Japanese musical instrument maker Yamaha Corp. plans to offer music classes in China in an effort to increase revenues and expand instrument sales.
Yamaha's Chinese subsidiary in Shanghai plans to offer music classes in the city center in October, later expanding into the city's wealthy neighborhoods and then to other cities, the Asahi Shimbun reported Wednesday.
By 2009, Yamaha aims to provide group lessons in piano, strings and wind instruments to about 20,000 people at 100 venues in several cities. Annual revenues from the classes are expected to be around $8.2 million.
The company expects the classes to boost musical instrument sales as well.
Yamaha has been training music school graduates and music teachers in China for two years to prepare for the new program.
Yamaha, headquartered in Hamamatsu in Japan's Shizuoka prefecture, currently runs classes for 170,000 adults and children in about 40 countries.
© Copyright 2005 by United Press International
