CELEBRATING 50 YEARS
OF INNOVATION
Since 1976, RATstands has proudly supported musicians, performers and venues around the world. What began with the original RAT Stand — created for the Welsh National Opera — has grown into five decades of innovation, craftsmanship, and trusted performance equipment.
As we celebrate 50 years, we look back with pride at the milestones, partnerships, and performances that have shaped our journey — and forward with excitement to the next chapter.
WHAT DOES ‘RAT’ STAND FOR?
The question we’re asked most often — why ‘RAT’ stands?
“R.A.T.” comes from the initials of the company’s founders.
Today, Andrew – the ‘A’ – remains as the owner of the business and RATstands’ Head Engineer.
50 YEARS IN THE MAKING
In 2026, we celebrate 50 years of the Opera Music Stand — the design that defined our beginnings.
What started as a solution for one orchestra has grown into five decades of innovation, shaping RATstands into a trusted name in performance equipment worldwide.
Discover the milestones that have shaped our journey.
1976
The Original RAT Stand
RAT Music Stands was founded in 1976, when the original stand — now known as the Opera Stand — was designed for the Welsh National Opera. Engineered specifically to meet the unique demands of an opera pit, it was the first music stand to feature an integrated light.
1978
First International Sale
Around 1978, RATstands made its first international sale to Michael Holden of Theatre Developments in the Netherlands. He came to collect the stands in his Skoda — despite initial doubts about fitting them all in, he managed it with precision. This order marked the beginning of RATstands’ international distribution.
1989
The Concert Stand Development
In 1989, the acoustic consultant for Birmingham’s new Symphony Hall approached RATstands. While they valued the Opera Stand, certain design elements — including the base, stem, and tray — did not meet the specific needs of a concert orchestra. Following detailed consultation with orchestra members, RATstands developed the Concert Stand, engineered to meet the precise requirements of orchestral performance.
2000
Innovation in Music Stand Lighting
At the turn of the millennium, long before LEDs became commonplace, RATstands was among the first to adopt this new technology, creating a light that provided musicians with full lumen output in a slender, robust housing with precise light cut-off.
2001
Evolution of the Jazz Stand
Introduced in the early 2000s, the Jazz Stand marked RATstands’ first step into folding music stand design.
Early prototypes quickly proved one thing: material choice matters. After an unfortunate incident involving a stand softening in a salesperson’s car en route to a client, the design was rapidly refined to meet real-world conditions.
More than two decades on, the Jazz Stand remains true to its original, practical design. Today, as our best-selling stand, the Jazz Range has expanded to include the Jazz Stand Pro and Jazz Tablet Stand – evolving with modern performance needs.
2004
Development of Staging
RATstands expanded into the development of portable modular staging solutions, applying decades of engineering expertise to a new area of performance equipment.
2012
‘From R.A.T. (Music Stands) LTD to RATstands’
It became apparent that people in the theatre industry had taken to thinking of music stands in general as “ratstands”, just as many people think of vacuum cleaners as hoovers. In 2012 we acknowledged this fact by changing the name of the company to RATstands.
2022
Expansion Into Microphone Stands
Following more than 45 years of expertise in music stand design, RATstands expanded into audio by launching a range of professional-quality microphone stands. The development was inspired by the success of the Jazz Music Stand, known for its portable, uniquely folding design and distinctive base shape. As one industry source put it, “RATstands have changed the game of microphone stands.”
THE ARCHIVES
From motorbikes to music stands – RATstands’ origins are full of unexpected turns. Peek into the archives to see the early ideas, prototypes, and “what could have been” moments that laid the foundation for 50 years of innovation.
CELEBRATE WITH US
To commemorate this milestone, we will be celebrating throughout 2026 with a year-long programme of giveaways, events, and new product launches.
Exciting updates coming soon. Sign up to our newsletter to be amongst the first to know.
