New for 2015-Duo d’Amore adds ukulele to instrument lineup

We are extremely excited to add the ukulele to our wedding and event music starting in the summer of 2015. As far as we know we are the first Canadian wedding and event ensemble to do this!The ukulele is super hot and trendy at the moment, and we love it as well. Why the ukulele? As a classical and pop string ensemble performing especially for wedding ceremonies, our clients are always on the search for something new and unexpected, and the ukulele is perfect, and also sounds great with either the violin or cello. We can really see the ukulele working extremely well at small to medium sized weddings. Can you picture for example a classical string ensemble performing the music of Bach for the wedding party and bridesmaids walk down the aisle, and then switching to ukulele and cello for a Hawaiian version of Somewhere Over The Rainbow--it would be so unexpected and give a completely different, fun exciting sound to a piece that we perform with the violin and cello.

As we are just starting to put together our ukulele and violin and cello music, let us know what songs you might like!

Yesterday, we performed an informal concert for the residents at Pearl and Pine Retirement Residence in Burlington, and it was a wonderful event, and a pleasure to perform. The residence has only been open since November, so everything is brand new. Upon walking up the large spiral staircase in the central lobby, we setup our music stands and chairs to the side of the piano, near the well appointed bar, where there were a number of guests from the residence. After introducing ourselves, we performed an interesting mix of classical music. First, we started with baroque works of music, or music composed roughly between 1600-1750. Popular classics by Bach, Handel and Vivaldi, with a sprinkling of Pachelbel added as well. After we finished this set, we took a few more minutes to talk about ourselves as well as the type of music that we were just about to perform: classical, or music written from about 1750-1820. We included compositions by Haydn and Mozart and to name two very well know composers from that era. Before performing our last set of music, we took a few minutes to talk to the residents about our instruments, describing the different woods that the instruments and bows are made from, as well as the history of both our violin and cello. When we had finished our performance, we had the chance to speak with several of the residents who were very appreciative of our performance and had a number of interesting questions. We look forward to playing for the residents of Pearl and Pine in the future.

Special event musicians Burlington: Duo d’Amore-violin and cello duos, string trios and string quartets

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 Like the prelude before the ceremony, the postlude is really not a part of the ceremony, but it is still useful to mention this portion as it is a great spot to have music. The postlude follows the loud and happy recessional. Sometimes all of the guests have exited (if the wedding is particularly small) and other times there is an opportunity to play music for 5-10 minutes following the ceremony (especially if there is a Champagne toast or pictures.)

If there are no pictures or toast following the ceremony, Duo d’Amore would be happy to choose an additional song to keep the mood upbeat, and this is how 90% of the music for the postlude gets chosen. In all likelihood, it is so loud that the music can not be heard by everyone, and the guests are also walking away from the musicians. In other cases the bride and groom may have more songs that they would like to incorporate into the ceremony and prelude, but for time constraints or other reasons they did not get performed. In this instance we would play one or two songs, again to keep the mood light and happy. So there are lots of options!

Well, we’ve reached the last major point in the ceremony for amazing music: as the bride and groom walk down the aisle as husband and wife. What could be more exciting? The music for this portion is often the most upbeat, loud and fast of the whole ceremony, and many couples find that along with the processional, it is easy to choose recessional music. Plus the recessional songs great with one of our string ensembles! If you are getting married in a cathedral or with the Catholic Church, there are lots of alternative classical pieces to choose from, not to mention great more common songs like Handel: Rejouissance form the Royal Fireworks (which we LOVE to perform) and Mouret Rondeau, for example. If you want to be more on trend, we have a great selection of pop music recessional music such as Viva la Vida, which is becoming almost traditional, to the Beach Boys Crazy Little Thing Called Love and even November Rain by Metallica, and many, many more options. 

Unlike the processional music, which is all about the bride’s (and wedding party’s) walk down the aisle, the signing is much more relaxed, and the music during this period is typically quieter and slower. If the wedding has more modern music, then we recommend choosing two pop songs for the signing. If the wedding has a more classical feel, or you want to give the wedding a more traditional vibe but still have pop and upbeat selections as the main portion of the ceremony, then the signing is a great place to have classical music. It is also helpful to choose music that will contrast with the recessional, so slow and beautiful tends to work very well. We have a number of non-traditional classical music selections and well-known pop selections that we can recommend for the signing. Just ask us—we love to help!

Most brides and grooms fall into two categories when it comes to choose the processional music: They either have a specific song that they would like performed, or they have no idea what to choose!  In both cases, Duo d’Amore has you covered. For the bride that knows exactly what she would like, we can most often play a great version of the song, and we may already have it in our repertoire. Otherwise we are happy to look into getting an arrangement. For the bride that has no idea, this is where our years of experience come in, and where we begin to ask questions (see the earlier post How to choose wedding ceremony music: an introduction) and the mood of the ceremony and the feel that the bride and groom would like to create. Sometimes it is helpful to choose the bridesmaids music first and find a song that either compares or contrasts with the bridal music. The processional music is where the bride really shines in the ceremony, and it is absolutely vital that the music songs fantastic, and matches the style of the couple.

It’s a little off topic for this post, but a question that I am often asked by the bride and groom is some form of: how long is the processional so we can time the walk at the rehearsal. The answer is that we take care oft this—all the bridal party and bride have to do is walk down the aisle, and we will time everything so it fits very well, and depending on the song etc., will either come to a harmonious cadence, or will discreetly fade out—again Duo d’Amore has performed for thousands of weddings, and we are happy to use our knowledge and experience to make the day (and the music) beautiful and seamless.

The prelude takes place about 15-20 minutes prior to the start of the wedding ceremony. Though music is not the focus of the prelude is can really help set the mood for the ceremony and make the guests feel welcome as they enter and are seated. It also provides a wonderful cue for the guests to take their seats, notifying them that the wedding ceremony is about to start. The music for the prelude is often chosen by Duo d’Amore, as it is not really the focus in the same way that the processional music is. That being said, some clients have let us know a few songs that they like and we can easily incorporate these into the prelude. Depending on the mood that the bride and groom want to create (see the previous blog for more information) the prelude can range from music that is soft and welcoming, with predominantly classical music selections, to upbeat and bright with pop music. Other times clients want a mix of both, and that option is increasingly popular. However, most clients leave the actual selections up to Duo d’Amore, as we really enjoy selecting interesting music to play—sometimes the music can be quite loud (if there is a room full of people, for instance) or soft and intimate. An important thing about the prelude is the timing—for years we started playing for a full 30 minutes prior to the ceremony, but we have since changed this to a 15 minute time frame, and many guests appreciate this, as it give people a few minutes to chat amongst themselves prior to the wedding. It also provides a nice cue for people to take their seats as we begin to play.

I am always wiling and eager to help my clients, and they can call or email me anytime. www.duodamore.com

As wedding ceremony professionals, one of the most common questions we are asked is “How do I choose my wedding music?” Unfortunately, there is no simple, straight answer to this question. I always ask couples to first consider the mood that they would like to create, and go from there. Next we can look at the type of ceremony (church ceremony, outdoor ceremony, religious, non-religious etc.) We can consider the structure of the ceremony: is it short or long? Is it a full Mass in a cathedral, or a gathering with family and friends at a winery? How many people will be at the ceremony? Do the bride and groom have a special song they would like performed? Is there a singer? Has someone in the bide and grooms family written any music? These and other questions are great for the couple to ponder, and will go a long way in not just choosing music, but choosing music that is a reflection of the couple.

I am always wiling and eager to help my clients, and they can call or email me anytime. www.duodamore.com