Nora The Piano CatI performed the “Thank You” concert on 1.23.2013, about a week after receiving hundreds of emails and Facebook comments wishing me a speedy recovery from a jealous sibling’s bite that, while not requiring stitches, did necessitate a trip to the vet to have the wound cleansed and to get a shot of antibiotics. And while I did lay low for a few days, partially to avoid my nemesis and partially to heal, it is always true that the show must go on, you know. So, it wasn’t long before I was back at the piano. And Burnell was there to capture it.
Being famous would not be nearly as much fun without the help of my personal assistants, Burnell and Betsy. It leaves me more time to do what I do best: playing piano, of course, but also looking beautiful while doing it. Lately, however, I’ve become somewhat suspicious of Burnell’s motives as regards his photography, especially his photography of me. Why, today he went so far as to lay a Mandarin orange next to me as he began snapping away. I mean, what’s up with that? It has nothing to do with my piano. But he seemed so satisfied with the result (as I’ve said before, humans are so easy to please), that I’ve decided to allow it for the time being. He calls these silly images art photography. I guess it’s a small price to pay for the help he has given me over the years. I would, however, like to hear from my fans about this, so I’ve included his latest photo with this post. Please let me know what you think. (Click image to view larger.)
Oh, and there’s one thing I will never ever do: I will never pose with clothes on! I am a diva, after all.
Into astrology? Are you a teenaged human girl? Or simply know one? Check out the December 2012 issue of Astro Girl Magazine and flip on over to page 73 to see a few of the World’s Most Talented Pets. Now, I must admit that I really don’t regard myself as a “pet,” but “world’s most talented” certainly strikes a chord with me. (Click image to view larger.)
I dearly love visitors! I mean, what’s not to love? They came to see me! Well, Maxx & Annetta drove here all the way from Darlington, Maryland just to meet the diva. And I was more than happy to grant them an audience. I even played for them. Of course they were so pleased and they took pictures and Maxx even sat with me briefly on the piano bench. Normally, I don’t allow that kind of familiarity, but there was something about him that seemed kind and genuine, especially when he intimated that four other cats had consented to take him in. That says a lot about a human’s character, don’t you think?
ASTROgirl! Magazine is an astrology-based celebrity teen magazine published by Bauer Publishing. I bet a lot of my teenage fans are loyal readers. Well, in their upcoming issue (due out in December, 2012) there is an article on the “World’s Most Talented Pets.” And, you guessed it! I’m one of them. Of course, I’m also a celebrity, and that’s probably the real reason they wanted to include me. 🙂 Keep an eye out for the magazine. I know I will. They also publish Twist Magazine.
If you’re ever in Philadelphia and find yourself enjoying soup, salad, sandwich, croisant or other pastry at a charming little French cafe called Lutecia, you’ll notice well-thumbed copies of my books “My Story” and “Nora the Piano Cat’s Guide to Becoming a Good Musician” sitting on the shelf along the west wall – that is if they’re not being presently enjoyed by another cafe guest. The books will be your clue that the world famous diva (moi) resides barely a block away. Think an audience with the diva might be fun? Just drop me an email at nora@norathepianocat.com and I’ll have one of my personal assistants get back to you.
On January 28th, 2012, the Longmont Symphony Orchestra, with guest conductor, David Rutherford (pictured at left), will perform a program titled “Fur and Flying Feathers.” Works included in the concert are by John Williams, Mussorgsky, Saint-Saens, and my favorite, Mindaugas Piecaitis. Maestro Piecaitis, as you well know, is the composer of CATcerto. And, if you haven’t guessed by now, the “fur” part of the program is the performance of CATcerto with video of yours truly projected onto a large screen behind the orchestra. Perhaps you’ve seen the YouTube video of the original performance with Piecaitis conducting the Klaipėda Chamber Orchestra in the Klaipėda Concert Hall in Klaipėda (Lithuania): http://youtu.be/zeoT66v4EHg
CATcerto has been performed 14 times in 5 countries. And now it comes to Longmont, Colorado in the United States. If you live nearby, I do hope you check it out. The fur and feathers will be flying.
For more info, check out the article by Quentin Young, Longmont Times-Call.
Or http://www.longmontsymphony.org/
For more info on CATcerto: catcerto.com
For more info on Nora The Piano Cat: norathepianocat.com
Being 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.
Next to actually playing the piano, I love most the attention and applause of an appreciative fan. So when Delight St. John-Brainerd from Mechanicsburg, PA emailed my personal assistant, Betsy, a few months ago about the possibility of visiting Philadelphia and meeting yours truly in the fur, I said yes, absolutely! Well, yesterday she arrived with daughter, Fonda Nason. They presented B & B with a bottle of Fat Cat wine. (See photo above.)
Actually, I don’t drink wine, and the photo was taken for publicity only, but I’m so glad they brought it. B & B work so hard, and they deserve something special from time to time. And I think a catnip toy or tuna flakes just don’t quite mean to them what it does to me. Although the greatest treat is simply being able to occasionally meet my fans.
We had a wonderful visit with Delight and her daughter, Fonda. Both of them played along with me (on the other piano, of course), and they also enjoyed meeting my siblings. By the way, if you look at the photos you’ll see my nemesis, Max. He’s the red tabby. And yesterday, he was feeling particularly bold. He had the nerve to sit on one of the chairs at the other piano. Once he even jumped up on my bench with me, but I hissed and let him feel the sting of my paw across his snout. I think Fonda may have gotten a photo of that. Hope it doesn’t end up in the tabloids. And Rennie did his jumping trick. What a show off! (Click thumbnails to view larger image.)
So remember, if you are ever in Philadelphia, drop Burnell or Betsy an email and arrange to meet the one and only Nora The Piano Cat. Wine is optional. ∑:-)
Just discovered that my two books, “My Story: A Picture Book” and “Nora The Piano Cat’s Guide to Becoming A Good Musician: Or How to Get Good at Anything Hard” have been archived at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. They’ve also cataloged my first three videos. That means that 100 years from now when your great great grandchildren are doing research on the most famous cat in Philadelphia, there will be research materials available.
And I’m only seven years old!