For Immediate Release:
November 5, 2003

Contact:
Jodi Burack (jburack@giles.com)
Giles Communications
(914) 798-7132

Percussion Marketing Council Announces International Drum Month 2003

HOUSTON, TX, November 5, 2003—November is International Drum Month (www.playdrums.com), and this year's theme is "Everyone Is a Drummer; Everything Is a Drum."

According to Percussion Marketing Council (PMC) Chairman Pat Brown, the focus for International Drum Month 2003 is a follow-up to last year's successful "Hit Like a Girl" campaign, which was aimed at young girls who might have thought drumming was a "boys-only" pursuit.

"Just as we said last year that drumming wasn't only for boys, this year we're pointing out that it isn't only for so-called musicians, either," Brown says. "Of course there will always be professional percussionists, but on a more personal level, it's an art that belongs to every man, woman and child, and we don't want people to lose sight of that."

To promote International Drum Month and the "Everyone Is a Drummer; Everything Is a Drum" theme, PMC has joined with Alternative Press Magazine to run a contest in which non-musicians can send tapes of their percussion solos—without using actual drums. In a separate division, contestants who are dedicated drummers will be able to enter solo tapes using their regular instruments. Winners will receive an assortment of prizes donates by PMC member companies.

Another November contest, will give visitors to that site a chance to win prizes. One Grand Prize winner will receive the Ultimate Percussion Package, valued at $1,000, with everything a new drummer needs to get started. One Second Prize winner will receive the Quintessential Hand-Drumming Package—an exciting way to enjoy one of the oldest and most universal of instruments.

PMC will also mark International Drum Month with special messages in key music products industry trade publications, showing manufacturers and retailers that there isn't anyone they can't serve. "We'll be reminding dealers that there are a lot of closet drummers and wannabe drummers out there, and that everyone that walks by their store is a potential drum customer," Brown says. These publication placements will run from November 2003 through May 2004, with space generously supplied by the publishers.

International Drum Month is supported by most of the major percussion manufacturers and NAMM, the International Music Products Association. For more information, or to find out how you can support the efforts of the Percussion Marketing Council, please visit www.playdrums.com or phone (440) 582-7006.

To learn more about the many health benefits of drumming, visit here.

For more information about last year's International Drum Month theme "Hit Like a Girl," visit here.