It is 5:12, a Monday at the end of October, 9:12 in St. Louis, USA. I have Patrick Schuleit on the telephone, International Sales Manager for St. Louis Music, an American company that develops, produces and distributes musical instruments, amplifiers and other accessories worldwide. (Ampeg, Crate) Patrick, just thirty years old, is already a 6 year veteran in the Musical Instrument industry. He speaks about his work with enthusiasm. It allows him to travel a lot and meet many people from diverse cultural backgrounds. "Travelling is certainly the most interesting aspect of my job, and the most frustrating. With the airports and rigid security controls, endless hotels and taxi rides. But the trade-off is the musicians from all over the world I get to meet.” With a bachelors degree in History under his belt, but "always a passion for music", his career in the music industry certainly seems bright. "My age makes me more willing and enthusiastic to do, try, and look for new things. Life is not so easy for the young people of today, they have many more distractions. One has to be aware of this. When I was younger cellular phones and playstations were not around !" It seems to him to be a positive sign in every way, "that, in spite of the enormous choice, there is something in music that unites young people. It's enough just to look at Britney Spears' huge success." As for emerging music, he tells me without hesitating that what we need is a great female guitarist, a Britney that also knows how to play an instument. Patrick shows himself to be an attentive observer of our old continent: "The European countries have a common currency but thats it. As for everything else, each country has a different market, culture and diverse approach". What is the biggest difference between emerging music in the USA and in Europe? "In the States the climate for live music is better. The local clubs put on semi-professional live shows. In Europe there are less of these clubs and consequently there are less concerts." The reasons for this difference? "One reason could be the habit in the USA of paying an entrance fee at clubs when bands are playing. In Europe this is not always the case, and as a consequence there are fewer opportunities for bands to play live.” This is one of the reasons why Patrick believes it is important to collaborate with Emergenza. "This festival has the type of approach and organization that creates the right conditions to stimulate live music. Many people go to live concerts. The band's friends, the bands themselves, not only to play but also to listen to the others, and in general the many people that love live music. Maybe in this way we will be able to pull people away from videogames and their cellular phones for a while." But there is more. "A festival like Emergenza allows us to let many young musicians be seen and try out new material, many times more powerful than that listened to in rehearsal halls or in one's own bedroom" And he tells me about the BV300 from Crate, the extremely new and powerful 300 watt guitar amplifier. Attention: it will soon be made available for the Emergenza musicians. After having verified his love for all kinds of music, I ask Patrick what his dream is. "When I was young I wanted to be a rock star, obviously. Today, if I weren't working here, I would be a ski or surfing bum, however that would change if you asked me tomorrow. But in the future I would like to start my own company, not only because of the freedom it allows, but most of all to develop the music that is already out there somewhere in the world, but needs to be revived, by someone who believes in its importance. Just a dream or a mission to accomplish?