbloom Irish showcase on 13 April 2018:

"... This was a brilliant event for both us and the Irish artists, which were delighted to play in front of a proper audience. We can't wait to be back in 2019 with new Irish talent..."

In light of the success of the pilot and enthusiastic partner feedback Wolfgang Weyand, the Musikmesse Festival Director, thus concluded:

".... The feedback from our export partners, and the successful execution of the 3 pilot showcases, has made us more committed than ever to develop a competitive showcase program at Musikmesse Festival. In fact I expect to have twice as many showcases on the bill in 2019. The mid- to longterm perspectives are also exciting when looking ahead: I believe Musikmesse's music brand networks and global set-up, with further major Musikmesse events in China and Russia, give us powerful USP's with which we can add new value to the crowded international music industry event ecosystem on several levels beyond what we're starting here in Frankfurt..."

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Here are a few press quotes and visual impressions from year 1:

"... Musikmesse should definitely keep on strengthening the new showcase initiative..."
FAZ - Frankfurter Allgemeine (major German newspaper - link)

"... If you are thinking "OK another showcase, so what" you better think again..."
Europavox.com (pan-European music industry media - link)