The Product is Creativity – The New Sheet Music Holder

König & Meyer, the music accessories manufacturer of Wertheim, Germany introduced a new sheet music holder at this year’s Musikmesse. At first glance, the product may seem inconspicuous, but at second glance is an exceptionally creative idea. The patented sheet music holder is the result of the Student Talent Competition “Creative Minds 2011” and won first prize.

The competition, “Creative Minds” in Taubertal, Germany was created in order to bring young people closer to technology, to inspire them in this area, and to give them a platform to implement their ideas. This competition is unique in Germany. Students from various schools and institutions can submit creative ideas within a given time period and actually implement them together with the participating companies. In the end, a jury made up of representatives from diverse communities, schools and companies decides which projects are awarded with prizes.

The creative minds behind the sheet music holder are the sisters Carla (16) and Ines (14) Scheuring.
The »ingeniously simple idea, which will serve many musicians around the world very well«, as the jury described the sisters’ invention, introduces an intelligent, discreet and almost invisible alternative to the, up till now, very frequently used clothing pin solution. The sheet music holder is easy to use and is made out of a base with an integrated magnet, which is fastened under the surface of the music stand. Both caps with the transparent rubber string are applied to the ends of the opened page holders on the respective music rest. In this way, the opened music books or file folders are secured and wind-protected. Thanks to the transparent nylon strings everything remains legible and pages can also be turned.

The sisters are still completely surprised by their success: »As we began to implement our idea, we never thought that a real market-ready product would result.«, they said. At the award ceremony last year Heiko Wolz, Technical Director at König & Meyer, surprised the two winners with the announcement that they were already in contact with a patent lawyer and wanted to submit a utility model of the invention in the names of the winners. Additionally, a market-ready product would be developed together with the young ladies. »Both promises have already been kept«, explains the Managing Director. Both inventors worked together with Helmut Lippert, Construction Manager and Head Developer at König & Meyer, immediately following the award to improve upon the idea.

»They knew exactly what they wanted«, Wolz praised both musicians’ concrete ideas. Both are familiar with the experience of how aggravating it is to fumble around with sheet music. On Saturday of the trade show, both sisters made their way to Frankfurt, Germany to the Musikmesse to see how their invention would be introduced to the customers there. We made it a point to tell the customers that the sheet music holder was the result of the student competition in their presentation, explained the Managing Director. At the award ceremony of the competition, it was »a good feeling, to stand on stage and have accomplished something«, as the inventor Ines Scheuring describes. This feeling became overwhelming at the trade show, when they saw the finished product and the presentation. »We are really so proud of what has become of our idea«, added her sister Carla. They spoke with many employees from König & Meyer at the trade show and heard lots of praise for their fantastic invention, reported the sisters.

After the end of the trade show we will see, whether the product will really find a market. The consumer will decide in the end. The competition was most certainly a success for students, teachers, companies and communities. Classroom lessons gain a practical reference, school meets reality, contacts and networks are created and the region profits from a positive image.