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CATcerto To Be Performed By Queensland Symphony Orchestra

QeenslandSymphonyHappy Mother’s Day to all the mothers, feline and otherwise, out there. My own mother was a stray cat who gave birth to her litter in Camden NJ. My earliest weeks were spent on the streets of Camden. It was there I was rescued by Furrever Friends, and eventually came to live in Philadelphia with my purrsonal assistants, Burnell and Betsy. Although, I haven’t seen my mother since, she is the reason I am here today and able to share my love of music with you.

I was reminded by all this when I received the news this morning from Mindaugas Piecaitis, my friend and composer of CATcerto, that CATcerto is being performed on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 11, 2014 by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Guy Noble. And yes, I’m talking about Australia. For all my friends and fans from downunder, details of the concert can be found at http://qso.com.au/happy-mothers-day.

And I would really love to hear from anyone attending the concert. You can write me at nora@norathepianocat.com

Kitty Bungalow Fundraiser in LA…

On August 4th, 2013, Kitty Bungalow Charm School for Wayward Cats <www.kittybungalow.org> held a fund-raising event in Los Angeles titled “CATbaret.” I was honoured to have been asked to participate via video footage around which was composed a jazz number. Below is a short video showing highlights of the event. At 1:05 in the video you’ll see me on the big screen – actually three big screens. I don’t have video yet of the full performance of the piece I was represented in, but hope to have very soon. When I do, I’ll definitely share the link. In the meantime, please watch and then head on over to the Kitty Bungalow website and check out the marvelous work Shawn Simons and all of the wonderful volunteers are doing to help feral kittens find loving homes.

Nora & CATcerto Featured on Russian Psychic TV Show


Yours truly and CATcerto, by Lithuanian composer Mindaugas Piecaitis, was featured on an episode of the Russian TV show, “The Battle of Psychics.” How about that?

Here’s how it works: A human psychic is isolated in a sound proof booth and a piece of music or other audio is played for the audience. The sound is also connected to a large circular bowl or disc of some sort with a thin layer of sand on the surface. The sound cause the sand to bounce around, forming patterns. After the sound has been played, the psychic is then invited to view the sand patterns and attempt to guess the sound or music.

Personally, I don’t understand Ukrainian, but I get the feeling the psychic guessed correctly. Perhaps, one of my Ukrainian fans can let me know.

Who’s Cuter, Puppies and Kittens or Babies?

“Puppies Vs. Babies” is a brand new three-part series from Animal Planet that will pit videos of cute pups and kittens against the smallest and cutest of humans in a contest to decide who’s cuter. And I am featured in the very first episode, which will air on Saturday, October 15, 2011 at 10 pm. If you ask me, the program should be called “Kittens and Puppies Vs. Babies,” but they [Animal Planet execs] didn’t ask for my input.

Immortalized in Cheese…

Nora sculpture in cheese.

Master Cheese Carver Troy LandwehrBeing a musical “big cheese” in the feline world, it’s no wonder that somebody finally got the idea to immortalize me in, well, cheese. That somebody was Friskies. They were looking to promote a new Tasty Treasures cheese flavor cat food at this year’s SXSW Interactive in Austin, TX, so they got Master Cheese Carver Troy Landwehr to do the honors. (See photo at left.)

Three other famous Internet felines were also sculpted: Standing Cat, Gizmo-The Toilet Flushing Cat, and Monorail Cat.

Read more about the sculpture HERE.

Read the interview with Nora on The Cat’s Meow.

The Popular Culture Cat…

Edge City Comic StripAs you know, I have been referenced in the comics before and by such television icons as Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, David Letterman, and Ellen Degeneres. I’ve even been the subject of a skit on Conan O’Brien where, I might add, he used a look-alike as a stand-in cat. And I made a brief video appearance on the hit TV show Cougar Town. I’ve also been the answer to a game show question and I’ve ended up in a couple of textbooks. Most recently I was referenced in the syndicated comic strip Edge City by Terry and Patty Leban. I guess you could say that popular culture has welcomed me with open arms.

What’s next? A guest host spot on SNL? Well, since I don’t travel more than a hundred feet from my beloved grand piano, that’s unlikely, but perhaps one day I’ll be offered my own show. I can hear the announcer now: “And here she is, Philly’s Phavorite Pheline: Nora The Piano Cat.” Well, a girl can dream, can’t she?

I am purring so loudly right now. Hey, Oprah. How about sharing a cover with yours truly?