Concert Design based in Toronto

Concert Design is a Canadian company based in Toronto, Ontario. Owners Sal Porretta and Lois Stouffer, husband and wife team, musicians themselves (piano), knew that the traditional four-legged piano bench was incompetent to meet the physical demands of the pianist. The design needed complete overhauling. In 1994, we started to put some ideas into reality.

Design Considerations

Design considerations included body-to-instrument requirements i.e. legs to pedals. This necessitates a forward slope of the seat. Foam wedges (which instantly flatten when sat upon) are of no benefit. The Concert Design seat gradient comes by way of the seat mechanism. The entire seat pan slopes (up to 7 degrees forward), thus keeping the support consistent. Quick height adjustment is available by way of a gas shock. At first we felt we must make the overall design resemble the traditional wooden benches (for aesthetic acceptance), but wood and metal do not marry, and we soon tossed the idea of the traditional four-legged bench and went with a 'new look' for our piano chair/piano bench using the very best of ergonomic and multi-adjustable components.

Focus is the musician's health

Physical comfort and support became our focus; the design must be beneficial to one's health.

"non-swivel"

As this was a piano chair, we needed to make it 'non-swivel'. Since 1995, we have refined the original anti-rotation design. Concert Design chairs have quick quiet height adjustment, forward seat gradient adjustment, five-star base to eliminate tipping, and the extremely important non-swivel feature.

Back Support

It is surprising how many pianists long for a back support, especially for the long hours of practice and rehearsal. The Concert Design back support is removable for onstage performance if preferred. The design of the back support speaks for itself, small, can be adjusted right into the lumbar or higher, removable. The variations in back bar bend are shown on our web site.

Harp and Double Bass

In early 1995, we showed our first prototypes to local musicians at the University of Toronto Faculty of Music and Toronto Symphony Orchestra, as well as individual musicians in and around Toronto. Interest from harpists and bassists came quickly. The bass sections from both the Toronto Symphony and Buffalo Philharmonic were instrumental in the seat design now standard on the 'concert' basso. Bass players from Lyric Opera of Chicago contributed to the foot-support design, also suggesting that it 'flip-up'. Subsequent requests for a portable university-student stool resulted in the 'gig' basso stools, and in 2005, we introduced the C4 'gig' basso molto, our new aluminum frame stool, as orchestras requested a stackable lightweight run-out stool. The latest bass 'gig' stool is the C5, our concert version, with ultimate stability and ease of portability.

Similar stories can be told of the development of the harp bench (harp chair) and cello chairs. The portable lightweight 'gig' harpcello stools now complement the multi-adjustable orchestra HarpCello chair.

Halogen Music Lamps

Development of the Pearl*Lite halogen music stand lights, piano lamps and conductor's light took place alongside the development of the chairs. All Pearl*Lite systems are specifically designed to provide a portable lighting system for music gigs where lighting is poor, are both AC and/or completely portable, battery-operated and rechargeable.

Concert Design Standard of Excellence

As the business grew and Concert Design became known, our standard of top quality products that literally last a lifetime, health-wise designs, customer service, and a willingness to work with our customers to bring complete satisfaction was at the top of our daily way of doing business and continues.

We moved in 1999

In February 1999, we moved Concert Design from our Toronto location to the tiny hamlet of Port Franks on the Ontario shores of Lake Huron. Most of our suppliers remain in the Toronto area. Lake Huron is a five-minute walk. We have a little over five acres of land, including 2200 feet of shoreline, this is Mud Creek which surrounds our house on three sides and meanders on to the lake, easily reached by small boat or canoe, we prefer to walk. This picture was taken August 2008 at beautiful Port Franks beach, which many think rivals the best beaches in the Caribbean!