Monday, November 14, 2016

Wedding Ceremony and Cocktail Harpist, Chevy Chase, Wheeling

Rich brown tones and lots of bright woodwork makes for a warm feel!

I hadn't been to the Chevy Chase Country Club in years, and it was nice to see the facility looking so good. They had two large events going on that evening, but because of the way the venue is laid out, everyone had their own space. The mother of the bride requested the hymn "This is My Father's World," and I found a lovely arrangement. Like at many weddings, when the bridesmaids were ready to come down the aisle, they just came right ahead, without a thought to the music that was playing. I think this is frequently the detail that eludes clients. Your friends and relatives are going to be nervous, and they have not been living with the details of your ceremony for as many weeks as you have! In my experience, it is always nice to have #1 a little wiggle room in the music and #2 a ready-to-go Plan B. We, luckily, had both. The wedding party was large, and the officiant and I had agreed that if the bridesmaids started down during the special hymn, why I could just go ahead and finish it out with no harm done. So I did. Then I transitioned to Canon in D, and the whole thing turned out fine. Plenty of music, and everything nice and smooth. Additionally, the mother of the bride had chosen the Coldplay song "A Sky Full of Stars" for the recessional just because she thought it would be nice. Boy, was it ever. It translated to harp so nicely that I am going to put it up on the YouTube channel just as soon as possible!  

If your mother would like to suggest a new song for my repertoire, give me a call!  (773) 881-0706.

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Wedding Ceremony and Cocktail Harpist, Danada House, Wheaton

Absolutely perfect weather!

This was the latest outdoor wedding I have agreed to play in quite a while, and I was glad that I did.... the weather was beautiful! Of course, it is very reassuring to know that you have all of the resources of the Danada House available if necessary! The bride chose an eclectic mix of classical and popular music for her ceremony, but was thrilled to find that I have a small selection of Bollywood tunes available as well. So the ceremony reflected the shared American heritage of the couple, but the reception was able to fold in the additional Indian heritage of the groom and his family. Brilliant, and inclusive, and who doesn't love that! 

If you think you might be interested in Bollywood music, you can find a sampling on my YouTube channel!


The bridal party processed to the ceremony from the house,
and we all returned there for cocktails.
The guests, and then the bride and her father used this pathway!