Patricia and Tuomas’s wedding ceremony at the Old Mill Toronto, May 31, 2014, violin and cello duo, Toronto ON, Patricia and Tuomas had an intimate wedding ceremony at the beautiful chapel of the Old Mill in Toronto. When they first contacted Duo d’Amore, they were interested in having ceremony music that was part modern, part classical, and elegant but also upbeat. With a gust list of around 75 people, they decided on having the violin and cello duo, which is an excellent choice as the duo doe not overpower the room (as the Chapel is on the small side) but rather fills the space with a warm, vibrant sound.
Old Mill Chapel: beautiful acoustics
All the wood in the room helps to achieve this. For their wedding ceremony selections, following the prelude (where we performed a mix of popular music and classical music) we started the ceremony with an incredibly elegant but flowing piece of music: Bach Jesu Joy. While this is a relatively traditional piece of music, it just moves along with a great beat that gets everyone in the mood for a lovely ceremony. Following that was the Brides entrance where we performed A Thousand Years by Christina Perri. We love the juxtaposition of Modern music with classical, and Patricia was glad to be able to hear both of our music samples of these pieces. Following the vows was the signing of the register where we performed Bach-Gounoud’s Ave Maria. This version brings wonderful romantic warmth, as both the violin and cello have solo moments where each instrument has the melody, and it’s a spectacular arrangement, and well suited to the signing of the register. For the exciting and upbeat recessional music, our string players performed Here Comes the Sun and as the guest s exited the chapel, All You Need is Love, among other selections.
Wedding Ceremony Classical and Pop selections
Processional (bridesmaid’s/parents)-Bach Jesu Joy
Processional (bride) – A Thousand Years
Signing – Ave Maria
Recessional – Here Comes the Sun
Guests leaving -a few louder, upbeat pop songs, including All You Need is Love
Photo and Photographer Credit: Olive Studio
Wedding Musicians Toronto: Duo d’Amore-violin and cello duos, string trios and string quartets
About Duo d’Amore
Duo d’Amore is an award winning string ensemble, made up of professional violinists, violists and cellists. Together we have versatile string ensembles such a s solo violinists and cellists, string duos, string trios and quartets. We perform a wide variety of music including pop, Top40 and classical for weddings, special and corporate events.
Whatever the size and scope of your wedding or event, there is a string ensemble that will perfectly suit the occasion. Listed below is an overview of our string ensembles, and some general remarks about the size of wedding or event where they are best suited. Every event is unique and we suggest that you contact us so that we can plan and customize a string ensemble for your special occasion. Contact us here https://duodamore.com/contact-us/
Listing our Wedding String Quartet and ensembles
The solo violin
The smallest bowed string instrument in the violin family is the violin. It is also the quietest instrument, but that does not mean that it cannot produce a sound. Don’t forget that violin soloists regularly perform with a 50-100 piece orchestra, in a large hall seating 2000 or more people, and the solo violin can be heard over the entire orchestra, and at the very back of the concert hall. How? This comes down to the skill of the violinist, and positioning. This is why at wedding ceremonies for example we often are quite picky about the exact spot where our violinists and ensembles perform, no matter if the string ensemble is outdoors or indoors a single violinist is a great choice.
Duo d’Amore’s solo violinist is a great option for those who want live music but have a smaller budget. The solo violinist performs classical pieces, contemporary pieces, and a mix of both. Their music is perfect for wedding ceremonies, cocktail receptions, and intimate dinners.
The solo cello
Like the solo violin, a solo cellist is a great option for slightly smaller wedding ceremonies and receptions around Oakville. Larger than the violin, it is very resonant, and can play an equally wide range of music. Clients that hire the solo cello and solo violin for weddings and events often have a guest list of under 50, but not necessarily so.
The violin and cello duo
The violin and cello duo, or string duet, is made up of one violin player and one cello player. This is our most requested string ensemble for hire around Oakville. Having both the violin, which is able to play soaring melodies, and the cello which is able to anchor and often accompany, while having an even larger sound it is no wonder that this is our most popular string ensemble. I like to imagine that the violin is like the right hand of the piano and the cello is the left had of the piano, together they can play almost anything, and that is another reason that it is our most popular ensembles.
Duo d’Amore’s violin and cello duo is a popular choice for weddings. The duo consists of a violinist and a cellist who play together, creating a beautiful, harmonious sound. The duo’s repertoire includes classical pieces, contemporary pieces, and a mix of both. Their music is perfect for wedding ceremonies, cocktail receptions, and dinner parties.
The String Trio
The string trio is made up of the violin and cello, with the addition of a third instrument. Often this is a violin or viola. We recommend this ensemble for 150-200 guests.
The String Quartet
Our string quartet is the largest wedding ensemble that we have for hire in Oakville. The string quartet has a long and rich history. This dates back to the classical period of music in the 18th century. Composers such as Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven wrote some of the most famous and enduring string quartet works. In the 19th century, the string quartet continued to be an important genre, with composers such as Schubert and Brahms producing some of their most notable works in this format. During this time, the string quartet also began to be used for more private, intimate occasions such as weddings.
Versatile ensemble
We often recommend the string quartet for large gatherings, receptions, weddings and events with 200 or more guests. The string quartet is one of our more versatile ensembles, as we can perform everything from Bach, Beethoven and Brahms in the classical spectrum, to pop, jazz, folk, Top40 and beyond.
Choosing wedding ceremony and reception music
Duo d’Amore has one of Canada’s largest collections of wedding pop and classical music for our string ensembles. In general here is what we recommend for a wedding ceremony. Of course, every ceremony is different and we like to customize things to suit your plans and ideas. We also have lots more wedding music planning ideas and resources on our blog, here.
Prelude (as guests arrive) 3-5 songs
Processional: 1 or 2 songs (1 song for both the wedding party and bride or 1 song for wedding party, another song for bride)
Signing: 1 classical song, or 2 pop songs
Recessional: 1 song
Consider slower less upbeat pop music guests arrive:
The prelude before the ceremony is a great time to include less upbeat pop music, as guests will be chatting. As well, we like to recommend that this is the time to include a wide variety of different styles, think classic rock, top40, the Beatles etc–a little something for everyone. Listen now: https://duodamore.com/samples/
Gradually add more contemporary/pop top 40
Add some contemporary selections: Contemporary music can add a modern touch to your playlist and appeal to a wider range of guests. Consider incorporating popular songs like “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri or “All of Me” by John Legend. As the ceremony progresses, we incorporate additional current pop music.
Incorporate special songs: Consider adding special songs that have meaning to you and your partner. It could be your first dance song, song from your first date or song that holds special memories for the both of you.
Vary the moods: Mix up the moods of the songs on your playlist to keep things interesting. Consider adding upbeat songs for the reception, and slower, more contemplative songs for the ceremony. Here are some ideas: https://www.brides.com/upbeat-love-songs-4799999
Signing of the register is a time for reflection
The signing of the marriage documents is a time to stop and reflect, and the choice of music should reflect that. This is the time to really slow things down. There may be time for one or even two pop songs, and don’y forget classical. The slower, quieter song choices really make whatever is chosen for the upbeat recessional “pop”.
Tell your story
Make a playlist that tells your love story: Create a playlist that tells the story of your relationship, by adding songs that hold special memories for the both of you.
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