Price discount on Conductor’s Stand

March is a great time to buy Wenger Preface Conductor’s music stands as for this month only they are offered at a 10% discount compared to the usual price.

Already affordably priced thanks to elegant design and clever engineering, the Preface Conductor’s stand still benefits from plenty of useful features. This stylish conductor's stand enjoys a large desk, a sleek, non-scratch black surface, and dual posts offering superb stability and strength. Although robust it's also extremely lightweight and easy to use and store. The tilting desk permits easy angle adjustment while integrated storage keeps all the conductor's needs nearby and out of sight. In fact, it's been exquisitely fine-tuned to give conductors more stand for less money. Plus each stand comes with a 5-year warranty.

For full details of the Preface Conductor’s stand and to take advantage of this special offer visit the Black Cat Music web site.

Noise problems at the village hall

Throughout  England, the village hall along with the church, school, shop and pub is an important hub for rural communities. It is where people meet, play groups are organised, shows and concerts are staged, the scouts gather, dance classes rehearse, wedding receptions are held and a host of other events take place. Often the hall may have been originally constructed for a different use entirely and noise can be a big problem for many of the different groups using the facility.

Users will generally be aware that there is a noise  problem of some form, but may not be sure how to deal with it. Typical noise problems are  echoes, difficulty in hearing speech clearly, problems hearing sound on stage and noise originating within the building itself. This is where Black Cat Acoustics can help interpret the problems, then recommend and install solutions.

It is all in a day’s work for the team at Black Cat Acoustics, but we were delighted to receive an unprompted testimonial from a committee member for a village centre in Cambridge who told us, “We discovered Black Cat Acoustics via an Internet search and found their website extremely informative and easy to navigate. The service was brilliant. They came quickly to give us a free quote, which was completed and sent to us within two days! Fantastic. Really professional and personable people, from the initial telephone call to their offices and meeting their representative. Thank you Black Cat Acoustics!”

Back stage at the Music Teacher Awards

Alice Dagger with Margherita Taylor.

Alice Dagger,(left) Managing Director of Black Cat Music and MusicPracticeRooms.com 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.”

Alice Dagger with Richard Hallam MBE.

James Manwaring and Paul Johnson-Hyde of Windsor Upper Schools, nominees for Best School Music Department.

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

Merchants' Academy Bristol, winners of Best School Music Department.

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.