Alfred Music chief business development officer Ron Manus issued the following letter on behalf of the Retail Print Music Dealers Association (RPMDA), which unfortunately had to cancel its annual meeting set for late April and early May. The letter is presented in its entirety below:
“Well, this has been an interesting year…
There have been moments in our history where we are challenged by extraordinary situations. In recent memory, we have had earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunami’s, flooding, 9/11 and going back further WWII. In all these moments we rose to the occasion. At the time of those events it all seemed like chaos, but as we look back, we remember those who shined and made a difference.
We are now in another one of those moments.
You probably feel scared, depressed, alone, etc. I promise you this, you are not alone in feeling this. Even those who show a strong front have those feelings. It makes us human. The one great thing about these moments is that it gives us all a chance to be our best selves.
I know everything is different. It is a constant battle to hold it together. I have to keep reminding myself that It is a conscious choice to have a good attitude. When you are getting down and having a hard time holding it together, remember that this could be our finest hour.
They say that adverse situations reveal character, think about that for a moment. This is your chance to show your family, friends, co-workers, neighbors what you are really made of. See if you can help spread love, not fear. Solve problems and help each other. You will be surprised at how good an act of kindness will make you feel.
Larry Morton, the CEO of Hal Leonard wrote this and I think it is worth sharing here:
‘MUSIC IS FOREVER. Think about it…music has outlasted every calamity the world has ever seen. Music survived multiple world wars, plagues, financial crashes, societal upheavals….you name it and music was there. Music is embedded in all of us as humans. During this crisis and after it’s over, people will be playing, singing and creating music.’
Our message to musicians, teachers, retailers, publishers, authors, partners and students should be, ‘What can I do to help?’ That we are here and we will be here when this passes. We are your partner and we are on your side. Keep the lines of communication open. Reach out and let them know you are thinking about them.
I know this is a tough time, but I am asking you all to hang in there. This is the time for you to be your best. And though it doesn’t feel like it right now, this too shall pass.
Be ready for when this passes as there will be a flood of demand for music. Imagine all the concerts and celebrations. We will as we always have, help the world experience the joy of making music.
Stay positive and focus on what you can do, not what you can’t.”