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The Black Cat Music team will be heading to the ABRSM conference on 7th November at London’s Grange Tower Bridge Hotel.

The focus of the 2015 ABRSM conference is the broad range of skills that support musical performance.  The organisers say the event, “offers a wide range of practical and thought-provoking sessions for class, group and one-to-one lessons. Our presenters will introduce inspiring resources and give interactive demonstrations to show how to use them effectively within your teaching.”

Managing Director, Alice Dagger summed up Black Cat Music’s anticipation of the conference, saying, “We are looking forward to attending the ABRSM Conference, the splendid programme of events and making contact with conference delegates.” Further details are on the ARBSM web site. 

ABRSM is the UK’s largest music education body, one of its largest music publishers and the world’s leading provider of music exams, offering assessments to more than 630,000 candidates in 93 countries every year. ABRSM’s mission is to inspire achievement in music. In partnership with the Royal Schools of Music, it supports high-quality music-making and learning around the world offering pathways and resources for learners and teachers that help build musical skills, provide goals and encourage progress. 

ENDS

Black Cat Music has a message for choirs, music groups, orchestras and schools planning Christmas concerts, that now is a good time to consider ordering music folders customised with the music group’s own name, a crest or logo.

Managing Director, Alice Dagger talking about Black Cat Music’s popular range of music folders explained, “Musical groups might like to know that Black Cat Music offer a gold-blocking service on all of our choral and orchestral folders, so you can add your logo or school crest to the front of the folder. We can also add gold-blocked lettering, and many customers choose to gold-block the instrument name or number in the corner of the music folder. Our choir folders and band folders from Black Cat Music are elegant, high-quality music folders to help you organise your sheet music. Whether you belong to a professional orchestra, chorus, school band or church choir, our choral and orchestral folders will give a sense of identity to your music group.”

Alice continued, “If your choir, music group or school has previously ordered music or choral folders with your own crest or logo from Black Cat Music, now is also a good time to order extra copies ready for the Christmas concert season. When we create a die to imprint your crest on music folders using our traditional gold-blocking technique we keep the die ready for future use. Just give us a call if you need to add to your set of folders.”

The visual impact created by a set of smart new matching music folders gives a great identity to an 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 music and keeping it together. There is a choice of 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.

Black Cat Music’s customers just love our music folders, especially when gold-blocked with the name and crest of their choir, band or orchestra. So much so that many write to tell us how delighted they are when they open the parcel and see their new folders for the first time. Jim Jefferson of Barrow Steelworks Band contacted us to say, 'The Band were delighted with the music folders.' The Orchestrate Project told us, “Received our shipment of orchestral music folders from Black Cat Music. They look stunning!” Kristen Callaway of Wimbledon High School says, “The orchestra folders have arrived safely and are great - thanks so much! “Order arrived today safe and well. The folders look great. Many thanks.” says Chris Stone from Thornden Community Wind Band. “Our fabulous performance folders have arrived in time for Friday's concert; thanks, Black Cat Music,” the Cecilian Choir at the University of Kent told us. “Just to say thank you for all your help and support with this order which we received last week,” says Frances Belamy of St Peter's Catholic School. And a final word from Jo Black, St. Mary's School Calne Opera Ensemble. “The Opera Ensemble was very happy with their music folders, so thank you very much for them.”

“It’s always encouraging to hear from our customers and how pleased they are with their gold-blocked music folders,” concluded Alice Dagger. “Customised music folders will certainly add to the presentation of your music group – why not contact us now and discuss how we can make you look special in concert this Christmas.”

Music Education Expo organizer, Rhinegold has announced that Registration for the 2016 event is now open.

Black Cat Music and sister company MusicPracticeRooms.com are once again Platinum co-sponsors of Music Education Expo in 2016 and we look forward to seeing you at the show.

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. Details of free visitor registration are available  online.  

  Black Cat Music will be involved in the exhibition, conference and sponsoring the Lifetime Achievement Award in the Music Teacher Awards for Excellence.

Black Cat Music, leading suppliers of music education and performance equipment, has announced details of a Summer Sale that promises superb savings on their high quality equipment.

Selected items on sale from the company’s comprehensive catalogue include some of Black Cat Music’s most popular music stands, orchestra chairs, conductor’s equipment, instrument storage, stereo cabinets, staging anad choral risers. The sale offers some great opportunities to buy new equipment ready in place for the start of the autumn term.

Previous clearance sales have proved extremely popular and stocks are limited, so customers are encouraged to take advantage of the Freephone line on 0800 072 7799 and discuss requirements with a member of Black Cat Music’s ultra friendly team.  Clearance items are offered on a ‘first come, first served’ basis and stocks change daily, so an early call is recommended.  Items are also listed on the Black Cat Music web site.  

Managing Director, Alice Dagger revealed that Black Cat Music and sister company MusicPracticeRooms.com were once again sponsoring the Lifetime Achievement Award in the prestigious Music Teacher Awards for Excellence in 2016.

The annual black tie event is scheduled for the 25th of February 2016 at London’s Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel during next year’s Music Education Expo. Nominations for all award categories are now open until 23rd October this year. The Black Cat Music -  MusicPracticeRooms.com sponsored award is “For an individual who has made a seminal contribution to music education.” Details of the Awards evening are online now. 

Richard Morris, winner of the 2015 Black Cat Music sponsored award said, “I am both honoured and very touched to receive this award. I have had the joy of working in music education for the past 23 years and much of this time has been spent trying to promote the provision of sustained musical tuition for all young people who show commitment and eagerness. My sole condition on receiving this award is that I should be allowed to continue, since there’s so much more to do.”

Black Cat Music and sister company MusicPracticeRooms.com confirms the continuation of the Platinum co-sponsorship of Music Education Expo in 2016.

In a change of venue, Music Education Expo is moving to Olympia in 2016 for the two day exhibition and conference event taking place on the 25th and 26th February. Details of visitor registration are available online.   Black Cat Music will be involved in the exhibition, conference and sponsoring the Lifetime Achievement Award in the Music Teacher Awards for Excellence.

Although early days yet, Managing Director, Alice Dagger confirmed that Black Cat Music would be showing and demonstrating selected products from the company’s extensive range of education performance and staging equipment. Product specialists will be on hand to provide music teachers with advice in selecting suitable products. The stand will also include the latest developments in sound-proof rooms allowing visitors to experience for themselves the acoustic performance achieved.

… and if you like drums, then take a look at this.

As a special promotional offer, 20 x Classic 50 Music Stands plus a large size Move & Store Cart are offered with a saving of 10 per cent by Black Cat Music, for July only. There is still time to take advantage of this great price deal – but don’t leave it too late, there is just one week left before the offer closes.

The package normally priced at £1,393.60 is on offer throughout the month at just £1,252.24 plus VAT and delivery. Schools and colleges looking to equip with new music stands designed for robust and regular handling can take advantage of this great offer now.


For full details on the July offer can be found on the Black Cat Music web site.

Acoustics for Dummies was the title given to one of the conference sessions at Music Education Expo 2015 earlier this year in London.

In a presentation given by Mark Rasmussen from the Black Cat Music marketing team, four common problems of noise in schools were identified and the issues explained and solutions put into simple terms, free of the technical jargon used more formally by acousticians.

For those who missed the event, or who atended and want to take a second look, we have posted a video of the session.

Problem 1 talks about reverberation sound levels – or echoes as most people describe them.

Last in our Acoustics for Dummies mini series we take a look at noise transferred within the building and what to do about it.

In a presentation given by Mark Rasmussen from the Black Cat Music marketing team, four common problems of noise in schools were identified and the issues explained and solutions put into simple terms, free of the technical jargon used more formally by acousticians.

For those who missed the event, or who atended and want to take a second look, we have posted a video of the session.

Problem 4 talks about noise coming from the building itself.

Last in our Acoustics for Dummies mini series we take a look at noise transferred within the building and what to do about it.

In a presentation given by Mark Rasmussen from the Black Cat Music marketing team, four common problems of noise in schools were identified and the issues explained and solutions put into simple terms, free of the technical jargon used more formally by acousticians.

For those who missed the event, or who atended and want to take a second look, we have posted a video of the session.

Problem 4 talks about noise coming from the building itself.