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The Oxfordshire and South Warwickshire based Carice Singers have recently added a smart new touch to their concert performances with the introduction of a matched set of Choral Folders purchased from Black Cat Music.

The elegant, high-quality blue folders with brass-bound corners now add an additional sense of identity to the choir. Conductor George Parris enthused, “as well as looking smart, the folders from Black Cat Music are light and have brilliant pockets for the amount of music we have to store in them.'

George continued, 'The folders are brilliant, were robust enough to withstand our outdoor recital and meant the singers could carry lots of music with ease - meaning very little rustling between items!'

Black Cat Music offer a range of Choral and Orchestral folders in a choice of colours and the option to customize the cover with gold blocking of the name and crest of the choir or orchestra. Further details can be viewed online.

Black Cat Music will be exhibiting a comprehensive range of equipment for professional orchestras at the 9th German Orchestra Conference taking place in Berlin, 13th & 14th November.

Dirk Rueter, Black Cat Music’s representative in Germany, will be attending the conference again this year. Dirk reports: “I’m looking forward to saying hello to some familiar faces from last year’s conference. We will again be demonstrating our range of superb quality equipment including the world-renowned Wenger orchestra seating and the Tempo musician’s chair, which has proved extremely popular with orchestra managers.”

Examples of performance equipment from the range of music stands, orchestral chairs, staging, choral risers, conductor’s equipment and music folders will be on show. In addition Black Cat Music offers a range of theatre products embracing staging, tiered audience seating, make-up stations, costume racks and instrument storage cabinets. Black Cat Music Europe is the Master Distributor in Europe and Russia for Wenger Corporation - a company widely recognised as world leaders in fully guaranteed staging and music performance equipment.

Also being presented at the show are Music Practice Rooms offering an affordable and flexible solution to noise problems in schools. Music Practice Rooms allow professional musicians to rehearse within a controlled environment that minimises the acoustic impact upon those around them. The flexibility of the modular design permits Music Practice Rooms to be configured to fit available spaces.

Dirk Rueter will be available on the stand to demonstrate products and provide advice. Whether looking for musical performance equipment, event staging, audience and performance seating, theatre equipment or acoustic solutions, Black Cat Music can provide high-quality equipment, which is as durable as it is elegant and easy to use.

Tourmaster and Signature Choral Risers distributed by Black Cat Music are now backed by an impressive 15-year warranty on all new products sold.

This extended warranty demonstrates Wenger’s confidence in their choral risers that are already widely used and recommended by choirs everywhere. Signature risers with classic black styling benefit from safe, simple set up, lightweight handling, easy mobility and an integrated back rail with safety crossbar. They are strong and quiet in performance. Available in 3 – step or 4 – step models, configurations can be changed quickly and securely, or optional side rails added without the need for tools. The patented fold-down design allows easy one person set up.

No other risers fold, roll, set up or travel as smoothly as Tourmaster Choral Risers. Easy to take up stairs, navigate round tight corners or load into vehicles for transport, the Tourmaster is a world leader. Precision engineering and use of top quality materials are reasons why these products now come with a 15-year warranty.

Black Cat Music and MusicPracticeRooms.com are delighted to announce their support for the Sevenoaks Young Musician of the Year Competition 2012.

Sevenoaks Young Musician of the Year is a competition open to instrumentalists aged 21 years and under and with a minimum Grade 8. The final heats of the competition will be taking place in March 2012 when the Sevenoaks District Arts Council presents the winner with a Silver Memorial Medal in memory of June Clements who founded the competition in 1995. The winner also has the opportunity of playing a concerto with The Lydian Orchestra and this year it is Margarita Balanas, a 'cellist from Latvia who is at the Purcell School.

Tonbridge based Black Cat Music supplies a comprehensive range of equipment for music, performance, practice and theatre including music stands, orchestral chairs, staging, choral risers, conductor’s equipment and music folders. In addition there is a range of theatre products embracing staging, tiered audience seating, make-up stations, costume racks and instrument storage cabinets.

MusicPracticeRooms.com supplies sound-isolating, modular Music Practice Rooms for schools, recording studios and for home use. MusicPracticeRooms.com is proud to offer superb acoustic performance at an affordable price, enabling musicians to rehearse and perform in controlled acoustic environments.

"I have been thrilled by the service you have shown me. From start to finish you have been friendly and a joy to buy from. I run a company myself and I know how important service is and I hope that my company is as good as yours! " said Jonnie Jones, Chairman of the 2012 Mayfield Festival Committee, commending the service received from Black Cat Music when the festival organisers recently purchased a number of Mighty Bright music stand lights.

The Mayfield Festival of Music & the Arts is one of the highlights of the South East‘s events calendar. This biennial event comprises daily events in the magnificent setting of the historic village of Mayfield, East Sussex and attracts world-class performers from both home and abroad.

Plans are being finalised now for the 23rd Mayfield Festival, which will take place from Friday 4th to Sunday 13th May 2012. Once again the programme promises to be remarkable and comprehensive, featuring internationally renowned solo performers, professional orchestras, sought-after choral groups and some up-and-coming young artists who will make their Festival début. More details regarding the events for 2012 and all booking information will be made available early in the New Year via the Festival’s website, www.mayfieldfestival.co.uk.

“Having retired, I still like to do something in my own area. We have two choirs in our Music Centre - a children's choir and an adult choir, together with numerous bands and orchestras,” said Philip King. The former Head of South Derbyshire Music Service was taking time out from a busy schedule at the Music Centre in South Derbyshire to talk about staging for choirs and in particular Wenger Tourmaster Risers supplied by Black Cat Music. “Singing is a visual thing as well. It may sound nice, but if you can't see people its not so good”, he said.

Now Conductor of the Cantabile Choir, Philip King reflected on the decision to invest in Tourmaster Risers dating back nearly twenty years to a time when as he explained, ”the boxes we were using for staging were difficult to carry around and also they were a bit cumbersome. They just didn't work very well. If parents, in particular come to a concert, they want to see their children performing.” Careful study of the Black Cat catalogue in due course led to the decision to make the investment in Tourmaster Risers.

Talking about the ownership experience of Tourmaster, Philip commented, “storage is minimal really, they fold down easily and we can store them upright. For moving them around we just use a van, its very easy, they are on wheels and so quick to put up it’s unbelievable. The way they have been designed is just great for us, so we use them in many different venues.We can't fault the Tourmaster Risers at all. It is coming up for twenty years now and I am sure they are fit for another twenty. We use them very regularly and there are no faults at all with them. Philip concluded, “Black Cat Music should feel very proud of this product, because we certainly feel that as customers we get a good deal from it.”

The full interview with Philip King and the Tourmaster Risers being used in concert can be viewed on the Black Cat Music video chanel and on YouTube.

Music education and performance equipment specialist Black Cat Music is currently offering Music Folders with an additional discount. This offer only applies during February, so anyone looking to take advantage of this money saving opportunity to kit out their choir or orchestra with a matching set of music folders is urged to act promptly.

The elegant music folders 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.

Full details of this offer are published on the Black Cat Music web site.