Back from two important conferences – ISBA and MMA – the Black Cat Music team reflect on a successful and busy May. Talking about the Independent Schools’ Bursars Association Annual Conference at Celtic Manor, Technical Sales Executive Martin Loft said, “As usual, the ISBA conference was extremely well organised and it was a great opportunity to speak to school bursars, both about their music departments, and about ways to solve noise problems in their schools.” Brigitte Downs, Sales Executive, added: “We were able to take our sound-isolating STUDIOBRICKS to display at the ISBA conference this year, and this met with a great deal of interest from independent school bursars.”
Next up the MMA Conference at Wellington College, Berkshire. Alice Dagger, Marketing Manager, commented: “The MMA conference at Wellington College was well run and enjoyable, and it was an excellent opportunity to catch up with Directors of Music in the independent and the state sector. It was great to see lots of familiar faces, as well as meeting quite a few new faces in the world of music education.” Alice summed up: “The location and venue were superb.”
The STUDIOBRICKS sound-isolation cabin is designed for speedy and easy installation, without compromising the booth’s excellent sound-isolating properties. Impressive sound isolation is achieved thanks to the use of high performance acoustic materials in the slot-together patented panels. The modular, interlocking panel design permits considerable flexibility in size and footprint.
The ISBA’s popular annual conference brings together many of the independent education sector’s leading experts offering topical updates for schools plus networking opportunities and an exhibition of more than 100 professional advisers and companies dedicated to providing high quality services to the education sector. Held over two days, the event welcomes more than 400 bursars and senior management staff from independent schools every year. As the administrative managers of schools they are the key decision-makers in sourcing their school’s services and supplies.
At the MMA conference, the choices of session are always comprehensive and include over 24 different speakers with tailored wisdom for all areas of a school music department from music administrators and instrumental teachers to heads of department. The Conference always includes all meals and refreshments including a black tie dinner with entertainment. The conference trade fair is always a lively hub of activity with some thirty corporate members giving in-depth advice and showcasing the latest instruments, products and scores. However, networking is one of the key reasons that members attend and the opportunity to share good practice and ideas with colleagues from a wide range of schools, organisations and corporates is invaluable.