RPMDA 2020 Convention
Cancelled
Musikmesse & Prolight + Sound
Cancelled Amid COVID-19
Pandemic
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Eu-
rope and around the world, organizers have
cancelled the 2020 Musikmesse and Prolight
+ Sound trade fairs in Frankfurt, Germany,
which were scheduled to take place concurrent-
ly from March 31 st to April 4 th .
Initially, Messe Frankfurt, the company be-
hind the trade fairs, announced the reschedul-
ing of Prolight + Sound for late-May, and also
said it planned to reschedule Musikmesse, but
then later cancelled both events completely. As
well, organizers initially planned to go ahead
with the Musikmesse Plaza pop-up market and
the Musikmesse Festival, but those were also
later cancelled after the Hessian Ministry for
Social Affairs and Integration issued general
decrees prohibiting large-scale events.
“Following the postponement of Musik-
messe 2020, we did everything possible to hold a great festival of music in Frankfurt as scheduled and, in view of this, we are very sorry to have
to cancel these events; however, we firmly believe that, under the current circumstances, this is unavoidable,” Detlef Braun, member of the
executive board of Messe Frankfurt GmbH, said on March 13 th .
Next year’s edition Prolight + Sound is confirmed for April 13-16, 2021. Specific 2021 dates for Musikmesse have not yet been announced.
For more information, go to www.musik.messefrankfurt.com.
CANADIAN MUSIC TRADE 11
MESSE
Like countless other event organizers around
the world, the Retail Print Music Dealers
Association (RPMDA) was forced to cancel
its 2020 convention due to concerns over the
coronavirus. This year’s RPMDA Convention
had been scheduled for April 30-May 3 in
New Orleans, LA.
“Your overwhelming support and ‘if you
have it, we will come’ mentality just con-
firms that our association is strong and filled
with the most positive-minded people in the
industry,” RPMDA President David Jahnke of
Hal Leonard said in a statement. “We know
RPMDA MEMBERS AT THE 2019 CONVENTION
that everyone is all too aware of the reasons for
our decision to cancel. Our world is changing daily and until things simmer down, everyone needs to focus on the health and well-being of their
family, friends, businesses, and employees at home.”
“I know this is a tough time, but I am asking you all to hang in there. This is the time for you to be your best. And though it doesn’t feel like
it right now, this too shall pass,” added RPMDA VP Secretary Ron Manus of Alfred Music in a separate statement. “Be ready for when this pass-
es as there will be a flood of demand for music. Imagine all the concerts and celebrations. We will, as we always have, help the world experience
the joy of making music.”
The RPMDA had planned to hold its 2021 convention in Montreal, but may now move it to New Orleans to make up for this year’s cancel-
lation, with Montreal then being the 2022 host city. That shift, however, has not yet been confirmed and is dependent on ongoing discussions
with venues and members.
For more information, contact the RPMDA: 972-233-9107 ext. 211, [email protected], www.printmusic.org.