Clavinova Festival is Fun in Key of
"F" for Dealers, Participants

or music dealers across the nation, hosting a Clavinova Festival is an enjoyable and magnificent learning experience for all involved. Five recent Festivals once again proved that they attract positive attention and sales to Yamaha dealerships.

Music & More Store Ltd. in Scottsbluff, NE, held its fourth Clavinova Festival last November at the West Nebraska Community College. "There is always so much enthusiasm at these Festivals," says Pat Hyland, co-owner of the store. "We're so amazed at what the kids can do with Clavinova digital pianos — they're so inventive."

Doubling the Festival's first year's attendance, 168 students participated. The dealership provided five Clavinovas, including CVP209 and CVP207 models. Festival participant Meghan Douglas, age 15, who takes lessons at the store, won a Clavinova CLP130 during the giveaway.

Four houses of worship bought Clavinovas as a result of the Festival. "Some teachers took the pianos back to their churches — and they were immediately sold," says Hyland. "The churches loved them. We usually have residual sales from the Festival. All year long, in fact."

Hosting its second Clavinova Festival, The Piano Gallery in Dublin, OH, provided nine pianos for this past February's event at Ohio State University. This year 165 students, ranging in age from 6 to 65, and seven teachers participated in the non-competitive Festival.

"We hear from almost every teacher that their students get more excited about the Clavinova Festival than most of the other 'competitions' they enter," states Jerry Wade, co-owner of The Piano Gallery. "The students love using their piano skills to play 'in ensemble' and hear more than just several pianos playing together. Some students spend hours sequencing their own song. 'This is my chance to have everyone hear my stuff,' as one high school junior told me."

Yamaha artist David Benoit was the guest artist and conductor for the evening's monster concert. Allie Ball won a CLP130 during the Festival's raffle. Six Clavinova CVP207 and CVP209 models were sold as a result of the Festival.

	David Benoit performed and conducted a monster concert for the Piano Galley's Festival, while music students throughout the country enjoyed their local dealers' festivals

Mississippi Music in Biloxi, MS, held its second Clavinova Festival last October at Edgewater Mall. "The Festival is positive in all areas," says Alan Stephens, piano and keyboard manager at the store. "It's fun for both the students and the teachers, because neither was under the pressure of competing in a recital atmosphere."

Manager of Event Marketing Lori Frazer also conducted seminars in the store. The Festival ballooned to 184 students this year, ages 4-55, up from the 128 of the previous year, and 16 teachers, who performed at the non-competitive Festival.

"One of the most exciting aspects was that teacher Sue Hover's grandchild Tyler Russell [age 10], who is hearing-impaired, was a participant," says Stephens. "He was able to play with the Clavinova's Follow Lights® feature, watching the lights and following the vibration of the music."

Mississippi Music provided eight Clavinova digital pianos for the Festival, which included the CLP100 and CVP200 series. Approximately thirteen pianos were sold as a direct result of the Festival. Adult Festival participant Robin Stevenson won a CLP130 as a result of the drawing.

"ABC affiliate WLOX-TV came out and did a story that featured the Festival and some of the 4-year-olds playing," says Stephens. "That helped us get a tremendous response. The entire event was a complete success.''

Dan Ferguson Music in Huntington, WV recently hosted its second Clavinova Festival. The event took place this past March at the Paramount Theater in Ashland, Kentucky, five miles across the state line from the store. Ninety-five students, with ages ranging from 8-17, participated this year, accompanied by nine teachers. A record 3,500 people attended during the second night performances.

Dan Ferguson Music provided 14 Clavinovas for the Festival, including CVP203, CVP205, CVP207, and CVP209 models. To date, one Clavinova has been sold since the Festival, however, many of the teachers who participated, often the biggest buyers of the piano, already owned a Clavinova.

"The Clavinova Festival was very successful this year," says Dan Ferguson, owner of the dealership. "Not only was it successful for the students, but the community at large was involved. We covered a lot of ground because of the Festival."

Good News Piano and Organ in Colorado Springs, CO, hosted its sixth Clavinova Festival last March. "What the Clavinova Festival does," says Phil Erklen, director of music education at Good News, "is afford the opportunity — whether the student is a beginner or advanced — to participate in something that's going to help their creativity, learn the latest technology and expand their musicianship. It's a win-win situation. The first one we had was a winner, and the last one was a winner. There are no negatives about the Clavinova Festival — only positives."

The Festival was conducted in the store's downstairs recital hall to a standing-room-only crowd of 350. The participation in the competitive Festival was the largest ever for this dealer, with 220 students and 25 teachers. Three trophies went to every group: Best Performance, Best Use of Clavinova, and Best Originality. Sixty trophies were handed out at the event, along with several Honorable Mentions.

Good News provided four Clavinovas, mostly in the CVP200 series. Stacey Spaans, age six, won a Clavinova CLP120 in the giveaway. So far, four Clavinovas have been sold due
to the Festival.

"I am constantly amazed at the talent of these students as they become more experienced with the technology of the Clavinova," says Barry Damerell, manager of Good News Piano & Organ. "The level of performance and creativity just keeps getting better each year. I wouldn't be surprised if one day someone walks through the door and says they are composing for motion pictures and have developed their skills by participating in Clavinova Festivals."