CRANE INSTITUTE FOR MUSIC BUSINESS HONORS MUSIC PRODUCTS INDUSTRY LEADERS

GRAND RAPIDS, MI (January 17, 2002)—Top executives from Yamaha Corporation of America and retailer American Music Group were recently recognized by SUNY Potsdam's Crane Institute for Music Business, for individual business and philanthropic efforts.

Dr. John A. Fallon III, president of SUNY Potsdam with Yamaha Corporation of America Band & Orchestral Division Vice President and General Manager Michael Bennett, recipient of the 2002 Julia E. Crane International Medallion for Lifetime Achievement in the Music Products Industry.

Michael Bennett, Vice President and General Manager, Band & Orchestral Division, Yamaha Corporation of America, was the 2002 recipient of the Julia E. Crane International Medallion for Lifetime Achievement in the Music Products Industry.

"Michael was chosen with very little deliberation," says Vicki Templeton-Cornell, VP for Advancement, State University of New York at Potsdam. "He has clearly dedicated his life to music and the music products industry. His leadership continues to move the industry forward, while his vision continues to open our minds to the potential of music."

Bennett was a past president of the Music Industry Conference (MIC) in 1991 and a two-term president of the National Association of Band Instrument Manufacturers (NABIM) from 1988 through 1992. He presently chairs MENC's Foundation for the Advancement of Music Education Advisory Council (FAME). He is currently serving a second nine-year term as a board member of the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra and is also on the board of the Broadway Theatre Guild in Grand Rapids.

"To be recognized by the Crane Institute for Music Business is an honor, as this school certainly understands and addresses the need of music education," said Michael Bennett. "Both Yamaha and the Institute work to promote music education within communities nationwide, through various outreach programs."

Bennett is also a prolific musical performer. In addition to his participation in the Mike Vax Great American Jazz Band, he also performs and records with his own band, The Dixieland Ramblers, and plays chamber music.

Also recognized was Robert Scheiwiller, founder of American Music Group, who received the Julia E. Crane International Award for outstanding accomplishments in the music retail business.

Dr. John A. Fallon III, president of SUNY Potsdam, presented the Crane Institute awards at a luncheon on January 16 in Anaheim, California.

The Crane Institute awards are named for Julia E. Crane, founder of The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. One of the first institutions in the country to have programs dedicated to preparing specialists in teaching music in public schools, The Crane School enjoys a tradition of preparing future music teachers, and maintains vital programs in performance, composition, musical studies and the business of music. More than 50 percent of New York State's 8,500 music teachers are graduates of The Crane School of Music. Bennett currently sits on the Board of Advisors for the school along with Samuel Ash, CEO, Sam Ash Corporation; Sandy Feldstein, President/CEO, Carl Fischer; and David Hakim, Vice President for Sales and Marketing, Warner Brothers Publishing.

Since its creation in 1999, the Crane Institute for Music Business has moved forcefully to address the needs of the Music Products Industry. During the past year, the Institute has sponsored a roundtable discussion among CEOs and presidents of music products companies, a forum among business executives about careers in music business, a showcase featuring Yamaha performing artists and clinicians, and a music business careers fair. The Institute is active in developing national internship sites for music business students and providing advice on career preparation and graduate school.

For more information, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Band & Orchestral Division, 3445 East Paris Ave. S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49518; telephone (616) 940-4900; e-mail infostation@yamaha.com; or visit the web site at http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA/Catalog/Catalog_GSXOXX/0,6363,CTID=231200&CNTYP=PRODUCT&VNM=LIVE&AFLG=Y,00.html.