“Concert Design Cello Chair” by John Catchings
written for Audio Media Magazine, April 2001.
One day I just had it. I spent over nine hours in a chair designed by the House of Torquemada or the Cheap and Plentiful Happy Chair Co.
Studios spend millions on soundproofing their facilities, on high-tech consoles, microphones and pre-amps that can hear facial hair grow, and then spend all day punching in and out to eliminate chair squeaks while expecting instrumentalists not to move when physically playing an instrument.
Arrangers/conductors sit on bar stools that are falling apart and sound like the shower scene in Hitchcock’s Psycho every time they breathe with a pair of 251s and M50s 18 inches over their head. Musicians flock to massage therapists and chiropractors following a string of long days. Good seating is a universal problem and sitting for long periods is also a known health risk. My search for the perfect sitting machine led me to the Concert Design website (www.concertdesign.com).
I consulted with Sal Porretta who helped me select a beautiful high-tech chair that appealed to me. It was delivered by UPS and was everything I had hoped for and more than everything that was promised. Good support, adjustable seven ways to Sunday, and bulletproof construction. I could position the lumbar support and change it easily during the day. The seat (available in your choice of widths) tilted forward or back at my command. The height is adjustable and I ordered the tall piston assembly, which allowed me to have more variation in leg position while sitting behind my cello. Subsequent nine-hour days were a breeze.
At the end of the day, I consistently had much more energy, felt better, was able to concentrate longer and had an easier playing time then ever before. And the chair was silent! Concert Design has an informative catalog and website, and their warranty is excellent. My chair has been in use nearly every day for over two years and still looks new. The materials are of the highest quality and workmanship.
Concert Design makes chairs for the youngest of musicians, harpists, basso chairs and conductor’s rehearsal chairs. They also make a flat-bottomed stacking chair that is quite affordable for orchestras, studios or the home. This is a great investment to make in your health and a great asset if you are a studio owner. Treat your players well and they will sing your praises to everyone.