AMC elects new officers, issues controversial survey.

Gallup Survey Shows 50% Decline In Guitar Playing, Board Members Express Skepticism

The release of a controversial Gallup Poll on amateur music making, new data on the sales of musical instruments, and the election of new officers marked the annual American Music Conference board meeting held May 17 in Chicago. The day-long gathering drew some 50 members of the AMC board, as well as a number of concerned industry members. The new slate of officers elected at the meeting includes Jerry Gorby, Gorby's Music, West Virginia, president; Jack Schechinger, Hal Leonard Publishing, vice-president; and Thomas Burzycki, The Selmer Company, secretary-treasurer. Gorby succeeds outgoing president Richard Knaub of The Rico Corporation. As the primary organization responsible for tracking industry performance, AMC reported that music industry sales declined 2% in 1990 to $3.5 billion. Most of the dollar decline was in the sale of portable keyboards with a retail value of under $300 that are not generally sold by specialized music retailers. Excluding these instruments, industry sales were stagnant at $3.3 billion. Paul Bjornberg, AMC's executive director, reported that the organization's public relations campaign was successful in 1990, generating 110 million media impressions. Stories on the AMC Teenage Attitude Survey were carried in a variety of newspapers and magazines, including McCall's and the Associated Press syndicate. Thousands of individuals continued to request copies of AMC brochures on the benefits of music making, thanks to articles in Family Circle, Sesame Street Parents Guide, and UPI International. AMC's industry statistics were also carried by over two dozen major publications.

Bjomberg remarked, "AMC-generated stories, on topics ranging from teens regretting not playing a musical instrument to the annual Amateur Music Family of the Year Award, appeared in a wide variety of national, regional, and local media, reinforcing the message that music is a beneficial activity for all."

AMC's executive staff reviewed the findings of a specially commissioned Gallup Study on the state of amateur music making in America. The telephone poll of a scientific sample of 1,002 households revealed that over the past five years, the number of amateur musicians had remained stable, while the percentage of musical households had declined. According to the survey, 43% of U.S. households have at least one amateur musician. In 1978, a similar Gallup poll found that 51% of households contained at least one amateur musician. Despite the decline in household penetration, the survey indicated that, due to population growth, the number of amateur musicians remained stable at 60.8 million, or 26% of the population.

Controversial Survey On balance, the Gallup survey confirmed accepted industry thinking and was met with approval by the AMC board. However, on the subject of specific instrument usage, the survey findings drew criticism. Contrary to instrument sales data, the Gallup organization reported that over the past five years the number of amateur guitar players dropped 50% while the number of amateur pianists increased by 10%. As one board member commented, "I recognize that instrument sales and actual usage can vary, but this data just doesn't jibe with industry experience. Sales of guitar method books, strings, and accessories, which are a direct reflection of usage, have increased substantially over the past five years." A piano maker on the board added, "If piano usage is up, why are technicians and teachers finding it harder to make a living teaching and servicing the piano?" (A more comprehensive report on the Gallup findings will appear in an upcoming issue.)

With an annual budget of 250,1 10 for 1991, AMC will continue its role in publicizing the benefits of music and conducting research to monitor consumer attitudes.