YAMAHA EXCELS AT WINTER NAMM SHOW IN ANAHEIM

—Musical Merchandise Review, Music & Sound Retailer Give Awards to Piano and Drum Products—

ANAHEIM, CA (January 21, 2002)—With more than 40 new musical products on display and a variety of exciting events and performances, Winter NAMM 2002 in Anaheim, CA was a strong success for Yamaha Corporation of America. Thousands of visitors saw the company's innovative new entries in the Piano, Band & Orchestral and Pro Audio & Combo arenas and were able to interact with Yamaha U.S. representatives as well as some very important executives from Japan.

L. to R. Yamaha piano, portable keyboard and synth artist Ray Charles, Yamaha guitar artist Nathan East, and Yamaha portable, synth, and pro audio artist Bon Jovi's David Bryan

From Thursday, January 17 to Sunday, January 20, Yamaha's display area in the Anaheim Marriott hotel welcomed dignitaries such as Yamaha Corporation of Japan President Shuji Ito, Yamaha Corporation of Japan Music Group Deputy Manager Noriyuki Egawa and Yamaha Corporation of America President Mitsuru "Mick" Umemura. It was also the scene of special visits by Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles and other renowned musical talents.

Top artists participated in a number of special events. On Friday, January 18, Yamaha hosted a drum signing featuring affiliated artists Steve Jordan, Akira Jimbo, Dave Weckl, Russ Miller, J.R. Robinson, Peter Erskine, Gerry Brown, Tom Brechtlein, Tommy Aldridge and others. The same day, Yamaha also hosted a guitar signing with Michael Anthony of Van Halen, Amir Derakh and Ryan Shuk of Orgy, Meegs Rascon of Coal Chamber, plus Frank Gambale, Nathan East, Mike Stern, Allan Holdsworth and many others. Following the autograph session, performers Derakh and Shuck announced that they were joining the Yamaha family of artists.

Yamaha drum artists strike a pose and surround the man behind Yamaha drums, Hagi (center). Also pictured far left: marketing manager Jerry Andreas, Yamaha drum artist manager Joe Testa

On Friday and Saturday, young performers from the Yamaha Junior Original Concert program offered live renditions of their own original compositions in a pair of concerts emceed by pianist and composer Mike Garson. After youngsters Isaac Su, Allison Shinnick and Jeremy Siskind impressed the crowd, Garson and a small combo followed with a lively performance of their own.

"Winter NAMM 2002 was everything we hoped it would be," stated Yamaha Corporation of America Senior Vice President Terry Lewis. "Our products were well received, our programs were successful and our display was very busy, and it appeared to be a bright spot at the show. We were especially pleased to have President Ito and Senior Managing Director Egawa visit our NAMM display from Japan."

Friday also saw Yamaha guitar artist Michael Chapdelaine giving an evening performance at the NAMM show's Acoustic Café, a venue co-sponsored by Yamaha. Chapdelaine also performed in the Yamaha display area throughout the show, demonstrating the new SLG100N Silent Guitar.

MMR Magazine presents piano product of the year award to Paul Calvin (L.) and Terry Lewis (R.)

On Saturday, January 19, Yamaha Drums presented its Third Annual Groove Night, a fantastic display of drumming virtuosity at the Galaxy Theater in nearby Santa Ana, CA. Hosted by Yamaha drum artist Rick Marotta and Yamaha drum marketing manager Jerry Andreas, the event highlighted the talents of Peter Erskine, Akira Jimbo, David Garibaldi, Tommy Aldridge, Terry Lyne Carrington, Ndugu Chancler, J.R. Robinson, Steve Jordan, Dave Weckl, Tom Brechtlein, Russ Kunkle and others, with special guests Ralph MacDonald and Will Lee.

Even before the NAMM show ended, Yamaha products received favorable media attention. Los Angeles television station KTLA featured a live report from the show that showcased the Silent Guitar, the PSR2000 Electronic Keyboard and the ST5 Silent Brass Performance Studio in action.

Yamaha Band & Orchestral Division Vice President/General Manager Michael Bennett received a special honor when the Crane Institute for Music Business at the State University of New York at Postsdam was awarded the 2002 Julia E. Crane International Medallion for Lifetime Achievement in the Music Products Industry. The award recognizes Bennett for his individual business and philanthropic efforts.

Recognition for Yamaha's products came from industry experts as well. Trade magazine Musical Merchandise Review named the Yamaha line of acoustic pianos as its 2001 Acoustic Piano Line of the Year; Yamaha acoustic drums were recognized as 2001 Percussion Line of the Year; and the Yamaha Disklavier Mark III Series was named overall Product of the Year for 2001. In a separate ceremony, industry publication Music & Sound Retailer named the Stage Custom Advantage its Drum Product of the Year for 2001 and named the AW2816 its 2001 Workstation of the Year.