St. Alexander's in Palos Heights

The altar area at St. Alexander in Palos Heights

If you need an experienced keyboard player who can both sing and play for your mass, Andy Perz is a wonderful choice.  Andy has his own church to play for in Glenwood, but he is frequently available for other services as well.  He sings beautifully, and is such a pleasure to have around.  On this occasion, Andy and I played with a fine Irish violinist who was a friend of the family's, and provided a wide range of classical music for their mass.  The bride chose Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring and Canon in D for her processionals, and the sound was rich and full with three musicians on hand.  When the newly married couple was ready to process out, they were led by a bagpiper!

Hilton Chicago/Magnificent Mile Suites Wedding Ceremony Harpist

This photo was taken at the Hilton Chicago/Magnificent Mile Suites in the Streeterville neighborhood.  Ralph and I were there providing beautiful harp and violin music for the ceremony, but I was really taken by these lovely flower and candle arrangements lining both sides of the main aisle.  What a beautiful way to enhance the bride's entrance!

After the ceremony, Ralph and I headed down the hall to play for the cocktail hour. Additional live music is a lovely way to transition into your reception if it is in the same location as your ceremony.  One minute we were playing "Here Comes the Bride", and the next we were doing "I Get a Kick Out of You".  Harp and violin are terrific for covering the Great American Song Book and giving your cocktail hour a sophisticated sound.

Here is a link to some of the background reception music I frequently play (Ralph is playing on several selections, too):

Reception selections at www.Harp123.com

St. Michael's in Old Town Wedding Ceremony Harpist

The outdoor renovations are complete!

Well, the scaffolding is down at St. Michael's, and the church and square are looking better than ever!  I was here back in April (yep, behind on my blogging), so the trees aren't all quite out yet.  This church has it all: a convenient city location that feels secluded, and one of the most talented music directors you are likely to come across, Daniel Stucker. Daniel is a fantastic musician, and keeps the ceremony full of variation. Harp solo, harp with cantor, harp and piano, piano solo, we did it all! Daniel is a proponent of one of my favorite wedding practices: changing instrumentation when the bride comes in!  This time I played the processional for bridesmaids, and then Daniel started the Canon in D on piano, and I joined him part way through.  With that kind of variation, the music supported the entrance of the beautiful bride, and the moment was perfect!  

If you would like to talk about adding harp music to your wedding ceremony, call and we'll talk!  

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Grand Oaks Pavilion at the Hyatt Lodge Oakbrook

Just outside the Grand Oaks Pavilion

The website for the Hyatt Lodge calls the Grand Oaks Pavilion a "Fairy Tale Setting" and I would have to agree.  This is one of my favorite banquet halls in the entire Chicago area, and a truly one of a kind setting.  Outdoors, there is a lovely patio with towering oak trees above, and lovely plantings all around.  Inside, you no longer have perspective on the trees, as you are in and among them!  My pictures don't really do it justice, but this is definitely a site worth a special trip.  I was set up in the ante room to the banquet hall, which has a fireplace and a nice gathering area, but the light was tricky and I never got a good picture of the harp - sorry!  

Banquet hall as elegant tree house?