Blog

Wenger continues to roll out the benefits and comfort associated with their popular range of Nota Chairs, with the important addition of a commanding new Conductor’s Chair. Available shortly from Black Cat Music, master distributor of Wenger products, the Nota Conductor’s Chair places conductors in a great position to direct and with full support for the half-seated position it also offers a good seating solution for String Bassists and Percussionists.

Thanks to the chair’s adjustable design there is flexibility to find an ideal position to suit individual users. Dr. Dylan Chmura-Moore, Professor of Music at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh said, “I loved it from the first moment I sat in it. With other chairs I have to adapt to fit the chair, but this chair fit me. It definitely provided flexibility and support without any cumbersome limitations to body movement. Your legs can move, your upper body can swivel or sway. I felt more connected to my feet and core muscle groups, which supports proper breathing and better music-making. The cantilever design also gives a lot more room for my legs.”

Ideal for use by Conductors, String Bassists, Percussionists, or anyone needing a taller chair, the new Nota Conductor’s Chair is packed with features and offers a whole scope of adjustments. With seat and back contoured for added comfort and support, seat height adjusts by means of a pressurised gas cylinder from 26" to 351/2" (60 to 90 cm). Seat tilt can be adjusted from +4ºto -18º at the point of use. Back height is adjustable within a 41/2" (11 cm) range and back depth within a 5” (13 cm) range by modifying the back angle which can be adjusted from +4º to -18º at the point of use. Foot rest height is adjustable too, from 9" to 16" (23 to 41 cm) and is independent from the seat height. Seat and back have a 90º swivel range. 45º left and right of center and can be locked at any point along the 90º range at the point of use.

As might be expected for a Wenger product, construction is of the highest quality. The Nota Standard Conductor’s Chair has polyurethane foam seat and back in black and the Nota Premier Conductor’s Chair is padded and upholstered with Olefin fabric in choice of black or grey. Chair posts are constructed of heavy-duty 16-gauge steel with black powder-coat paint finish, the inner post is of extruded aluminum alloy and base made of tough fiberglass reinforced material in black. The chair sits on 5 heavy-duty glides providing maximum stability. It all adds up to an important and exciting addition to the range of posture seating for musicians available from Black Cat Music.

We know that our Black Cat Music choral and orchestra folders are much sought after and admired products. From our Kent distribution centre in the south east corner of England we regularly ship orders throughout continental Europe and it’s great to know how delighted our customers are to open the box and start using them.

Danilo Galliani emailed from Italy with this warm greeting, “buonasera!
le cartelle sono arrivate! il coro è contentissimo!!!
grazie della vostra gentile disponibilità
Cordialmente
Danilo Galliani” Quick translation – “good evening!
folders have arrived! the chorus is delighted!!
thank you for your kind help,
cordially
Danilo Galliani.” Thanks Danilo, another delighted chorus equipped with Black Cat Music choral folders.

Discover more about our elegant music folders which benefit from hardwearing leatherette covers, brass bound corners and hand-stitching, designed to provide protection for music as well as looking smart during concerts. At a modest extra charge music folders can be customised with gold-blocking with the name and crest of the choir, band or orchestra, to further enhance the group identity. There is a choice of styles with expanding pockets or retaining strings for choirs and expanding pockets, pencil pockets and windows for orchestral use. Music folders are available in a choice of three colours – Concert Black, Royal Blue and Cardinal Red.

At Black Cat Music we know that budgets are under pressure everywhere. That’s why we wanted to remind customers of our Education Discount Programme, where you can save money each time you buy products for your education establishment.

It’s simple, free to join and you can start saving 5% on all standard products purchased for schools, colleges and universities – in fact any education establishment located in the United Kingdom. Just log on to the Black Cat Music web site to complete the online application form. We will then send you a confirmation email and your discount code to use each time you make a purchase of standard priced products.

And don’t forget to check your post, because there will be a limited edition Black Cat Music coffee mug on its way to you as a welcome gift. Look out too for our special monthly offers. As a member of our Education Group you will enjoy previews of these offers typically up to a week before everyone else – great news when stocks of discounted products are limited. Finally you can follow us and join in the conversation on Twitter, Our blog and Facebook for all the latest buzz, news, our take on inspiring music and a weekly fun spot.

It doesn’t get much better than this! When you visit the Black Cat Music/MusicPracticeRooms.com stand at Music Education Expo (20 -21 March) at London’s Barbican venue, not only can you see a fully functioning sound isolating music practice room and try it out for yourself, but you can buy this very same room for a special ex-demo price.

While you are thinking about acoustics, make sure you attend the Black Cat Acoustics presentation in Seminar Theatre 1, Weds 20th March, 10.15 am on the subject of 'Simple solutions to noise problems'. Enjoy our free coffee and pastries, served to everyone who attends the seminar and don’t forget to collect your free conductor's baton.

But it doesn’t end there! Free mugs and pens will be on our stand, plus we will be offering a special Music Expo 10 per cent discount on all our music stands and accessories ordered during the show.

Portable staging that is easy to transport and store, yet is strong, safe and configurable into any combination is about to set new standards thanks to the soon to be released Wenger StageTek system.

StageTek system available from Black Cat Music is a refined smart staging system resulting from extensive research, engineering and technical advancements in materials and manufacturing. These technical advances have resulted in a staging system that is 20 per cent lighter, stronger, easier to handle and faster to set up.

Affordably priced, when it comes to stretching investment across multiple needs like seated risers and performance stages, this new system has it all. But there is no compromise on performance, comfortably exceeding required standards on three critical loading capacity measures for uniform load, point load and dynamic load. Plus it is easy to handle, lighter to lift and with nice smooth edges for safety it is really easy to set up too. Anyone can set up StageTek in minutes all without the need for any tools.

Configurations including single or multi-level stages, thrust stages, choral risers, runways and many more options become possible in both scale and shape facilitated by a selection of different height, ‘plug-in’ legs. These simple to use, economical but strong plug-in legs secured by hand-turned locking knobs make hundreds of configurations possible to meet a wide variety of needs.

When it is time to dismantle, legs can be stored on the underside of the deck and panels quickly loaded on to a storage and transport cart that fits through standard door sizes. Designed to save as much as 50% in storage space compared to other systems, StageTek can be wheeled to a storage place or transported to another venue.

Members of the Black Cat Music team attended the abcd 25th Anniversary Annual Convention that took place at the Birmingham Conservatoire over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

The organizers explained, “We're celebrating not only our quarter century, but also our place in the world, our country and our region. We will be experiencing Birmingham's own contribution to choral music … including the first performance of renowned composer Kerry Andrew's new choral work, commissioned specially for this anniversary.

Robert Dagger, Chairman of Black Cat Music said, "It was great to meet so many choral directors who are really passionate about inspiring good singing and getting the best out of their choirs. We were particularly delighted to receive so much positive feedback on our products, such as the Wenger Tourmaster choral risers and the Jazz Music Stand, from people who really care about the quality of their musical performance." The easiest-to-move, easiest-to-set-up riser on the market, the Tourmaster goes anywhere and now Wenger are so confident of the quality of both Tourmaster and Signature choral risers they come with an impressive 15 year warranty.

"We enjoyed the weekend and were even able to take part in one or two of the singing sessions. It was good to meet so many talented musicians under one roof. There was a real buzz about the event" said Alice Dagger, Marketing Manager, Black Cat Music, summing up the convention.