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Black Cat Music has introduced a helpful wireless device for turning digital pages of music on tablets and computers, hands-free.

For musicians who have adopted screen based digital music scores on their i-Pad or tablet devices, from Wenger comes a foot pedal operated device for ‘turning’ pages both forward and back. Using secure Bluetooth connectivity, the need for a wired connection is eliminated and therefore there are no wires to trip over. Containing an internal rechargeable battery which gives an impressive 100 hours of operation between charges, the device is ‘paired’ to the tablet or PC and it’s ready to go.

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Black Cat Acoustics will be presenting a ‘solving noise problems’ session in the just announced conference programme at Music Education Expo.

Scheduled to start at 10.30 am in Seminar Theatre 2 on March 13th 2015, acoustic specialists from sponsors Black Cat Music and MusicPracticeRooms.com will talk through common noise problems experienced in schools and how they can be remedied. The session also promises to demonstrate how thanks to recent developments in sound isolating rooms, their new Express version can be assembled rapidly using only a few basic tools.

And if the prospect of this important learning experience is not enough, Black Cat Music is providing a free breakfast! Music Education Expo is the UK’s largest conference and exhibition for music teachers. Hosted in four conference theatres, the 2015 conference programme will feature more than 50 high-quality professional development sessions designed for primary, secondary and instrumental/vocal music teachers. The event takes place at The Barbican, London on 12th an 13th March 2015.

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Black Cat Music’s Martin Loft and Alice Dagger exhibited a comprehensive range of high quality performance equipment at the Music Mark conference in Daventry on 21-22 November.

Alice Dagger commented: "It was great to meet representatives from music hubs across the UK. The conference was well attended by music educationalists from all over the UK, and the atmosphere was buzzing."

Black Cat Music exhibited their range of music education equipment ranging from music stands and folders to staging and acoustic treatments. The new MusicPracticeRooms.com Express sound-isolating practice room went on show for the first time, and was well received by music hubs, as it enables music teachers to manage their space efficiently and cost-effectively.

The Music Mark conference - "Progression in Music Education; Further Still, Yet Further” – was held at Staverton Park, Daventry in Northamptonshire, where attendees heard from some of the country's leading music educators, schools leaders and music industry specialists. “The Music Mark Annual Conference 2014 offered a forum to debate, share expertise and exchange ideas for developing the national picture of music education for children and young people.”

Black Cat Music is the central distributor in Europe and Russia for Wenger Corporation. Wenger is world-renowned for the quality and durability of its music equipment, and all Wenger products carry a minimum 5-year warranty.

Pipe Major Jim Motherwell BEM is impressed with the MusicPracticeRooms.com sound isolating room recently installed at Eton College by Black Cat Music.

In a video interview Pipe Major Jim Motherwell, formerly of the 1st Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders explains that bagpipes are not woodwind instruments, but are classed as instruments of war. Bagpipes originated among the Scottish battalions as they could be clearly heard on the battlefield. So quite a challenge for a teaching environment, where one aim was to prevent the sound of the pipes causing interference for 16 nearby classrooms teaching other instruments.

One concern, quickly put to rest, thanks to a visit to the demonstration room set up on Black Cat Music’s stand at Music Education Expo exhibition, was how the pipes would sound inside the sound isolating room. Jim brought his pipes along and was not only impressed by the acoustic environment, but also the build quality of the room itself. Another issue when teaching 6 hours every day was the absence of daylight, a concern that was resolved by integrating three windows providing exterior views of the playing fields. The result, “an absolutely brilliant teaching environment and the boys love it” was Jim Motherwells’ verdict.

The Sound Isolating Rooms are designed to create an ideal rehearsal space with a climate controlled interior environment for the comfort of the band in which they can practise without their pipe and drum music causing disturbance to other classes in the college. The balanced acoustics within the room create a quality space also suitable for recording purposes. The modular design allows for a wide range of sizes to be constructed, from accommodating a solo singer to a choir or a band. And as needs and space allocations change, the sound isolating rooms can simply be re-located when required.

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South East based cover band ‘Back In Time’ opted to use a Music Practice Room at Black Cat Music’s Tonbridge HQ as a drum booth when recording their latest album.

'Back in Time' band member Martyn Wright also heads up the company’s IT department and was aware of the acoustic characteristics of the Music Practice Rooms making them suitable for recording purposes. In addition to Martyn who plays guitar and keyboard, other band members of ‘Back in Time’ are Mark on guitar, Dave on bass and Ray on Drums. All four musicians are also accomplished singers.

The band has been performing on the club circuit in the south east of England since 2007, receiving constant favourable reviews and repeat club bookings due to their popularity with audiences. They have their own style of music, covering the more traditional material from legends such as The Beatles, The Kinks, Elvis Presley, and the Rolling Stones, but also include numbers by ZZ Top, Dire Straits, Queen, Bryan Adams – to name but a few. They are enjoyed equally by both listening and dancing audiences.

The balanced acoustics within the sound isolating room creates a quality space suitable for recording purposes. The modular design allows for a wide range of sizes to be constructed, from accommodating a solo singer to a choir or a band. And as needs and space allocations change, the sound isolating rooms can simply be re-located when required.

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The Black Cat Music team are looking forward to attending this weekend’s Music Mark conference, being staged in Daventry on 21 and 22 November.

On show from Black Cat Music will be MusicPracticeRooms.com EXPRESS, a new self-assembly sound isolating cabin. Delivered as a flat pack and requiring only a screwdriver, spirit level, Allen keys and a step ladder it is designed for rapid installation and can be assembled in a couple of hours. Thanks to patented, interlocking acoustic panels manufactured from special high performance materials, the cabin enjoys a high integrity acoustic barrier that effectively blocks sound escape both into and out of the space. Perfect for home studios, acoustic booths, school music practice rooms, recording studios, voiceover rooms and vocal booths, these cabins are also ideally suited for use as confidential meeting rooms, language laboratories, examination rooms, audiometry rooms and medical testing.

Apart from introducing MusicPracticeRooms.com EXPRESS,, the Black Cat Music team will also be presenting a comprehensive range of of high quality performance equipment including ergonomic orchestra chairs, stage systems, music stands, stand lights and instrument and music storage systems. Black Cat Music is the central distributor in Europe and Russia for Wenger Corporation. Wenger is world-renowned for the quality and durability of its music equipment, and all Wenger products carry a minimum 5-year warranty.

The Music Mark conference - "Progression in Music Education; Further Still, Yet Further” –takes place on 21 and 22 November at Staverton Park, Daventry in Northamptonshire. Attendees will hear from some of the country's leading music educators, schools leaders and music industry specialists. “The Music Mark Annual Conference 2014 is a two-day event which offers a forum to debate, share expertise and exchange ideas for developing the national picture of music education for children and young people”, advise the event organisers.

Finalists for the Music Teacher Awards for Excellence are set to be announced on 21st November. Once again Black Cat Music and MusicPracticeRooms.com are sponsoring the Lifetime Achievement Award.

The 2015 Awards will be presented at a gala evening at The Grange St Pauls Hotel in London, on the first night of Music Education Expo (12 March 2015). “Created to celebrate excellence in music education, the Music Teacher Awards for Excellence are now in their third year for 11 award categories.

Nominations were invited from all sections of the public. The shortlist will be announced online 21st November and in the December issue of Music Teacher magazine and on the Black Cat Music news channels.

When the Muziekgebouw concert venue in Amsterdam needed 100 Wenger Musician Chairs on super fast delivery Black Cat Music’s John Weyland made sure they arrived on time by driving them over personally.

Black Cat Music marketing manager Alice Dagger said, “It was a matter of pulling out all the stops to get them on site on time, but full marks to our team at Tonbridge who made it happen.”

The Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ is the Netherlands’ most important stage for contemporary music, as well as for classical music with a modern twist. The main auditorium is equally well suited for intimate chamber music as well as large orchestras. It's a really exciting venue - in the main auditorium the walls, floor, ceiling and audience chairs all move up and down to adjust the auditorium space. It's right on the harbour, so ships can moor right next to the auditorium, creating some dramatic views through the massive concert hall windows.