New Year Predictions
A Look Ahead - 2007
At this time of year many pundits like to predict what is is likely to happen in the months ahead.
Here is our version of what is likely to happen on the UK organ-keyboard scene in 2007. NOTE - These
predictions do not appear in Old Moore's Almanack!
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1. New Instruments A major Japanese manufacturer will revise their policy about not importing electronic organs
into the UK in view of a new model demanded by professionals.
NEWS REPORT A new insrument is shown here is currently
a hybrid in Japan.
Will it come to the UK?
Many UK elecronic organ dealers say that many of their customers are interested in this new model
and are potential buyers.
Will the manufacturer take notice of the UK interest?
Read what the company has to say
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2. Surge In Sales of Second Hand Electronic Organs Sales of used electronic organs will
increase because of some manufacturers giving priority to single keyboards. This will be another factor
to influence Japanese sales policy in the UK.
3. Single Manual Keyboards There will be much criticism with those who compare the sounds
of the KETRON SD5 with the YAMAHA TYROS 2 because it may appear to be unfair in view of the price difference.
The retail price of the former is around £1,799 while the latter is around £3,000.
4. New Wooden Cabinet An accessory manufacturer will consider a design
for a wooden cabinet that will house two single keyboards (of any make) so that they
may be played in an organ configeration with a pedal board. This will be an attempt
to satisfy a gap in the market created by more than one manufacturer.
5. Keyboard Festival Venues Tesco will use their power and muscle to purchase a well known
festival site for yet another supermarket site. The grounds of a former festival site will be sold for a housing development. A new
festival venue will be criticised because of its poor car parking space. A
festival venue will become so popular that guests will have to book a year in advance.
NEWS REPORT See our front page for the latest news
6. Copying and Repeating A festival organiser will copy some original ideas from
another event. There will be little reaction to this as the imitation will be taken
as a form of flattery by the originator. However, it will be noted by some guests with an air
of indifference - particularly by those seeing it for the second time, in the same way as hearing
an artiste play the same programme over and over again.
7. Miming Player A well known player who mimes his stage performances
will be very embarrassed when requested to play a certain popular tune at an organ society.
8. Another Player Packs In A well known player will give up travelling to organ societies
because of increased costs which are likely to increase still further as the Government considers a
car pay per mile policy.
9. Young Players Parents of some young players will realise that
subsidising their offspring to allow lower concert fees is not worth while in view of
future prospects and likely changes in organ societies.
10. New Keyboard Player Vocalist A well known keyboard player will use a feature
on a new keyboard to reveal his hidden vocal talent, although he will be relectant to
sing at organ societies and festivals.
11. New Song Writer A organ-keyboard player will write a new song
that will come to the attention of those in the UK organ scene.
12. Radio Presenting A UK based radio presenter will become dissatisfied with
with his programme scheduling and will consider other options.
13. Continental Visit A continental player will consider a tour of the UK in 2008
on a new electronic organ that will astound listeners.
14. Television Debut A television producer takes an interest in
a keyboard cabaret act for a national TV channel.
15. Licence Row (PEL's) A massive row will develop when a local authority official will
bolster his importance by giving a strict interpretation of the Licensing Act, 2003. This will
result in another demand to redraft and clarify the controversial Bill.
16. Organ Society Closes Another organ society will close because of the lack of younger
members willing to take over from older retiring officials.
17.Music Magazine Sales Increase A well known music magazine will go on sale in W H Smith
and as a result its sales will soar. This will take place before W H Smith include
Post Office counters at most of their stores (another prediction). Sometime later there is a likely
takeover bid by a major magazine marketing company.
18. Web Site Disappoints A well known web site will disappoint its viewers because it will not
be kept up to date.
19. New Keyboard Duo A new keyboard duo will emerge following the trend
in organ societies booking duo's to make a change from solo acts.
20. Serious Minds There will be two serious minded people who will
take exception to these predications and the results of the addtional British Keyboard Awards -
not realising that the intentions of both is to stimulate interest for future development
for the UK organ-keyboard scene. To these we offer in advance our sincere apologies for their lack of understanding -
or should we say sense of humour?
We would like to say again that these predictions should not be taken too seriously - but it will be interesting
to see how accurate they may be.
Readers Predictions For 2007
21 Several well-known players will continue to play a great number of pre-WWII tunes,
notwithstanding the fact that one way of encouraging younger audiences is to bring the music a
little more up to date.
22. Many players will continue to perform 'repeat' pieces, instead of introducing something new
and fresh.
23. Organ societies will continue to bemoan the reduction in their attendances, without doing
anything positive or innovative to halt or reverse the trend.
24. Concert-goers will continue to arrive embarrassingly early on concert nights!
25. A young player will flourish without the need of pushy parents!
25. I predict that many of the top names will find their bookings decrease due to Organ Societies being unwilling to pay the huge increase in their fees and opting for less well known players.
26. A personality well known on the keyboard scene, who is currently a part-time presenter on local radio, will
be offered something more worthwhile on the media.
27. More and more societies will expect artistes to reduce their fees to compensate for the fact that
attendances are falling, despite the fact that artistes' expenses are continually increasing. The
same societies will also opt for lesser known artistes - which, in turn, will lead to a further drop in
concert attendances!
28. The new non-smoking laws coming into force in 2007 will encourage more people to attend organ society concerts,
particularly the older folk with chest problems. There will be, however,
some stubborn members who will cause some concern by disregarding the new law.
29. PAT certificates (Portable Appliance Testing Certificates) will cause confusion for some
players and organ society officials.
Entries closed on 31st January 2007.
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