Saturday, May 11, 2013

Spring Discount on a Beautiful Solo Violinist

Solo Violin Spring Special 2013. Our violinists are polished, professional and will project their sound beautifully in any space! Don't miss this great deal, check with us for your special discount!

Sunday, May 5, 2013

SPRING WEDDING CEREMONY AT THE ALDIE MANSION IN DOYLESTOWN PA

         PHOTO OF RACHEL (THE BRIDE) AND PAUL (THE GROOM) AT THE CHUPPAH. PHOTO TAKEN FROM THE BACK OF THE CEREMONY, BY ME (THEIR WEDDING CEREMONY VIOLINIST)

  It was a beautiful and picture perfect Spring Day on 5/4/13. The Duo of Violin and Cello which we provided for the ceremony began early for the seating of guests. It was such a lovely day that the guests came outdors early to enjoy the pictoresque garden area of "Aldie Mansion".  The blooms of the trees and in all the flowering shrubs in shades of light green, pink, purple and white were a sweet backdrop to the ceremony.
     The Bridesmaids wore an elegant shade of fuschia and the 2 ringbearers arrived in style in a mini go cart!
    Our Duo of Violin and Cello performed music in a location just behind the guests and  close to the aisle. Many people smiled at us as they walked by!   Their having live and elegant music to greet them as they entered the beautiful garden (I am sure) made them feel like royality, and the enjoyment they felt as a result both of the beautiful day and the serenading duo were apparant.
   We performed an eclectic mix of elegant and soft romantic for the guests including "Minuet in G', Beethoven, "Simple Gifts", "All I Ask of You" from Phantom of the Opera, "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing", Aerosmith, "Sleeping Beauty Waltz", Tchaikowsky, several short recognizable duos by JS Bach, "Come What May" from Moulin Rouge and "Con te Partiro" by Sartori....all for the seating and arrival of the guests.
  For the Bridal Party we performed a continuos mix of "Canon in D", Pachelbel and "Air" from Watermusic by GF Handel. For the Bride's Processional we performed http://www.capriccioensemble.com/sample.html (click to hear a short sweet sample via this link/page) "She's Got a Way" by Billy Joel. The Recessional was a cute upbeat song titled "Ho Hey" by the Lumineers. We were joined by the DJ for the song at one particular moment in the song as the lyrics have sentimental value to the bride and groom and we played along! The Postlude/Exit selection we performed for the guests as they exited was "Bittersweet Symphony" by the Verve/Rolling Stones.   We left the Aldie Mansion just as the sun was going down and headed back to our homes in New York City/Manhattan and Astoria respectively!  It was a lovely day and we wish them all of the very best always! Congrats to Rachel and Paul!


THE BRIDESMAIDS WORE A STUNNING SHADE OF BRIGHT PINK/FUSCHIA!


PIC OF VIOLINIST ( ME) WITH BRIDE AND GROOM AND CHUPPAH IN THE BACKGROUND, TAKEN DURING THE CEREMONY


CELLIST WITH MANSION IN THE BACKGROUND!

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Choosing the Best Ceremony or Event Musicians

The article below was written by Natalie Kriegler, Artistic Director expressly for www.westchesterweddings.com and is also featured on www.wedalert.com

Wedding Ceremony Music: Selecting Ceremony Musicians


On your most special day, your wedding ceremony music, at it’s very best, will enhance your cherished moments and help to create beautiful memories. Your families and wedding guests will compliment you on the music if it was beautifully and exquisitely performed. Memories of your wedding day will be greatly enhanced because of an exceptional quality performance by your solo violinist, string quartet or harpist. If your wedding is being video graphed, your wedding ceremony music needs to be of the highest quality.

Why Should You Hire Professionals for Your Wedding Ceremony Music


Articles in some recent wedding magazines have extolled the virtues of booking student performers for wedding ceremony music as cost-efficient. I would like to caution anyone planning a wedding against heeding this advise, for the following reasons:

  1. Inexperienced students or semi-professional performers generally do not offer a contract for their services.
  2. They are unlikely to have references to verify their reliability or punctuality.
  3. They are not familiar with cues and when to stop playing.
  4. They are not experienced wedding ceremony musicians - your wedding may be a learning ground for them.

What to Ask a Wedding Ceremony Music Professional


For each ensemble you are interviewing, you should ask the following of their music director, music office or representative:

  1. Request a CD or tape of their music.
  2. Ask for printed references from former brides or accredited entertainment industry professional agencies. You may also ask to see programs of or critical reviews from live concerts or a professional resume. These items will help to verify their professionalism and experience at past weddings, events or performances.
  3. Inquire as to whether they may be performing somewhere where you can hear and meet them in person.
  4. If it is a high quality ensemble which has captured your interest and their fee is a bit of a stretch for your budget, ask them of they are offering any current discounts or promotions. If they are not, you may consider reserving 1 or 2 musicians less than you had planned to have originally. If they are experienced and you like their sound this will be well worthwhile!
  5. Try to get a feeling or “vibe” from their representative as to how they will treat you and all of your questions and concerns. Your impression of someone’s willingness to work with you is a very important factor. If you prefer to meet with all of your wedding vendors, be sure to ask if this is possible before the wedding.
  6. Inquire about their policy on contracts, deposits and overtime fees. Find out how “locked-into” their services you will be upon a mutually signed agreement. What happens if a musician has to be replaced at the last minute due to illness? If the ensemble you are interested in hesitates when you inquire about these particular concerns, I advise you to move on. However, if you are obtaining ceremony musicians through a band or a reputable music office, whom you already trust, then knowing exactly who will be performing your wedding ceremony music need not be an issue.

By Natalie Kriegler, Music Director, The Capriccio Ensemble