Opus musicians' chairs encourage perfect posture during performances.

Nov. 30, 2012 - PRLog -- A good chair is of paramount importance for all musicians, allowing them to sit through long performances correctly and comfortably.  Many musicians train in the Alexander Technique to improve their posture while playing to ensure a long and healthy career.

Amadeus Performance Equipment offer a fantastic and extensive range of musicians' chairs and stools especially tailored to encourage Alexander type seating and good posture.

Specialists in ergonomics, 'Back-in-Action' were invited to assess the 'Opus' chair range for it’s suitability in seating the vast range of musicians that play in an orchestral environment, with different ergonomic needs.

The 'Back-in-Action' assessment team included a unique blend of ergonomists, designers and Alexander Technique teachers who found the Opus chair to be excellent – "a great fusion of function and form that encouraged perfect posture during performance" – an accomplishment that most other musicians' chairs have not attained.  This has been proven again and again over the last 20 years and the chairs being sold throughout the world.

The Opus chair features a unique ergonomic backrest that supports all areas of the back and pelvis. The angle of the backrest and seat encourages a slight forward tilt, very important in the sustaining of a more upright position, and there is good lumbar support in the middle to encourage unrestricted breathing for wind instrumentalists.  The height of the backrest helps musicians who regularly support heavy loads (for example, viola players) and the width is slightly narrower than usual to allow for unrestricted arm movements.  The Opus chair backrest is made from a steel tubular frame and includes a thermoplastic sound reflective rear panel.

The seat of the Opus chair is essentially flat but features a deep-rolled front edge to facilitate a range of leg positions and radically different seating postures.  The ‘Waterfall’ seat reduces pressure and prevents blood constriction to the legs. The chair, unlike most other musician’s chairs, allows for both Alexander Technique sitting and conventional sitting.  The Opus seat, additionally, has a side roll that gives effective protection for instruments that are played to the side (for example, bassoons) and when resting.

The Back-in-Action Alexander Technique teacher was adamant;
"If F.M Alexander was a musician, this is the chair he would have been using."

There are three different ranges of Opus chairs.  All these maintain full postural qualities and ergonomic features include instrument specific versions such as bass stools with and without height adjustment.  Plus a swivel base percussionist stool.

Amadeus' MD Anne Holliday says;
"Opus chairs were designed over 20 years ago in collaboration with musicians from the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and for the opening of the Birmingham Symphony Hall.  We have received many great testimonials that prove how effective these chairs really are.  Our continued research and feedback from specialist and customers and technological advances in the furniture industry mean our musician chairs will continue to be the best choice for good posture helping reduce any possible repetitive strain plus enabling players to achieve great performances."

Some Opus devotees include: the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, the Royal Festival Hall, the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Academy of Music, Eton College, the London Symphony Orchestra and many more.

Ralph Alwood of Eton College says of the Opus chair;
"After many years of searching for the perfect chair for musicians we seem to have found it. And what is curious is that all the teachers seem to agree, even the Alexander teachers. We have been using Opus now for three years, and no-one has anything but high praise."

The Alexander Technique is further explained here: http://www.alexandertechnique.com/

For further information about Opus chairs and posture seating, please visit Amadeus Performance Equipment - http://www.amadeus-equipment.co.uk/chairs-stools/ or call +44 01424 775867.