A wide range of musical instruments and accessories are being exhibited at the ongoing Music China Expo in Pudong, Shanghai. The four-day fair offers products from 1,900 manufacturers, most of them from China.
Wide range of musical instruments on exhibit
Zhou Li, owner of a guzheng store, has been attending Music China Expo for 15 years. He said his company match its monthly sales during the fair.
"Most of the buyers at the fair are instrument distributors. They sell to musical institutes or individuals. Our company had sales of 20 million yuan last year. The country is encouraging the development of the traditional musical industry and its artists. So many parents have been signing their kids up for classes," said Zhou Li.
"I prefer traditional Chinese instruments because it's our culture and the price is comparatively cheaper. I think 4,000 yuan for a guzheng is acceptable. "
The national government's 13th Five-year Plan encouraged building up the country's cultural image. The plan supports traditional music and domestically made instruments. Although there are exhibitors from 30 countries and regions, 70% of all vendors at the fair are from China. Meanwhile, Chinese instrument makers are starting to sell their products overseas.
"We now export 70% of our saxophones to Europe, Asia and Africa."
The event's organizers say the global musical instrument market has begun to recover in the last year after sluggish sales for several years. They also say there is more momentum in the Chinese market at the moment.
"It's shifting from a major low-end market to an increasing level of middle and upper premium level, in terms of quality and also in terms of the expectation of our customers, and also in terms of more people being able to afford a better piano," said Hannes Schimmel-Vogel, CEO of Schimmel Piano.
The fair is being held in the Shanghai New International Expo Center and wraps up on Saturday. A one-day ticket costs 30 yuan. However, people who register on the event's WeChat account can get in for free.
