{"id":18870,"date":"2025-05-09T22:30:37","date_gmt":"2025-05-09T22:30:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thisbiginfluence.com\/?p=18870"},"modified":"2025-05-09T22:30:37","modified_gmt":"2025-05-09T22:30:37","slug":"yamaha-looks-for-sax-appeal-among-chinas-ageing-population","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thisbiginfluence.com\/?p=18870","title":{"rendered":"Yamaha looks for sax appeal among China\u2019s ageing population"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Unlock the Editor\u2019s Digest without spending a dime<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__content-sign-up-topic-description o3-type-body-base\"><span>Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favorite tales on this weekly e-newsletter.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe class=\"article__content-sign-up-iframe close\" scrolling=\"no\" id=\"signUpIframe\" data-prev-url=\"\/register\/in-article-sign-up?ft-content-uuid=54efa437-4ffe-47ab-bda0-8c56928ef9a4\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<p>The world\u2019s largest musical instrument maker hopes to faucet into late-life enthusiasm for the saxophone in China as a demographic shift reduces demand for pianos and boosts the ranks of aged hobbyists within the ageing nation.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/stream\/e24e15a3-2877-4e0f-8991-81967848e11c\" data-trackable=\"link\">Yamaha,<\/a>\u00a0for many years, had counted on hovering piano gross sales in China as its center class grew, however the development has reversed with fewer individuals giving delivery. China\u2019s acoustic piano market has shrunk to 1 \/ 4 of its 400,000-unit peak about three years in the past, in accordance with the corporate, and instrument gross sales in China for the newest fiscal 12 months fell 33 per cent from two years earlier.<\/p>\n<p>As <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/china\" data-trackable=\"link\">China<\/a> ages, Yamaha views the burgeoning retiree inhabitants as a chance.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s a excessive likelihood of a rise in gross sales of wind devices like sax or guitars to seniors of their 40s, 50s and 60s who&#8217;ve disposable earnings and extra time than earlier than,\u201d mentioned Yamaha president Atsushi Yamaura.<\/p>\n<p>The Japanese firm\u2019s pivot comes as Beijing seeks to spice up the nation\u2019s so-called silver economic system, anticipated to hit Rmb7tn ($958bn) by 2030. China\u2019s inhabitants has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/content\/516f9c37-b9a8-44b1-8e64-10e582f7d5ae\" data-trackable=\"link\">declined for three straight years<\/a>, and the variety of over-60s is about to succeed in 400mn, or 30 per cent of the inhabitants, by 2035.<\/p>\n<div class=\"n-content-layout\" data-layout-name=\"auto\" data-layout-width=\"full-grid\">\n<div class=\"n-content-layout__container\">\n<div class=\"n-content-layout__slot\">\n<figure class=\"n-content-image n-content-image--full\" data-component=\"image-set\"><picture><source media=\"(min-width: 700px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/__origami\/service\/image\/v2\/images\/raw\/ftcms%3A45ba229a-ce53-440a-aae3-055bd5d373b1?source=next-article&amp;fit=scale-down&amp;quality=highest&amp;width=700&amp;dpr=1 1x,https:\/\/www.ft.com\/__origami\/service\/image\/v2\/images\/raw\/ftcms%3A45ba229a-ce53-440a-aae3-055bd5d373b1?source=next-article&amp;fit=scale-down&amp;quality=highest&amp;width=700&amp;dpr=2 2x\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/__origami\/service\/image\/v2\/images\/raw\/https%3A%2F%2Fd1e00ek4ebabms.cloudfront.net%2Fproduction%2F45ba229a-ce53-440a-aae3-055bd5d373b1.jpg?source=next-article&amp;fit=scale-down&amp;quality=highest&amp;width=700&amp;dpr=1\" alt=\"Ma Zhiqiang holds a saxophone. He is wearing a purple jacket and is surrounded by a serene park setting with trees and buildings in the background\" data-image-type=\"image\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><figcaption class=\"n-content-picture__caption o3-editorial-typography-caption\"><span>Ma Zhiqiang, a 70-year-old saxophone participant<\/span><span> <!-- -->\u00a9 Thomas Hale<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"n-content-layout__slot\">\n<figure class=\"n-content-image n-content-image--full\" data-component=\"image-set\"><picture><source media=\"(min-width: 700px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/__origami\/service\/image\/v2\/images\/raw\/ftcms%3A196bbae3-844f-4aea-8f6f-5ccc2bea5ccf?source=next-article&amp;fit=scale-down&amp;quality=highest&amp;width=700&amp;dpr=1 1x,https:\/\/www.ft.com\/__origami\/service\/image\/v2\/images\/raw\/ftcms%3A196bbae3-844f-4aea-8f6f-5ccc2bea5ccf?source=next-article&amp;fit=scale-down&amp;quality=highest&amp;width=700&amp;dpr=2 2x\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/__origami\/service\/image\/v2\/images\/raw\/https%3A%2F%2Fd1e00ek4ebabms.cloudfront.net%2Fproduction%2F196bbae3-844f-4aea-8f6f-5ccc2bea5ccf.jpg?source=next-article&amp;fit=scale-down&amp;quality=highest&amp;width=700&amp;dpr=1\" alt=\"An elderly man sits on a stool playing an accordion. He is wearing a black cap, glasses, and a dark jacket\" data-image-type=\"image\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><figcaption class=\"n-content-picture__caption o3-editorial-typography-caption\"><span>An accordion participant in Lu Xun Park<\/span><span> <!-- -->\u00a9 Thomas Hale<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>In the meantime, China\u2019s delivery charge stays low, at 6.77 per 1,000 individuals, in contrast with simply over 17 globally, a decade after the federal government eradicated its long-standing one-child coverage. It has tried to incentivise childbirth and household formation, however <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/content\/52ac60e3-acb5-4ac7-a355-9a8212d0a7f0\" data-trackable=\"link\">marriages have hit record lows<\/a>. At music retailers in Shanghai, gross sales employees level to \u201cfewer youngsters\u201d than earlier than and closures of music colleges.<\/p>\n<p>Yamaha mentioned gross sales have been beforehand supported by incentives for piano gamers in college admissions, however these privileges had been diminished as a part of a authorities push to scale back instructional inequality. The corporate sees little prospect of restoration within the piano market and plans to close a manufacturing unit in Indonesia that produces entry-level fashions for Chinese language customers by the top of the 12 months.<\/p>\n<p>In contrast, its digital saxophone, with a function replicating the sound of conventional Chinese language devices, has gained reputation as a passion product, with its gross sales up greater than 30 per cent within the monetary 12 months ending in March.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s the \u2018silver economic system,\u2019\u201d mentioned Solar Xiumin, a retired music trainer who mentioned aged learners cherished the saxophone however usually lacked \u201cconcord\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe couldn\u2019t purchase it earlier than,\u201d he added. \u201cA very long time in the past, within the <em>danwei<\/em> [work units in 1970s China] you wanted a certificates to be in a band\u2009.\u2009.\u2009.\u2009then [the economy] progressively opened up\u2009.\u2009.\u2009.\u2009[they would have] thought of it for a few years: \u2018Oh, I can lastly purchase one, however I\u2019m already retired.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"n-content-image n-content-image--full\" data-component=\"image-set\"><picture><source media=\"(min-width: 700px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/__origami\/service\/image\/v2\/images\/raw\/ftcms%3Ad5166408-9915-4dc5-8183-36aa76739577?source=next-article&amp;fit=scale-down&amp;quality=highest&amp;width=700&amp;dpr=1 1x,https:\/\/www.ft.com\/__origami\/service\/image\/v2\/images\/raw\/ftcms%3Ad5166408-9915-4dc5-8183-36aa76739577?source=next-article&amp;fit=scale-down&amp;quality=highest&amp;width=700&amp;dpr=2 2x\" width=\"1619\" height=\"1079\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 490px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/__origami\/service\/image\/v2\/images\/raw\/ftcms%3A9092c399-bb35-4d11-8f89-95499b208852?source=next-article&amp;fit=scale-down&amp;quality=highest&amp;width=490&amp;dpr=1 1x,https:\/\/www.ft.com\/__origami\/service\/image\/v2\/images\/raw\/ftcms%3A9092c399-bb35-4d11-8f89-95499b208852?source=next-article&amp;fit=scale-down&amp;quality=highest&amp;width=490&amp;dpr=2 2x\" width=\"1305\" height=\"1957\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/__origami\/service\/image\/v2\/images\/raw\/https%3A%2F%2Fd1e00ek4ebabms.cloudfront.net%2Fproduction%2Fd5166408-9915-4dc5-8183-36aa76739577.jpg?source=next-article&amp;fit=scale-down&amp;quality=highest&amp;width=700&amp;dpr=1\" alt=\"Li Duping stands in a park holding a saxophone. She is dressed in a dark tracksuit, with trees and a pond in the background.\" data-image-type=\"image\" width=\"1619\" height=\"1079\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><figcaption class=\"n-content-picture__caption o3-editorial-typography-caption\"><span>Li Duping, 70, mentioned she just lately purchased her saxophone and was receiving free instruction from a fellow participant<\/span><span> <!-- -->\u00a9 Thomas Hale<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Different worldwide companies are adjusting to China\u2019s demographic shift. Within the milk business, corporations are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/content\/60361152-64d6-4ff0-b5c2-ee51040a57be\" data-trackable=\"link\">targeting nutritional products rather than baby formula<\/a>, whereas the federal government is rolling out plans for a high-speed community of \u201csilver trains\u201d for older vacationers.<\/p>\n<p>China this 12 months raised its retirement age for the primary time in seven a long time, with the age for males progressively rising to 63 and girls retiring of their mid- to late-50s relying on their job.<\/p>\n<p>Parks in cities throughout the nation are sometimes full of retirees exercising collectively or taking part in music in teams. At Shanghai\u2019s Lu Xun Park, Ma Qiangli, 70, mentioned he took up the saxophone three years in the past throughout a bout of in poor health well being.<\/p>\n<aside aria-labelledby=\"aside-label\" class=\"n-content-recommended--single-story n-content-recommended--inset\" data-component=\"recommended\">\n<p class=\"n-content-recommended__title o3-type-body-highlight\">Really helpful<\/p>\n<div class=\"o-teaser o-teaser--article o-teaser--small o-teaser--stacked o-teaser--has-image js-teaser\" data-id=\"ac54a05f-4a7a-4ed8-8314-7ac3e84cfab7\">\n<div class=\"o-teaser__image-container js-teaser-image-container\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/content\/ac54a05f-4a7a-4ed8-8314-7ac3e84cfab7\" data-trackable=\"image-link\" data-trackable-context-story-link=\"image-link\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"o-teaser__image-placeholder\" style=\"aspect-ratio:2290\/1288\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"o-teaser__image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/__origami\/service\/image\/v2\/images\/raw\/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2F__origami%2Fservice%2Fimage%2Fv2%2Fimages%2Fraw%2Fhttps%253A%252F%252Fd1e00ek4ebabms.cloudfront.net%252Fproduction%252F2e83b7d8-26ff-4a41-b1c3-843f13f3ca97.jpg%3Fsource%3Dnext-article%26fit%3Dscale-down%26quality%3Dhighest%26width%3D700%26dpr%3D1?source=next&amp;fit=scale-down&amp;dpr=2&amp;width=240\" alt=\"Passengers take a train at Yantai Station in China\u2019s eastern Shandong province\"\/><\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>\u201cI went to the park to train and noticed lots of people taking part in the saxophone,\u201d mentioned the previous taxi driver, who added that the instrument was good for his \u201clung capability\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Li Duping, 70, mentioned she purchased her saxophone this 12 months and was receiving free instruction from a fellow participant.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith the saxophone, there&#8217;s that feeling of how one can overlook every part besides the sound of the music wandering in your thoughts\u201d she mentioned, including that she had but to discover ways to exhale correctly whereas taking part in however had \u201cconfidence\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor my future life,\u201d she mentioned, \u201cit is a new starting.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>Further reporting by Wenjie Ding in Beijing<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/content\/54efa437-4ffe-47ab-bda0-8c56928ef9a4\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Unlock the Editor\u2019s Digest without spending a dime Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favorite tales on this weekly e-newsletter. The world\u2019s largest musical instrument maker hopes to faucet into late-life enthusiasm for the saxophone in China as a demographic shift reduces demand for pianos and boosts the ranks of aged hobbyists within [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18872,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[11647,281,3672,919,3778,13097,13096],"class_list":["post-18870","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","tag-ageing","tag-among","tag-appeal","tag-chinas","tag-population","tag-sax","tag-yamaha"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thisbiginfluence.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18870","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thisbiginfluence.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thisbiginfluence.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thisbiginfluence.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thisbiginfluence.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18870"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thisbiginfluence.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18870\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thisbiginfluence.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/18872"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thisbiginfluence.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18870"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thisbiginfluence.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=18870"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thisbiginfluence.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=18870"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}