Future-Focused Ideas Fuel Professional Development at The 2019 NAMM Show

As the global crossroads of music, pro audio, and event technology industries, The 2019 NAMM Show has announced a suite of professional development opportunities, transformative business know-how, and hands-on training available for working and emerging professionals involved in all aspects of the industry. Professionals will have the opportunity to connect with top thought leaders and experience sessions designed to engage, inform, and inspire, as well as further their careers against the backdrop of the industry's global gathering.

Each day of the Show will begin with a NAMM U Breakfast Session. On Thursday, January 24, Joe Lamond will host "Breakfast of Champions," where he and pioneers in the music products industry will explore the concept of originality and deliver the insight and inspiration to help NAMM members navigate 2019, and beyond. Friday welcomes leading futurist and innovation expert Daniel Burrus, who will unpackage "what's next" in music retail and supply with "Transforming the Music Industry: Trends, Game-Changers, and Opportunities." Burrus will share how businesses can use those trends to innovate with low risk and accelerate profitability to thrive in the years ahead. On Saturday, marketing, sales, and branding expert Scott Stratten addresses the "disruption" factor and how trust, connection, consistency, and service to customers are what wins in a hyper-competitive environment. Stratten will share "How to Win in the Age of Disruption" and deliver strategies and stories drawing on his own retail experience, his time in the music industry, and how he has transformed companies ranging from Microsoft to Pepsi with powerful back-to-basics concepts. On Sunday, "Best in Show," led by Upbeat Daily and Music Inc. publisher Frank Alkyer and a panel of retail store owners and professionals will share their product picks from the show floor.

Following each Breakfast Session, the idea generation continues in the NAMM Idea Center. Located in the lobby of the Anaheim Convention Center, NAMM U will offer more than 40 different sessions all day through show hours. Sessions feature thought-provoking ideas, tips, and tricks proving successful in retail today, and strategies designed jump-start innovation. Industry leaders and subject experts will cover a range of topics, including "Decoding Google: Advanced Strategies for Businesses," "YouTube Hacks for Music Retailers," "How I Grew My Lesson Program to 1,000+ Students," and best practices in finance, employee engagement, increasing foot traffic, merchandising, and more.

On Wednesday, January 23, before the show officially opens, NAMM retail members are invited to attend the new Retail Innovation Summit. The all-day summit will present a future-forward experience, hosted by world-renowned retail guru Bob Phibbs, "The Retail Doctor." Phibbs will cover the top trends, including the new technologies, retail shifts, and more shaping the customer experience, and offer solutions to scaling business to meet them. Learn more and register here: www.namm.org/thenammshow/2019/educational-sessions/nammu/retail-innovation-summit.

With more than 250 pro audio sessions dedicated to each aspect of production, emerging and established professionals have myriad options to grow in their careers. TEC Tracks will offer big-picture sessions to uncover topics ranging from building a profitable home studio to an inspiring keynote from engineer extraordinaire Chris Lord-Alge. Other highlights include "The Future of Music" with Craig Anderton; Mr. Bonzai interviewing Danny Kortchmar for his inside perspective on classic records, classic artists, and the highs and lows of the music business; "Pioneers of Analog Synths," a special panel presentation by Michelle Moog-Koussa; "Prince: The Making of a Legend," with the original arranger from Prince's team, Brent Fischer, who, with his late father Dr. Clare Fischer, collaborated directly with Prince over three decades; and "Birth of a Record: Cheap Trick 'Live at Budokan.'" TEC Tracks also brings together an additional who's who of presenters, including Alan Parsons, Al Schmitt, Michael Beinhorn, Ed Cherney, George Massenberg, Eddie Kramer, Jack Douglas, Ross Hogarth, and Frank Filipetti.

The premier education and training program for working professionals in live sound, recording, and performance audio, AES@NAMM Pro Sound Symposium: Live & Studio, returns for its second year. The four-day international symposium will offer seven Training Academies and related sessions on line-array technologies, microphones for studio and stage, live-sound mixing consoles, wireless systems and studio environments, in addition to tutorials on system measurement and optimization, plus informative and intimate sessions with leading industry pros hosted by veteran FOH engineer Robert Scovill and studio guru Bobby Owsinski. View the schedule and register here (registration fee required to attend): www.aes.org/events/AESatNAMM/2019/registration.cfm.

For the future-minded, A3E: The Advanced Audio + Applications Exchange, dedicated to the future of advanced audio applications and new music technologies, will explore how advanced audio applications are transforming the music industry, production, and performance. A special keynote session, "Driving the Future of Music Production, with BT," will explore the technologies to release the full creative potential of an artist and what happens when the barriers are removed to limitless innovation. A3E will welcome Intel and visionary artist BT for the session. Other sessions include "The Impact of Blockchain on the Music Industry," "Developing Disruptive Technology: The Risk and Reward," "The Art of Artificial Intelligence: The Science of Creative Tools," and many more.

On Thursday and Friday at the Show, Audinate, the maker of the popular multimedia networking technology Dante, will offer a two-day training and certification for its popular Level 2 Dante certification courses. The hands-on experience will let attendees have a synchronous, practical experience with Dante as they are learning basic Dante concepts. These training sessions will begin with an introduction and demonstration of Dante AVIO adapters, followed by Dante Certification Level 2 hands-on experience. Registration required: audinate.com/about/news-activity/events/dante-certification-level-2-training-hands-on-namm-2019.

A suite of sessions for event technology professionals, curated by ESTA (Entertainment Services and Technology Association), along with "The Pro Production Sessions" presented by Front of House and Projection Lights & Staging News magazines, and Lighting&Sound America/PLASA, will offer professionals a range of best-in-class education and credit opportunities. ESTA will host four tracks in Lighting and Electrical, Lighting Networking, Rigging, and Safety, all offering the opportunity for free Entertainment Technician Certification Program (ETCP) renewal credits. ETCP certificants can take advantage of the 80 available renewal credits, while beginner, intermediate, and advanced topics in each subject area are offered for free to all NAMM Show attendees. Richard Cadena, Steve Adelman, Paul Sapsis, John Huntington, and Steve Terry will be among the leading presenters in the ESTA-curated education program.

The Pro Production Sessions, presented by Front of House, Stage Directions and Projection, Lights & Staging News magazines, will bring top names in entertainment production together to offer a more in-depth look into iconic projects' designs and the forward-looking trajectory of production technology during keynotes, single speaker, and panel presentations. The best of the best working today explain the highs and lows of an industry career in production and discuss how the different roles in the industry create the stage environments that support the musical artists' work and the audiences' experience.

Among the highlights of the Pro Production sessions will be the "In-Conversation With..." interview series, featuring in-depth discussions of production in events and music, along with a slate of panels, including "The Creative Vision of Teamwork -- Different Roles/One Show;" "Taking The Stage -- The Lighting Designers Rising With New Acts;" "Getting the Show on the Road -- Top Production and Tour Managers;" "For the Love of Music;" and "The Ubiquitous Video Screen." This is the opportunity to learn from best in the business, including many Parnelli honorees, along with a who's who of designers, manufacturers, and industry leaders.

Additional professional development opportunities include sessions from The NAMM Foundation's GenNext, a collaboration between The NAMM Foundation and The College Music Society that brings college music students and faculty to The NAMM Show for exclusive programming with access to career and professional development opportunities; Music Education Days, which offers music teachers and school administrators informative sessions, inspiring performances and the opportunity to preview the latest instruments, products and tools; and The Nonprofit Management Institute for the Foundation's partner and grantee organizations, presenting the best practices in nonprofit administration.

To view the complete education schedule, please visit: www.namm.org/thenammshow/2019/education.

All professional development sessions will take place at the NAMM U Education Center at the Hilton Anaheim, located next door to the Anaheim Convention Center, with the NAMM Idea Center located in the lobby of the Anaheim Convention Center. AES@NAMM requires a registration fee, with all other sessions open to NAMM Show attendees. Additional education schedules will be released shortly. For further information or to register for a badge to attend, please visit www.NAMM.org.