A ‘Call for Papers’ by Music Education Expo Conference organizer, Rhinegold anticipates high a response. The conference which takes place from 12th to 13th March 2015 at the Barbican in London, runs alongside an associated exhibition. Black Cat Music and sister-company MusicPracticeRooms.com are both Platinum Sponsors and will be participating in the associated conference as well as exhibiting their product range.
Educators wanting to participate in a conference session are reminded that the ‘Call for Papers’ is now open and will close 18th September. So now is the time to be putting forward ideas for papers that will be reviewed for possible inclusion in the Conference Programme. The organisers are looking for papers that are “engaging, insightful and inspiring.” Proposals of no more than 250 words should be sent by email to head of content, Thomas Lydon thomas.lydon@rhinegold.co.uk but due to the expected high level of response don’t expect a reply from Tom just yet!
You can keep in touch with news and announcements for Music Education Expo on all the Black Cat Music and MusicPracticeRooms.com news feeds and social media channels, or visit musiceducationexpo.co.uk
Thanks to Tunable Acoustic Panels from Black Cat Music, a simple but effective means of creating a suitable acoustical environment within your rehearsal space can be provided. Whether it is a choral or an instrumental ensemble, a manual adjustment can tweak the reverberation time to optimise the rehearsal space to suit either choral or instrumental preference, thereby allowing the rehearsal space to be used most efficiently. Recommended reverberation times for choral rehearsal spaces are up to 1.3 seconds, whereas for band or orchestra rehearsal, 0.8 to 1.0 second is preferred. This is where the Wenger Tunable Acoustic Panel comes into play allowing an adjustment of reverberation time of up to 0.8 seconds. By the turn of a handle, an internal diaphragm expands or contracts, thus controlling absorption and diffusion. Installation of the panel requires a frame to be attached to the wall , before popping in a perforated panel and finally applying a fabric covering - and that’s all there is to it. Take a look at the video to see how it works.
When Haileybury College asked for their new sound isolating room to be installed on the top floor, suppliers MusicPracticeRooms.com were quick to rise to the challenge. Marketing Manager, Alice Dagger quipped, “there are no lengths, or should I say heights, that we will go to, to meet our customers’ requirements and we are delighted to have met Haileybury’s request.” Founded in 1862 Haileybury is an independent co-educational boarding school located between London and Cambridge in rural Hertfordshire. Sound Isolating Rooms are designed to create an ideal rehearsal space with a climate controlled interior environment for the comfort of the musicians, or singers, in which they can practice without their music causing disturbance to other classes in the college. The balanced acoustics within the room create a quality space, which is also suitable for recording purposes. The modular design allows for a wide range of sizes to be constructed, from accommodating a solo singer to a choir or a band. As needs and space allocations change, the sound isolating rooms can simply be re-located when required.
When setting up a new music facility, spreading the costs of equipment over the following years can now be a welcome benefit thanks to the Structured Payment Options system recently announced by Black Cat Music. We know how budgets are tight and also that compromising on quality by opting for the cheapest option can prove to be a false economy in the longer term. So Black Cat Music has come up with ascheme to spread payments over a period of up to five years. We use a government compliant operating lease, ensuring the purchase is within government guidelines which offers benefits for government funded schools and organisations. The scheme smooths out budgets and cash flow while allowing investment in music performance equipment that doesn’t compromise on quality. The scheme also applies to independent schools and other non-government funded organisations. These education establishments will also appreciate the planned repayment benefits of a capital purchase of music education performance equipment, as a contribution to maintaining a healthy balance sheet. Repayments can be monthly, quarterly or annually over 1,2,3,4 or 5 years with VAT claimed back on all repayments. And with tax 100% allowable and with the acquisition ‘off balance sheet’ the scheme should prove of great interest to financial officers and bursars. What’s more, at the end of the Agreement, for one extra payment the equipment becomes fully owned. Terms and Conditions apply, these and further details can be read online.
With a significantly deeper lip to accommodate larger scores, a larger storage shelf for small instruments and pencils, plus other upgrades, the already sccessful fold-up Jazz Music Stand is now even better.The Jazz Stand is a professional quality music stand with a full range of height adjustment, industry standard stability and a full size music tray with pencil shelf. And yet, as a result of its unique design it unfolds in three easy moves with no knobs, no finger traps and no hassle from a flat pack no larger than the size of the tray. .Other upgrades in a major design makeover include adjustable friction in the tray for full user control, plus improvements to the base with the addition of more rubber feet. Take a look at the video demonstration.
The Pipe Major of the Eton College Bagpipe Band is delighted with the ‘esprit de corps’ inspired by Black Cat Music’s recent installation of a sound isolating room at the world famous college. When Eton’s Pipe Major visited the Black Cat Music stand at Music Education Expo last year, there was an opportunity to experience the acoustic environment achievable thanks to a complete MusicPracticeRooms.com room being installed at the show. The full-size trial proved sufficiently compelling to eliminate competing offers. “We recommend this solution for anyone wanting an acoustic room” said Karen James, Manager, Music Schools speaking on behalf of Eton College, adding, “We have been very pleased with the acoustic room for our bagpipe teaching.” The Sound Isolating Rooms are designed to create an ideal rehearsal space with a climate controlled interior environment for the comfort of the band in which they can practice without their pipe and drum music causing disturbance to other classes in the college. The balanced acoustics within the room create a quality space also suitable for recording purposes. The modular design allows for a wide range of sizes to be constructed, from accommodating a solo singer to a choir or a band. And as needs and space allocations change, the sound isolating rooms can simply be re-located when required. On a final note Karen said, “The installation went very well and was very swift, starting with a floor screed being laid to ensure everything was level and right through to final commissioning. Now we are all enjoying the benefits of the room, both the users or the room and those working around the Music Schools”.
The popular Ensemble Stool has now been updated to offer the choice of three different seat options. Select from the standard contoured beech wooden seat, a cushioned polyurethane foam seat or ‘top of the range’ Premier model that enjoys the benefits of a fully padded upholstered seat. All models feature telescopic legs for height adjustment to set the seated level within a range from 640mm to 840mm. Special “non-marring” leg glides, ensure self-levelling without scratching of the elegant black epoxy powder coated paint finish used on the support structure. The 16 gauge steel legs and foot ring make for a tough, robust construction. For adjustment assistance markings are provided at interval steps within the 200mm adjustment range. Ensemble stools ship in a single, ready-to-assemble pack and can rapidly be put together using just eight fasteners. Not only are Ensemble Stools designed with ‘green’ credentials, ‘green’ credentials, but Wenger back their confidence in the product with a five-year warranty.
