Contact: Clyde Beswick, VP Marketing, 310.275.9269, or email cbeswick@freehandsystems.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

THE MUSICPAD PRO, WORLD’S FIRST SHEET MUSIC COMPUTER TABLET, HAS ASIAN DEBUT WITH AMERICAN MAESTRO JUNG-HO PAK

Noted U.S. conductor proclaims the MusicPad Pro as “the biggest revolution for performing artists since printed music”

With a storage capacity for thousands of sheet music pages and page turns at the mere touch of the screen, the MusicPad Pro eliminates age-old annoyances

The MusicPad Pro helps musicians get more pleasure and enjoyment from their art

LOS ALTOS, Calif. – May 1, 2003 – When Jung-Ho Pak, music director of the New Haven Symphony and past artistic director and principal conductor of the San Diego Symphony, conducted the Bucheon Philharmonic Orchestra, Korea’s leading orchestra, in a performance of Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No. 3 last weekend, he didn’t use a single page of sheet music.

He directed the acclaimed orchestra using a new tablet computer called the MusicPad Pro, a breakthrough device that revolutionizes the way musicians compose, arrange and perform their art. Developed by Los Altos-based Freehand Systems, a privately-held company with the mission of reinventing how musicians read and perform music, the MusicPad Pro fits neatly on a music stand and solves the age old problem of turning music pages by letting musicians simply touch the screen. It creates a paperless environment by providing storage capacity for an entire music library of more than 5,000 pages of sheet music. Freehand’s proprietary annotation technology enables musicians to mark up or compose new music while saving the original score. “The MusicPad Pro is the biggest revolution for performing artists since printed music. It’s not just equal to paper, it’s far better,” Pak says. “No longer do we have to worry with page turns. Writing, saving, transferring or erasing editions with bowings or fingerings can be done in seconds, not hours. “An entire season’s worth of concerts can be held in one compact unit, and new scores can be added any time. For a conductor, performer, librarian, teacher or composer, this will dramatically change the way music is made.”

“Jung-Ho Pak is a world class maestro and we are honored that he will direct the Bucheon Philharmonic using the MusicPad Pro,” says Kim Lorz, Freehand Systems CEO. “Musicians like Jung-Ho with a passion for technology and a vision for how computers can change their world, conceived, designed and built it. It’s the ultimate dream machine for serious musicians.”

The sleek new tablet computer is housed in a charcoal grey ABS polymer enclosure not much larger than a sheet of paper. Weighing just under five pounds, it is lightweight and easy to carry, although the MusicPad Pro Plus™, which comes with a rechargeable battery, weighs a little more. Suggested retail price for the MusicPad Pro is just $999. The MusicPad Pro Plus, with a battery life of three hours on a single charge, is $1,199.

Both models have an easy-to-read, low glare, backlit 12.1 in. TFT LCD display. Key features include zoom in and zoom out capabilities and on-screen color highlighters and pens to add or erase rehearsal marks and notations. Digital music files in pdf, jpg and other popular graphics formats can be directly imported into the MusicPad Pro using the software provided with the device. Printed music can be scanned into a computer and then imported.

As part of the Freehand Music Management System, Freehand’s website (www.freehandsystems.com) provides over 17,000 music compositions and digital files. Customer support and access to an on-line store to buy Freehand products are also on the website.

Pricing & Availability

The new MusicPad Pro and MusicPad Pro Plus are available on Freehand System’s website (www.freehandsystems.com) and through Freehand Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of $999 (US). The MusicPad Pro Plus, which includes a 3-hour rechargeable battery, is $1,199.

Freehand Systems offers special prices for education customers who purchase multiple devices by calling Ms. Dana Schroeder, director of sales, at (650) 941-0742,
ext. 207.

About Freehand Systems

Freehand Systems, Inc. is a privately held company headquartered in Los Altos, Calif., with the mission of reinventing the way musicians read and perform music. The company is a world leader in the development, manufacture, and marketing of electronic accessories to the music industry, as well as a leading Internet-based provider of sheet music and digital files.

Freehand System’s flagship product, the MusicPad Pro, provides innovative technology and productivity benefits to arrangers, composers, conductors and performers within the orchestral, choral, studio musician markets, as well as music educators and amateur musicians. Freehand Systems has been funded and mentored by KAL Equity Capital Fund I, LLC.

About Jung-Ho Pak

Jung-Ho Pak is described by The New York Times as a conductor who "radiates enthusiasm," by the Los Angeles Times as "a real grabber," and by the San Diego Union-Tribune as one of the most "impactful people to watch" in the music world.

He is currently music director of the New Haven Symphony and past artistic director and principal conductor of the San Diego Symphony.

About the Bucheon Philharmonic Orchestra

Since its creation in 1988, Bucheon Philharmonic Orchestra has been recognized as Korea’s leading orchestra. Known for its innovative concerts and bold repertoire, it has been led since its founding by Hun-joung Lim. Lim serves today as music director and conductor.

Media Contact:
Clyde Beswick, VP Marketing, 310.275.9269, or email cbeswick@freehandsystems.com.

NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit Freehand Systems’ website
( www.freehandsystems.com ).
Freehand Systems, Inc., MusicPad Pro, MusicPad Pro Plus are trademarks of Freehand Systems, Inc.