There is nothing like a Dame

Alice Dagger with Dame Fanny Waterman, winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Black Cat Music sponsored ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ at the 2016 Music Teacher Awards evening was presented to the indefatigable Dame Fanny Waterman. And what a lifetime of inspiring a love of piano music Dame Fanny can claim, which at the age of 95 shows no sign of diminishing. As a music teacher her reputation for developing talented pupils is legendary, she created a popular series of teaching aids and was co-founder of the internationally acclaimed Leeds International Piano Competition.

Alice Dagger, Managing Director of sponsors Black Cat Music, (pictured here with Dame Fanny Waterman), said, “It was a great honour to sponsor the Lifetime Achievement Award, which was won by the wonderful Dame Fanny Waterman, who has inspired pianists for generations.” Alice continued, "It was also an honour to meet other awards-winners and nominees throughout the world of music education - from ‘Best School Music Department’ to ‘Best Musical Initiative’. It was a truly inspiring evening.  Congratulations to all involved.”

Ibstock Place School equips with new musicians chairs

Opening night at Ibstock Place School’s new performing arts centre and thanks to a rapid response by Black Cat Music a whole new set of Encore Musicians chairs are in use for the first time.

Responding to a request from the school’s Creative Arts Administrator, who asked, “We’ve just built a new performing arts centre, and the opening night of the first production – a panto – is that day. It would be amazing to have the new chairs in the pit!” A speedy delivery of 45 Encore Chairs, 8 Encore Cello Chairs and 10 Encore Adjustable Stools and the orchestra were all set for the big day. And the verdict? “The players love the chairs, especially the cellists.”

 Ibstock Place School is described as “an independent co-educational day school for pupils aged 4 to 18, providing a rich variety of opportunity in a friendly, supportive atmosphere with a strong family ethos.” By investing in the Encore Chairs from Black Cat Music the school has recognized the benefit of the importance of good posture to musicians. Standard chairs let the musician slouch, allowing the spine to be forced out of its natural supportive position. This lowers the rib cage and constricts the diaphragm, reducing airflow. Encore chairs are designed to maintain the correct posture.

Informed musicians are aware that good posture is essential to minimise health problems and that playing wind, string or percussion instruments can lead to repetitive strain injuries. For players of wind instruments, a good posture, opens up the chest cavity allowing for good breathing. There are differences, sometimes significantly different, between sitting and standing postures. Musicians who have learned to play in one position may find it difficult to play in the other so both postures need to be exercised in order to strengthen the necessary muscles.

Black Cat Music’s Encore Chairs are designed to put students and musicians in the best possible position to promote easier breathing and a more natural range of motion while decreasing fatigue and discomfort.

Music Folders February Offer

If you were thinking of buying a set of music folders for your musicians or choir, then February is the time to take action. Black Cat Music are offering up to 30 per cent discount for the whole of the month.

Imagine the visual impact created by a set of smart new matching music folders to give a great identity to your orchestra, chorus, band or choir. The hard-wearing leatherette covers enhanced by hand stitching and brass-bound corners are sure of a long life protecting your music and keeping it together. Choose your style and size, whether for orchestra or choir, some with options such as expanding pockets or retaining strings, pencil pockets and windows.

And there is a choice of colour – Concert Black, Royal Blue or Cardinal Red. Check out the February deal now!

Count down to Music Education Expo 2016

Billed as 'The Oscars of the music education world’ by event organisers, Rhinegold, Black Cat Music and MusicPracticeRooms.com are sponsors of the Life Time Achievement Award. The Music Teacher Awards for Excellence ceremony takes place at the Jumeirah Carlton Hotel, Knightsbridge this year. 

Black Cat Music and sister company MusicPracticeRooms.com are once again Platinum co-sponsors of Music Education Expo in 2016.

This year there is a change of venue with Music Education Expo moving to Olympia for the two day exhibition and conference event taking place on the 25th and 26th February 2016.

Classic 50 music stand offer – time fast running out

Always a popular choice, Classic 50 music stands are being discounted during  January. But hurry because time is running out. This week is your last opportunity to buy these iconic music stands at a generously discounted price with quantity discount breaks that take prices as low as £40.45 when purchased in quantities of 50 or more! Schools and colleges looking to equip with new music stands designed for robust and regular handling can still take advantage of this great offer in the last few days of  this month.

The ever popular Classic 50 Music Stand is tough enough to handle the hardships of regular classroom use thanks to a formulation of advanced polymers offering inherent tensile strength that will not bend or dent like metal stands.  Its elegant design makes it quiet and rattle-free during performances. And the scratch resistant desk surface also incorporates a unique recess for keeping pencils in place. The patented one-hand height adjustment of the music desk is simplicity itself, requiring no screw or locking collar adjustments. To learn more watch the Classic 50 put through its paces on YouTube.

Full details of the January offer can be found on the Black Cat Music web site.

Reviewing the Christmas events – did you have the right music equipment?

With the Christmas shows, carol services, concerts and other musical events over, time to take a quick review. How effective was the production? Did we have the right equipment? What could be improved in time for the Easter concert?

Christmas is a busy time for school choirs. After months of rehearsal how was the presentation? For those who haven’t already equipped their choir or orchestra, a nice presentational touch is to have matching choral or orchestral folders, particularly if customised with the school crest gold-blocked on the covers. 

Staying front of house with the orchestra were the music stands doing their job, or were they showing their age and creaking and ratling at just the wrong moment? How about smooth operating rattle free music stands next time? Did you know there are some smart clip-on LED  lights on the market now and the great thing is that not only do they illuminate the sheet music beautifully, but thanks to battery operation there are no trailing cables to trip over. Sitting down for a long time can be demanding, so do you have ergonomically designed music chairs to support your young musicians with the correct posture?  

How was the staging? Many venues offer only a flat floor or stage, but this can be transformed by the use of risers. Risers can provide  three or four tiers which is great for choirs with everyone able to see and be seen and their music projected into the auditorium. What is really clever, the risers fold up to move and store away and great if your choir is visiting another venue. There are complete staging systems too that can be configured  to suit the available space.

Could everyone see the conductor? Ofen conductors struggle with wobbly podiums and inadequate music  stands. Yet there are perfectly affordable, dedicated conductors’ stands available to enable conductors to organise and store their sheet music. Elegant looking, robust conductors’ podiums are also available at surprisingly affordable prices.

Finally, how were things back stage? A portable make-up station is great for shows and concerts and how about costume storage racks to keep clothes tidy, ready for a quick change and not take up valuable space?

All these items and more can be supplied from  Black Cat Music. Sign up to join their Education Discount Programme and qualify for a discount on future purchases of  Black Cat Music products. There is no fee to join, so call Freephone 0800 072 7799 or email sales@blackcatmusic.co.uk to join.

New Year Offer - Big discounts on Classic 50 music stands

For January only, Black Cat Music is offering a massive 10% discount on their best selling Classic 50 music stands in a special New Year promotion. Quantity discount breaks allow purchase prices as low as £40.45 when purchased in quantities of 50 or more. Schools and colleges looking to equip with new music stands designed for robust and regular handling can take advantage of this great offer throughout the month.

The ever popular Classic 50 Music Stand is tough enough to handle the hardships of regular classroom use thanks to a formulation of advanced polymers offering inherent tensile strength that will not bend or dent like metal stands.  Its elegant design makes it quiet and rattle-free during performances. And the scratch resistant desk surface also incorporates a unique recess for keeping pencils in place. The patented one-hand height adjustment of the music desk is simplicity itself, requiring no screw or locking collar adjustments. To learn more watch the Classic 50 put through its paces at YouTube.com

Full details of the January offer can be found on the Black Cat Music web site.