The first weddings of the Spring are always so beautiful. Look at the picture perfect sky next to the inlet (salt water) at the north shore of Long Island where our Duo of Violin and Cello performed at a wedding ceremony and cocktail hour at the Old Field Club on April 5th 2014..breathtaking setting!

The photo above is from a wedding at "Larkfield" in E. Northport (Long Island) NY where I had the pleasure of perfrming my violin for a wonderful DJ company and with a very nice keyboard player I so enjoy playing together with :)  What a picture perfect weather day 1x again...temperate, 64 degrees and just amazing weather.  Lovely ceremony.

Just a note to describe the Options we recommend most for beautiful ceremony music or music at your wedding ceremony and cocktail hour:

Solo Violin
Violin and Piano or Keyboard
Harp and Violin Duo
Cello and Violin Duo
String Trio of 1 Violin, 1 Viola, 1 Cello
Trio of Harp, Violin and Cello...very elegant, warm and beautiful to see as well as hear :)
The traditional String Quartet.
For added color/that something different, a
Vocal soloist can be added to any Duo, Trio or Quartet
and  Guitarist or Flutist are also available to compliment the strings.

Feel free to E mail us directly for more information
NDK1capriccio@msn.com

Happy Spring, Easter and Passover! Happy Holidays from all of us here at CE (Capriccio Ensemble) to all of our wonderful brides, grooms past and present and to all of our fabulous clients past and present! :)

News, highlights and great tips and a few mishaps as well from our year to date events, concerts and weddings!

Outstanding events this year included a late September performance at a museum on the east side of Manhattan completely unique and new to us. Tucked away behind a red door is the "American Illustrators Museum" and "Society of Illustrators" on E. 63rd St. The museum has wonderful exhibits of illustrations by famous artists as well as students and it supports the work of many young presenters, students and much more.

 

The beautiful illustration was on display the evening I performed at the museum at one of it's private fund raising events..lovely!

 

Other highlights included a concert performance at the Federal Veterans Hospital in St. Albans, and also at the Bronxwood Home for the Aged in the Bronx. These performances by our Duo of Harp and Violin were memorable and I for one was touched by the many questions and responses of the patients in both settings...sweet and meaningful to both myself and the harpist....see our lovely audience participants together with harpist after the concert held in late May.

 

Capriccio Ensemble performed at various concerts, events and weddings in NYC, Long Island, Westchester and NJ this year. I took as many photos as were possible at each of our events....here are a few highlights from various weddings we performed at this year in 2013!

Lovely Nuptial Mass held at Our Lady of Victory Church in Floral Park NY on 8/30/13 performed by our String Trio

Solo Violinist after a concert held at Epiphany at St. Kevin's Church in

Auburndale NY

Bride and Groom just married on 11/3/13 at Smithtown Landing Country Club on Long Island! Lovely couple, Jeffrey and Elisa. I had the pleasure of performing their very first dance song "Every Breath You Take" by Sting for them :)

A beautiful bride with a most handsome Groom, at a wedding ceremony held in March at the Smithtown Landing Country Club. The venue is one of the most hospitable places we have ever worked at ..very nice staff. Congrats to Christine and Jude! ..wishing you both every happiness always!

Photo taken from where I had been performing for their ceremony, in the back of the outdoor garden area at the absolutely gorgeous East Wind Caterers and Estate for Chrissy and Trevor our stunning and sweet military bride and groom on 7/19/13...Congrats! We wish you both a lifetime of happiness!

At the Glen Island Harbour club at a wedding ceremony performed for Jennifer and Michael on June 29th 2013..the glass enclosed chapel is stunning on a lovely day with views of the sea and nearby Glen Island Park and grounds from the windows! Congrats to Jennifer and Michael..wishing you every happiness! :)

Our gorgeous cellist (I call her "E") taken on 10/26/13 at Villa Barone Hilltop Manor in Mahopac NY. Although their was a chill in the air, the warmth and love felt everywhere at this wedding would have been sufficient for a massive bonfire..such nice people to work for and perform for!!! Congratulations to Jacky and Tim and we all wish you much happiness in love and in life always!

I snuck a picture of our beautiful bride after her church ceremony held in Bayonne NJ held at St. Henry Church in March. Congrats!!

The cellist with me took this photo after the ceremony of Chrissy and Trevor ohn 7/19/13 in the garden at East Wind Caterers

wishing you both another 25 years + of love and happiness! It was a great pleasure for me to play my violin at your wonderful party and celebration on July 14th at Jeffrey's of Westfield. All the best always! 

 

Tip/suggstion: If you are planning a garden wedding please observe any contractual information from your string team about performing in rain, drizzle or misting. Unfortunately at one venue (The Bourne Mansion) there was a mishap with a situation where we were expected to perform in rain, precipitation and etc and it was quite clear on our contract with the bride that this was not going to be possible. the Banquet manager who told me (and I quote) "I am all about the bride". We are too and our goal is to provide complete satisfaction and happiness in their music to each one of our most highly valued bride's, and groom's and client's and to be sure 100% that they are enchanted with our music making and professionalism. Unfortunately, string instruments, just the same as a fine piece of wood, are unable to endure any moisture or water falling upon them, as it is damaging to the delicate instruments, the varnish and more. Therefore if your string section is not playing because a Manager insisted that they remain on a balcony which is not protected from the elements on a windy day where the rain and precipitation are being blown into the area where we were expected to play, and the rain is blowing precipitation right onto our highly valuable instruments....this is not a situation that our instruments can sustain without causing permanent damage to the instrument(s).  It was in our agreement with our June 14th  Bourne Mansion bride specifiying clearly what outdoor weather situations we can and cannot perform in ...in terms of the weather!  Perhaps our June 14th bride had never read our contract thoroughly?

Just a suggestion, however please be understanding as someone's violin, or cello, which is the tool of his/her trade and although the last thing in the world we wish to do is to put a damper on your special day by the same token we simply cannot perform in any rain, precipitation, drizzle, misting or other element in which moisture is present.

 

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!

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!

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

Latest News in 2012!

News for 2012 In the category of Ceremony Music we have won the "Bride's Choice Award" from www.weddingwire.com! Our song list has increased to now include as a part of our repertoire, these cool songs: 1. Signed, Sealed, Delivered, Steview Wonder 2. Take a Chance on Me, Abba 3. Such Great Heights, Postal Service 4. I Will Always Love You, by the fabulous talent, Whitney Houston 5. We will be working on 2 new songs by Beyonce....details soon! We have made a few new friends, and connections and this year we performed in Concert at: 1. "Downtown at Grace" series which is at the Grace Episcopal Church in White Plains NY. We performed a concert as a Trio of Violin, Harp and Cello and the concert featured both Duo and Trio works including the very virtuostic "Fantasie" for harp and violin by Camille Saint Saens. Thanks to my hubby the church was filled with many of his business associated..the producers were very happy with the turnout and we will perform at the concert series again most likely sometime in Winter of 2013. 2. We also performed at a private concert held at a Senior residence located right across the street from St. John the Divine, in NYC/Manhattan. The concert featured a Violin and Guitar Duo and included works by Vivaldi, Paganini, and Gershwin, including the fun and famous "I Got Plenty of Nothin' " from Porgy and Bess. ...coming soon.... Suggestions for Processionals and Recessionals that are different and very non traditional...stay tuned! Thanks for reading our latest news. We also want to congratulate NICKY and MATT whose beautiful weddding we were honored to be a part of, held at the Marina del Rey in Throggs Neck NY on 6/12/12 and I would like to give a special congratulations to the lovely couple I performed for last Sunday, June 10th at the Queens Botanical Gardens. Congrat's to Dianna and Shane! It was a beautiful day and I enjoyed meeting your family, and beautiful son and baby.... good wishes to you for all the best always in life and in love :)

From Across the Ocean!

Here is the REVIEW that we recently received in early February of 2011 from Hong Kong from Kathleen and Chris Pagan. The review is about the ensemble we provided for their wedding mass and cocktail hour to follow from early 2009:

"Absolutely wonderful! Having the right music was so very important to us at our wedding and The Capriccio Ensemble gave us exactly what we wanted. Coordinating the day of music couldn't have been easier. We chose a String Quartet, Trumpeter, Organist and Soprano. All were fantastic. The team was professional and flexible...and we did it all under serious time pressure. We highly recommend them.

- Kathleen and Chris Pagan, 20 December 2008, NYC
Wedding at The Church of the Holy Innocents & reception at The Haier Building "

We are so happy to hear from Kathleen and Chris!
I worked very closely with Chris in particular towards the correct musical presentation for their Wedding Mass. The church had found them an organist who was a student however Chris was very concerned when this organist (and she was extremely cheap to book)
told him that she did not have the proper sheet music for the religious/responsorial music which must be performed during the mass. She went even further to tell Chris, the Groom, that if he or someone did not get her this music (which all professional organists already have and have performed 100's of times!) she could not be held accountable for the mistakes she would no doubt make.

I received a phone call from Chris 2 nights before his wedding asking me to find him an organist to perform at his wedding.
As I am a full time professional musician working with members of Local 802 AF of M, NYC and in having worked with the best of the best organist in NYC, Dr. Jennifer Pascual, the Director of Music of the Cathedral of St. Patrick NYC I set out to find the best possible organist with very very short notice.
I received a phone call the next AM at 8:30 AM from Dr. Jennifer Pascual stating that she was available, and would like to help out in light of the situation which I had been clear about when I e mailed her as well as other organists.

Moral of the Story: Sometimes one really and truly does "get what you pay for" and I would not advise anyone to skimp on the music that is integral to a wedding mass and to your special day. If you are a wedding coordinator reading this it is probably best NOT to contact us if all that matters to you is pandering to your client and finding her the cheapest possible strings because that is not what Capriccio Ensemble is about.
We are all about quality with as reasonable a cost to our highly valued clients as is possible for our great sound, talent and professionalism. We cannot be the cheapest ones to be found, and therefore if that is your goal....finding the rock bottom absolute cheapest violinist or string ensemble we are more than likely not going to fill this kind of need.

Here is the REVIEW that Kathleen and Chris wrote from their wedding from early 2009:

"Absolutely wonderful! Having the right music was so very important to us at our wedding and The Capriccio Ensemble gave us exactly what we wanted. Coordinating the day of music couldn't have been easier. We chose a String Quartet, Trumpeter, Organist and Soprano. All were fantastic. The team was professional and flexible...and we did it all under serious time pressure. We highly recommend them.

- Kathleen and Chris Pagan, 20 December 2008, NYC
Wedding at The Church of the Holy Innocents & reception at The Haier Building "

Happy New Year to all!

The image above is a mini snow lady I made on a walk with my husband at
Rye Playland, Rye Town Park and through the town of Rye NY on New Years Day!
I felt so sad to leave her all alone on top of a wall that frames the park.

With all the snow we have had recently it was so much fun to go out, walk in it, throw snowballs at each other and watch the children tobagganing and sledding!

With all the hustle, bustle, parties, family social get togethers and so much that goes on during the holidays I hope you had a season of great joy as well
as peace.

Today, 1/2/11 We are performing at our first wedding ceremony of the season. The bride and groom are both medical students studying to become doctors in Mexico.
The bride hails from Long Island and the Groom and his family are from Puerto Rico.

Christmas Eve found a Duo of Violin and Flute at St. Johns on the Hill, Epsicopal Church in Tuckahoe NY on Underhill Avenue. It was a beautiful service and Mother Susannah, who is also fighting cancer, gave a both beautiful and uplifting sermon. We also enjoyed the music of the choir, Ann Patton the church organist and choir director and the opportunity to perform in this lovely old church which is about 150 years old. The accoustics favor our instruments and the entire evening was one I will always cherish.

On December 17th we provided a Quartet of Violin, Guitar, Viola and Cello at the American Express annual holiday day party over at 2 American Express Tower in Manhattan. Parents bring in their young children for many fesitivities which include meeting Santa, seeing Elmo and other characters from Sesame Street walking all about, having their faces and hands painted for the holidays, treats, and our
music which consists of seasonal classical music, Christmas Carols, Hannukah songs, and popular Christmas and holiday favorites. We had a great time playing for everyone there!

This month we are performing at 2 very big and much talked about promotional events...details soon!

Once again Happy New Year from all of us...wishing you a great year filled with joy, happiness and peace :)

Happy New Year to all!

The image above is a mini snow lady I made on a walk with my husband at
Rye Playland, Rye Town Park and through the town of Rye NY on New Years Day!
I felt so sad to leave her all alone on top of a wall that frames the park.

With all the snow we have had recently it was so much fun to go out, walk in it, throw snowballs at each other and watch the children tobagganing and sledding!

With all the hustle, bustle, parties, family social get togethers and so much that goes on during the holidays I hope you had a season of great joy as well
as peace.

Today, 1/2/11 We are performing at our first wedding ceremony of the season. The bride and groom are both medical students studying to become doctors in Mexico.
The bride hails from Long Island and the Groom and his family are from Puerto Rico.

Christmas Eve found a Duo of Violin and Flute at St. Johns on the Hill, Epsicopal Church in Tuckahoe NY on Underhill Avenue. It was a beautiful service and Mother Susannah, who is also fighting cancer, gave a both beautiful and uplifting sermon. We also enjoyed the music of the choir, Ann Patton the church organist and choir director and the opportunity to perform in this lovely old church which is about 150 years old. The accoustics favor our instruments and the entire evening was one I will always cherish.

On December 17th we provided a Quartet of Violin, Guitar, Viola and Cello at the American Express annual holiday day party over at 2 American Express Tower in Manhattan. Parents bring in their young children for many fesitivities which include meeting Santa, seeing Elmo and other characters from Sesame Street walking all about, having their faces and hands painted for the holidays, treats, and our
music which consists of seasonal classical music, Christmas Carols, Hannukah songs, and popular Christmas and holiday favorites. We had a great time playing for everyone there!

This month we are performing at 2 very big and much talked about promotional events...details soon!

Once again Happy New Year from all of us...wishing you a great year filled with joy, happiness and peace

Autumn 2010, Updates, Showcases, Concerts!

Enjoying the beautiful fall foliage?
It's been great to see all the great colors of fall!

Our performances have included:
10/6/10: At the invitation of Tammy DeVito, Catering Manager we participated
in The Fall Bridal Show held at the Pelham Split Rock Golf Club on Shore Rd, in the Bronx.
Our String Trio had a wonderful time there performing classical music as well as songs by the Beatles, U2, and Led Zeppelin!
We met several lovely brides and grooms including Yvette and Steven whom we will
perform for on 9/25/11 at Villa Barone Manor in the Bronx and
Marissa whom we will perform for on 10/09/11 at the Glen Island Harbour Club.
Thank you to all who stopped by to speak to us and for all the great feedback!

10/9/10, the Wedding Ceremony and Cocktail Hour of Marlana and Justin (a member of the military) held at Tarrytown House Estate. A beautiful day for a beautiful couple. The weather held up perfectly with temperatures in the 70's and not a cloud in the sky!
Our String Quartet performed "Danza Pastorale" for the entrance of Family, the Groom and Groomsmen, followed by "November Rain" by Guns n Roses for the entrance of the Bridesmaids, and "Canon in D" for Marlana, escorted by her Father.
We mixed it at the end with the opening strains of "Trumpet Voluntary" (Clarke) flowing right into "Bittersweet Symphony" by the Verve.
At the cocktail hour we performed vintage songs from the 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's. Many guests complimented the quartet and were applauding after hearing songs they knew and loved!

10/10/10, the Wedding Ceremony of Jennifer and Matt held at Le Chambord in Hopewell Junction NY. Again a picture perfect day with temperatures holding well in the mid to uppser 60's.
I performed as a Violin Soloist for their wedding ceremony. The bride was stunning in a cream colored gown. The venue was modeled after the mansion used in the vintage fil, "Gone with With the Wind" and was really charming.
the staff was very nice, kind and helpful.
I performed "Canon in D" by Pachelbel for the bridal party and "Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring" for Jennifer's entrance.
For the Recessional music, I performed my own arrangement of
"Ode to Joy" by Beethoven flowing into "All You Need is Love" and concluded with a few more up beat Beatles songs including "I Want Hold Your Hand" and "When I'm 64".
As I was travelling with my husband that day we concluded the day with a game of billiards and a fabulous dinner in Chappaqua at an Italian restaurant with both know and love.

On 10/18/10 our Duet of Violin and Cello performed at an "Everything Bridal" show held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in White Plains. It was a small and intimate show and very pleasant to participate in.
My recommendation here is that if you are on a budget, the Duet of Violin and Cello works wonderfully as it gives you the melody as warmly performed by a violinist with the bass notes of accompaniment by the cello. The sound is not as full perhaps as a string quartet (4 musicians) or string trio however it is a beautiful as well as very blending sound.

Future performances:
10/23/10 at the Bedford Post Inn, Bedford, NY: String Trio for the Ceremony
of Victoria and Jae. Their wedding music will be
"Here Comes the Sun" by the Beatles and "Come as You Are" by Nirvana
with the Recessional "Crazy" by Knarles Barkley
10/23/10 at the Riviera of Massapequa: Trio of Violin, Flute, Cello
performs at a Ceremony for "High Society Rhythm". All classical selections
will be performed including the traditional "Here Comes the Bride"/"Bridal Chorus" by Wagner, for the Bride's entrance.

10/26/10 at the Stuart Thomas Manor, Bridal showcase to be performed by a
heavenly duo of Harp and Violin. We will begin performing at 5:45 PM.
Address of Stuart Thomas Manor:
2143 Boundary Avenue, Farmingdale NY

11/5/10, Duet of Violin and Cello at the Westbury Manor for the Ceremony
of Jocelyn and Derek.
Their Processional for the Bridal Party will be "November Rain" by Guns n Roses
and prelude requests include "Never Tear us Apart" by the INXS

11/6/10 Duet of Violin and Harp will perform at the Wedding Cocktail Hour
of Dana and Dave at the beautiful and sophisticated Glen Island Harbour
Club of New Rochelle

11/13/10 a Duet of Violin and Harp shall perform at the wedding ceremony of Lisa and Dave at a church in Scarsdale, NY in the afternoon.

Several events occur and then our String Quartet is to perform
at the Annual "Concerts at Advent" which are held
at St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers NY.
There are 2 concerts:
1. 12/4/10 at 7:30 PM
2. 12/5/10 at 3:00 PM
Our String Quartet performs with Choir, Vocal Soloists, Trumpets, Tympani,
and Organ. The Concerts are conducted by Dr. Jennifer Pascual, Director of Music of the Cathedral of St. Patrick and produced by the NY City Roman Catholic Church/
Archdiocese.
Tickets can be purchased in advance by contacting St. Joseph's Seminary;
201 Seminary Avenue, Yonkers NY 10701.

Thank you for reading our latest news!

Special Events in September!

Summer has ended however the warm days of Indian summer are here and it's been really beautiful!...hope you are enjoying the beautiful time as the season changes to autumn.

The month of September was a very busy month for Capriccio.

We started the month with a wedding held at Flowerfield in St. James NY.
Although it was a rainy day, there was n'er a cloud in the sky for our bride and groom who were such nice people and very much in love!
Their beautiful ceremony which included their own vows to each other was so romantic and hearfelt. Everyone is our string quartet was both touched and charmed by
our wonderul couple on 9/3/10: CAREY AND BRYAN.

On 9/25/10 I found this wonderful review on www.liweddings.com on "the Bride's Review":
STRING QUARTET (for hospitality and ceremony) - CAPPRICCIO ENSEMBLE
A+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Second best vendor! I cannot say enough great things about our string quartet. I worked with Natalie and she was a pleasure to work with and made our ceremony a dream come true. I wanted all contemporary music and so I chose In My Life for the parents, officiant, groom and best man to walk down to. The BP walked down to Only Time by Enya and I walked down to All I Want is You by U2. The rendition of my song gave me the goose bumps as I was walking, it was SO BEAUTIFUL. Fun Fact: They are the same quartet that played at Jerry Seinfeld’s wedding.

We are all so honored to have been a part of their most special day!

On September 24th, we provided a Duet of Cello and Violin at a Wedding Mass held at Our Lady of Hope Church, Middle Vllage, NY. The bride, Marisa, was resplendant in a gorgeous romantic gown. She looked so beautiful. The couple was very happy and everyhing worked out perfectly at their wedding mass. Highlights for us were that Eugene (cellist) and I performed beautiful ceremony interludes for the Offeratory ("The Prayer" by David Foster), for Communion ("Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring" by JS Bach) and a mix of classical to pop for their Recessional ("Allegro" from Autumn of the Four Seasons by Vivaldi flowing into "Bittersweet Symphony" by the Verve/Rolling Stones.
Also memorable was the very nice organist and music director of the church who was so helpful and just a nice guy all around, Larry Ables. The soprano had a wonderful voice as well although we did not have much occasion to speak with her she did a great job.

Another stand out ceremony was Katlyn's lovely ceremony held at the beautiful Hyatt Regency in Old Greenwich CT on 9/18/10. Our A-team Duet of Cello and Violin which is Eugene with me (Natalie) performed "All I Ask of You" for the Seating of family and Wedding Attendants Processional and then performed "She's Got a Way" by Billy Joel for the Bride's entrance. We learned later as we were leaving that this special selection ("She's Got a Way") was to be a surprise to the groom who did not know that the bride would be walking in to their favorite song!

On 9/5/10 we performed a ceremony at the beautiful Inn of New Hyde Park in New Hyde Park, NY. The bride was a tall statuesque beauty. She walked out to "Canon in D" and had a great weather day with the sun shining at about 76 degrees..picture perfect!

On 9/4/10 2 ceremonies were performed. One was an Indian Christian ceremony which was held inside of a Greek Orthodox Church in New Rochelle. It was quite an experience for our Trio. We had never participated/performed at an Indian Christian ceremony and in following the wedding program and the many rituals and prayers we were intrigued and everything as it occurred.
THe bride's Processional, at her request was "Hallelujah" by the band Paramore. I had arranged a part specially for our violist as the groom had sent 2 parts only. We made it work to our best and fullest ability. Please do not take this badly if you are bride reading this however as an accomplished and very experienced classically trained musician who also enjoys performing many different styles of music I found this particular choice (their choice not ours) to be a tad off base for the momentous occasion and also musically it was very repetitive and monotonous.Sorry, however I do not recommend that anyone use this piece of music as a Processional!
Even though it was very well played, it really and truly simply is just not appropriate. We do our best to perform any selection the client would like however sometimes and on rare occasions actually there is a piece of music, such as this one, which (JMHO..just my honest opinion) does not work well!

On Saturday evening 9/25/10 a Trio of Violin, Flute and Cello performed outdoors behind Battery Gardens which is located nest to the Staten Island ferry in lower Manhattan. During the ceremony a boat came by displaying fountains of water it was spewing in colors. It made a cute and pretty backdrop to their ceremony. The bride and groom, Aimee and David made a handsome couple. They are both super attractive and looked very happy as they exited to their chosen Recessional music which was "Viva la Veda" by Cold Play.

More next month.
Thank you for reading our latest news!

Natalie

Mid summer Events and Weddings!

We have had a great couple of weeks.
Highlights:
On 7/24/10, Laura and Pater at Calvary Lutheran Church in East Meadow NY.
What a gorgeous bride with the most stunning bouquet ever.
The church was so sweet and filled with all of their family and guests.
Our String Quartet performed as guests entered for seating, and for the Processional of Family and Bridesmaids and "Canon in D" for Laura, our beautiful bride.
We also performd a soft rendition of "Arioso" during a Unity Candlelighting ceremony.
At the end we performed our mix of "ode to Joy" (Beethoven) into "All You Need is Love" (Beatles). They wrote to us to thank us so much for the music and to let us know that they had received many compliments on the string quartet from their family and guests.
They were wisked away into an air conditioned limousine heading towards a fun reception and celebration nearby. We wish them a lifetime of happiness!

On 7/31/10 Maite and Michael partied at the fabulous Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
Our String Quartet performed at their wedding cocktail hour and also provided the music for their entrance into the ballroom which was our version of
"Bittersweet Symphony"!
They looked wonderful and seemed to be having a fabulous time.
we wish them as well as Maite's 2 children, a lifetime of happiness!

On 8/8/10 Jay and Rachel were married at the Bryant Park Grill in Manhattan.
Our string Trio performed at their wedding ceremony. Their request and quest to find
happy sounding Jewish ceremonial music was fulfilled with the following selections:
"Mibon Siach" (a special version they found which I arranged for String Trio after receiving a lead sheet from Avremi G, a Jewish music expert), followed by
"Mibon" for the Groom's Entrance and the "Dodi Li" written by Steven Sher and made famous by a version performed years ago by Peter Paul and Mary.
We performed their requests for guest seating which included "All I Want is You" by U2, "Here Comes the Sun" by the Beatles, and "She's Got a Way" by Billy Joel.
The Recessional music was the traditional Jewish music, "Siman tov-mazel tov" followed by our arrangement of "All YOu Need is Love" by the Beatles.
The Ceremony was performed by a very nice rabbi from a temple in Manhasset, Long Island.
We wish them a liftime of happiness!

Future projects for Capriccio include:
Concerts this fall at various locations around Westchester County.
A recording of music by Piano and Violin, coming soon!

Many private events and weddings this month, August, and in September, October and November....highlights to be posted soon.
From all of us here..enjoy the rest of the summertime! Although hot, it's a great time for parties, swimming, and to enjoy lovely evenings without wearing a coat :)

Recent Events and Wedding Performances

I hope you are having a wonderful summer!
We have been very busy with many different events, packaging and sending information for future concerts and wih our wedding performances.

Wedding Stand Outs: 6/26/10 at the Central Park Zoo!
While performing for the Bride, the Sea Lions swam and danced within our sight!

7/9/10 at the beautiful O Bryne Chapel at Reid Castle on grounds of Manhattanville College for a lovely (although warm inside with no AC!) ceremony followed by a cocktail hour at the Fountainhead of New Rochelle. Kristin and Dave were a beautiful couple and so nice and gracious. It was a pleasure to perform for them on their most special day! We performed their requests at the cocktail hour which included "Nothing Else Matters" by Metallica and "Eleanor Rigby" by the Beatles. Their wedding Recessional was "Bittersweet Symphony".

7/10/10, The Tides Estate in N. Haledon, NJ. Although it was a rainy day, the warmth and all the love between Robert and Diana gave the effect of a sunny day. It was great being there! Their Recessional was the very opening strains of "Wedding March" flowing into "Bittersweet Symphony".

7/16/10, Lands End in Sayville, NY (Long Island south shore) for Leighann and Marlon. An absolutely stunning couple. Their ceremony was held outdoors very close to the ocean. The winds were picking up, the humidity was high, the sun was shining and the bride and groom were radiant.
We performed an all rock song ceremony for them including "All I Want is You" by U2 for their bridal Party, "Thank You" by Led Zeppelin for Leighann's entrance and their Recessoinal was "All You Need is Love" by the Beatles. At the cocktail hour we performed all of their requests which included:
"Just Like Heaven", the Cure, "Never Tear us Apart", INXS, "Paranoid", Black Sabbath, "Eleanor Rigby", the Beatles, "November Rain" by Guns n Roses, and "Bittersweet Symphony" by the Verve.

updates and recent events and wedddings ...coming soon.
On Sunday 7/18 we have 2 dfferent Trio's performing at 2 locations:
The Glen Island Harbour club, Trio of Violin, Flute, Cello for a Ceremony under the Tent and
also a Trio of all Strings, 1 Violin, 1 Viola, and Cello at Harbor Links Golf Club
for a cocktail hour reception, in Pt. Washington.
..we are looking forward to being a part of both events!

Thank you for reading our latest news :)

Concert and Montauk

The concert performance was a great experience. Although a concert at 10 AM is not as customary as a concert at 1 PM or 7 or 8 PM we did our very bestand I was able to video the entire performance. Working on and performing the gorgeous and rarely played "Intermezzo" (featured in film of same title in the 1940's starring Ingrid Bergman and Leslie Howard) by Heinz Provost was a treat to play.

This past weekend I travelled out to Montauk NY for a beachside performance.
The staff of the venue, Gurney's Inn, is great. They are very professional and hospitable. The inn sets above the sea and the views are magnificent.
The performance was by just me as a Solo Violinist for a ceremony held at the beach. The music was a mix of soft romantic classical and contemporary songs old n new for the seating of the guests. The Processionals were "Air" from Watermusic (appropriate for the seaside setting!) and "Canon in D" by Pachelbel for the bride.
The Recessional was as in the home page of our website: Selection is...
"Ode to Joy" by Beethoven flowing into "All You Need is Love" by the Beatles. For exit pieces I also performed "Here Comes the Sun" and "When I'm 64".
The Bride and Groom were beautiful and looked very happy after the ceremony as they went onto the beach itself for more pics!
Afterwards I travelled out to Monatauk Pt. with my hubby who was travelling with me for the day and we enjoyed the area and the lighthouse and took some pretty photos out there. We then travelled up to Sag Harbor where I was able to do a little shopping and enjoy the pretty harbor itself.
All in all 6/5/10 was a beautiful day!

Concert June 1st 2010

On Tuesday June 1st 2010 at 10 AM there will be

a Concert-"Play Down" of the Westchester Musicians Guild.
The Concert will Feature Violinist Natalie Kriegler (Artistic Director
of the Capriccio Ensemble) and Pianist Chia-Li Sung.
Together they will perform the 1st movement of Sonata in F Major (1820) by
Felix Mendelssohn and "Intermezzo" by Provost.

The concert is being held at a private residence:
Address:
#2 Colonial Lane, Larchmont, NY 10538

Feel free to attend and bring a friend or guest. The program is open to everyone and there is no admission fee.

Street parking is available

New Review!

Sort: Recently Reviewed on the Wedding Channel/www.weddingchannel.com |
Rating: 5 stars


Wedding: 3/28/2010
Member Since: 2/27/2009

Beautiful! posted 5/13/2010
I used the ensemble for my March 28 wedding! They did a beautiful job...used a strings trio! They did both the ceremony and the cocktail hour. It was a beautiful start to our day and Natalie was wonderful to work with. Many were very impressed, with their professionalism and talent. I highly recommend them!!

This Weekend's Weddings and Our Up coming Events!

This coming Saturday Evening, May 8th 2010 a Duet of Violin and Cello will perform and share in the joy of the Wedding Ceremony of Caroline and Gregory.
The 2 lovely people met in their home country of Brussels and are both employed as Tax Attorney's for Deloitte Inc.
The Wedding will be held at "Rouge Tomate" a restaurant located at #10 E. 60th St. which specializes in Belgian cuisine!
We are looking forward to being a part of their very special day :)

On Sunday, Mother's Day, May 9th 2010 our String Trio will perform at the beautiful Oheka Castle in Huntington for the Wedding of Danielle and Michael.
Traditional music will be performed at the ceremony which will be held out in the
magnificent garden, weather permitting.
Selections they have chosen for the ceremony are mainly classical and traditional with a little touch of music from "The Muppets" as their Recessional selection: "The Rainbow Connection"!
They have requested mainly jazzy and contemporary songs for performance at the cocktial hour.
We are looking forward to performing for them on Sunday!

On Tuesday May 11th a Duet of Violin and Piano by
the Capriccio Ensemble will perform at a Bridal Show held aboard
"The Skyline Princess" at 1 World's Fair Marina. The Yacht will be docked (not setting sail!) and we will begin performing our music at 5:45 PM.
Doors to the main show and other vendors will open at 6 PM.
Admission is free.

On Friday Evening May 14th our String Trio will perform at Villa Barone Hilltop Manor for the Wedding Ceremony and Cocktail Hour of Jennifer Marie and Anthony.
I have been in touch with Jennifer Marie since January of 2009. She has been a doll to work with and we are all truly looking forward to performing at their wedding!
The selections they have chosen for the ceremony are an eclectic and romantic combination of songs and classical music.
As the guests arrive we are to perform all classical selections.
For the Seating Of Family we will perform "Through the Eyes of Love"/"Theme from Ice Castles" by Marvin Hamlish
For the Wedding Attendants and Flower Girl/Ring Bearer we will perform "Canon in D" by Pachelbel
For Jennifer's Entrance we are performing the traditional music, "Bridal Chorus" by Wagner ("Here Comes the Bride")
During the Ceremony for the Unity Candlelighting we are performing the opening of
"Bittersweet Symphony" by the Verve, as specially requested by Anthony!
For their Wedding Recessional Music they have selected "Thank You" by Led Zeppelin.
This is a song I arranged about 8 years ago for a bride and groom for whom we performed up at West Point Military Academy. I have always found it to be a beautiful and very romantic song.
For their cocktail hour they have requested all Sinatra, Italian songs, light jazzy songs, and contemporary songs.
I have no doubt that Jennifer Marie will be an absolutely stunning bride and again we are really looking forward to 5/14!

On Saturday May 15th we are privileged to be a part of the most special day of Karen and Bill which will be held at The Fountainhead of New Rochelle.
At 11 AM I will be there playing my violin at the door for the arrival of the guests.
Their ceremony will be held in the upstairs chapel.
I will be joined by a Pianist and we are going to perform, as per their request, the following beautiful selections:
1. "Canon in D" by Pachelbel for the Entrance of the Officiant, Groom and Best Man
2. "Hornpipe" from Watermusic by Handel for the entrance of the Bridesmaids, Flower Girl and Ring bearer
3. "Trumpet Voluntary" by Clarke for the Bride/for Karen's Entrance
4. "The Swan" by Saint Saens very close to the opening of the ceremony for a moment of calm and reflection
5. "Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring" for a Unity Candlelighting
6. "Wedding March" (traditional music) for the Recessional music.
At the cocktail hour we will perform mainly American standards/jazzy songs and showtunes with a few contemporary songs and Beatles songs mixed in.

Events for the Week of May 17th: Coming soon!

End of April Performances!

This month came to a close with 3 very fun weddings which we were honored to be a part of!
The first was the wedding ceremony and cocktail hour of Megan and Rob at the Glen Island Harbour Club on 4/23/10.
The bride was stunning and the groom ever so gracious. Our string trio performed traditional Processional music and we performed "In my Life" by the Beatles, selected by the bride and groom for the Recessional music.

At the cocktail hour they opted for the string trio to perform all vintage and contemporary songs from Cole Porter to Cold Play! It was alot of fun and the guests enjoyed the recognizable songs we performed from "All You Need is Love", "When I'm 64", to "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" and "Clocks"!

On April 24th, a totally magnificent weather day with clear skies and beautifully comofortable temperatures hovering in the low 60's, I travelled to Brooklyn to perform with our cellist to form a String Duo for the Ceremony of the lovely and wonderful couple Heather and Matt!
The church was beautiful and historic. The Deacon and the music director were very nice and hospitable to work with.
The bride was absolutely stunning and radiant> I do not think I have ever seen a bride (except for me at my own wedding!) smiling so beautifully and with such sparkle on her wedding day as Heather was!
The ceremony was perfect, everything was on schedule and they were off to a park in Brooklyn to take more pic's before heading out to their venue for the reception which was the Jericho Terrace in Mineola NY.
A shout out to "Double Diamond Limousine Co". I thought the drivers were all being so nice and so helpful to everyone. They were polite, courteous and serving champagne. the cars looked great. I have never met them before however I was really impressed by the cars, the guys and their nice demeanor and how polite and professional they were!

Our weekend concluded with a very touching ceremony held at "The Narrow Door Pentacostal Church" on Sherman Avenue in Northern Manhattan...very north as in Inwood.
We performed once again as a Duet of Violin and Cello. We began performing out music for the arrival of the guests at 3:10 PM. I was very touched at how the staff of the church was cleaning everywhere when we arrived.
There was also a gentleman from the church who offered us both a special parking pass to double park near the church (very nice gesture for us) however we were both already parked safely.
We performed an eclectic mix of selections for the seating of guests from Duets by Telemann to arrangements of music from Wastermusic by Handel, to Spanish songs such as "Cuando Caliente el Sol" and "Sulamente una Vez" as well as "Can You feel the Love tonight".
The selected Processionals were:
"Canon in D" for the Seating of Mothers and 2 sets of God Parents
"Wedding Song" by Kenny G for the Bridesmaids, 2 Flower Girls and 1 Ring bearer
"Because You Loved Me" by Celine Dion for the Bride's entrance with her Father.
The Bride recieved astounding applause from the congregation as she processed down the aisle and she looked amazaing..very beautiful!
Our good friend and colleauge Tara from Exquisite Affairs Productions was on hand to help everyone and to provide us with cues and it was lovely to see her as she had had a baby boy recently who is adorable and she looked GREAT.
We wish Margie and Kerlin....as well as
Heather and Matt (4/24/10)
and
Megan and Rob (4/23/10)
a LIFETIME OF HAPPINESS!!

Coming Soon:
4/28/10: Capriccio Ensemble Duet of Violin and Cello (can you tell that I like performing with Duets?!) at the
SPRING BRIDAL SHOW AT PELHAM SPLIT ROCK GOLF CLUB; 870 SHORE ROAD, BRONX, NY 10464
FEEL FREE TO COME BY ANY TIME BETWEEN 7 PM - 9 PM.
FOR ORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT TAMMY OR ANGELA AT
718-229-2570.
TO LET US KNOW THAT YOU ARE ATTENDING/TO REQUEST FAVORITE SONGS FOR US TO BE SURE TO HAVE WITH US TO PLAY FOR YOU...PLEASE CONTACT ME, NATALIE @ 917-273-9183
OR VIA E-MAIL TO NDK1CAPRICCIO@MSN.COM

ALSO Coming Soon:
Our Last April Bride and Groom:
Danielle and Michael at the Cresthollow Country Club in Woodbury NY on April 30th for their Ceremony and Cocktail Hour...once again we are a Duet of Violin and Cello and we are looking forward to performing for them!

Review of Capriccio Ensemble

Capriccio Ensemble A+++++++++
They did the music for our ceremony and cocktail hour! They did an amazing job. I will be honest in saying I was not at the cocktail hour, but people were impressed by it. For the wedding ceremony, the music was absolutely beautiful. And our recessional was beatles...and it was perfect! Natalie is great to work with.

The above is a review of our String Trio by a Bride whose wedding we recently performed at. The a Wedding Ceremony held at
Manhattanville College @ O'Byrne Chapel followed by a Cocktail Hour at which we also performed, held at the Fountainhead in New Rochelle NY on 3/28/10.