Wedding on Silver Beach | St. Joseph, Michigan

If ever the job of wedding harpist earned combat pay, this one deserved it!  After an unbelievably hot summer, the weather finally cooled off, and it looked like it would be comfortable to play outside for once.  Since the ceremony was set to take place on Silver Beach in St. Joseph, Michigan, Jeff accompanied me to the wedding to carry the harp across the sand.  Harp carts just sink!

The closer we got to the beach, the more the wind was picking up and trees were swaying.  We knew we were in trouble when we saw people heading to the beach with surfboards!

As usual, we were the first to arrive to get set up before the guests came.  It was so windy, I couldn't take my hands off the harp.  What you don't see in the picture is my leg wrapped around the music stand to keep it from tipping over!  Even with music clips, the whole book of sheet music kept blowing away.  It was obvious that I'd need Jeff to help with more than harp-schlepping on this one - he needed to sit next to me through the ceremony and hold down the pages of my music.  He's such a good sport!

The wedding party was small - only a maid of honor, best man, flower girl and ring bearer.  They entered to the traditional Irish tune "Danny Boy".  The bride chose Enya's "Only Time" for her processional.  Once the ceremony concluded, they exited to "You'll Never Walk Alone" from Rogers & Hammerstein's musical, "Carousel".  By the time I had finished that piece, all of the guests had left the beach to get out of the wind.  This goes on record as the shortest postlude ever!

Yes, it is possible to play the harp on a beach.  If you can provide us with a 4'x4' platform on which to place the harp, we will bring the Laurel Leaf lever harp you see pictured here.  If that's not possible, we have a Celtic harp that can be placed on the sand itself:

Since it us up on legs, the sand doesn't affect the instrument.  We're happy to provide music for beach weddings anywhere on Lake Michigan - just hope for a less windy day!

South Bend Wedding & Reception Harpists

The last Saturday in August, Jeff & I got to provide a harp duet for a wedding ceremony and reception.  The ceremony took place at the Northern Indiana Center for History, in the gardens of the Oliver Mansion.  This is one of our favorite venues, and we play for ceremonies there several times a year.  We're usually set up on the brick walkway at the front of the garden, but the planner placed us on a small hill near the back.  It worked well because we were able to communicate with him and get the processional timed more easily.  Only down side is that it's harder to get the harps in a picture!

For the prelude, the bride wanted to have mostly popular songs.  She chose "Cant Help Falling in Love", "Unchained Melody", "What a Wonderful World", and "I'm Yours".  For the entrance of the mothers, we played Schubert's "Ave Maria", followed by "Canon in D" for the bridal party.  The bride's processional was the traditional "Bridal Chorus" by Richard Wagner.  During the ceremony, the couple did a unity sand ceremony and presented roses to their mothers accompanied by John Denver's "Annie's Song".  The recessional was a Beatles hit:  "All You Need is Love".

Since we had a couple of hours before the reception began, we got to hang around downtown South Bend and go to ArtBeat.  We haven't missed it since we moved here, and were glad to be able to fit it into our schedules this year, too!  The reception took place at the historic Beiger Mansion in Mishawaka, Indiana.  We were set up under the carport to greet guests with music as they arrived for the cocktail hour and dinner.  We played contemporary popular songs, with an emphasis on The Beatles. 

The bride and groom hired a horse and carriage, not just for them to enjoy, but had it available during the first hours of the reception for their guests to take a ride around the downtown area.

Harp Concert in Angola, Indiana

On August 27th, I returned to the Carnegie Public Library in Angola to give another concert.  I played a Christmas concert there last December, and this performance was for their Book the Night fundraiser.  The repertoire included some traditional Welsh & Scottish folk songs, classical pieces, and popular songs from the 1950's to today.

• Suogan, David of the White Rock, Loch Lomond
• Prelude in C (J.S. Bach)
• Passacaille (G.F. Handel)
• Angelus from "Feuillets d'Album" (H. Renie)
• All These Woes (J. Weinzweig)
• Selections from "Epices" (B. Andres)
• Tango from "Suite of Eight Dances" (C. Salzedo)
• Unchained Melody
• Theme from "The Pink Panther"
• All You Need is Love
• Fields of Gold
• Hey, Soul Sister

Valparaiso Wedding Harpist | Aberdeen Manor Gardens

I always love coming back to Aberdeen Manor!  When Jeff and I got married in 2004, we had our reception there.  Denna, Jim & their staff are amazing to work with, and always communicate well with vendors on your wedding day.  It makes for a seamless and stress-free event for everyone involved!

The bride's only request was for "Canon in D" for her processional, and then traditional & classical music for the rest of the ceremony.  It was a Jewish ceremony, and the florist turned the pergola in the garden into a beautiful chuppah!

Saugatuck, Michigan Wedding Harpist

A week after Jeff was in Saugatuck, it was my turn.  The weather was perfect - finally a Saturday that wasn't crazy hot!  The ceremony and reception were held at the Ravines Golf Course.

It's a secluded venue, far away from the weekend beach crowds.  The colors were cranberry and peach, and the bride requested traditional wedding music.  The wedding party entered to "Canon in D", the bride's entrance music was Wagner's "Bridal Chorus", and I played Mendelssohn's "Wedding March" as the recessional.

It was a simple and elegant wedding, and the location made it easy on the guests - they could walk across the driveway to get to the reception!

Studio Recital - Harp Ensemble & Chamber Music

Over the summer, I have my students paired up to play duet music together.  Sometimes it is with a sibling or family member, other times it is with another student at their level or with me.  Playing with another musician helps students develop their listening skills and teamwork.  It also proves that counting is important!

I direct the South Bend Harp Ensemble, and they perform on this recital as well.

The program included:

• Ash Grove - Traditional Welsh, arranged by Shari Pack (Harp Ensemble)
• Beautiful Dreamer - S. Foster, arranged by Patricia Jaeger (Harp Ensemble)
• Spitsicatto! - E. Foncannon (Student/Teacher piano duet)
• Floating in the Clouds - E. Lin (Brother/Sister harp & piano duet)
• Romance from "A Little Night Music" - W.A. Mozart, arr. Faber (Father/Daughter piano duet)
• Dyades No. 1 - B. Andres (Harp Ensemble)
• Ode to Joy - Beethoven, arr. Carol Matz (Brother/Sister piano duet)
• Chorus from "Judas Maccabaeus" - G.F. Handel (Sister piano & cello duet)
• Frere Jacques - Traditional, arr. E. McLean (Sister piano duet)
• Simple Gifts - Traditional, arr. D. Burton (Mother/Daughter harp & flute duet)
• Sneaky Fox Boogie - E. Lin (Student/Teacher piano duet)

We always keep this recital a little more low-key than the formal recital in the Spring.  It's a wonderful chance for families to make music together!  After the recital was over, everyone enjoyed made-to-order ice cream sundaes!  

To read more about my studio, including piano lesson and harp lesson information, visit Devon's Music Studio.

South Bend Wedding Music

I had the wonderful pleasure of providing harp music for Brian and Trisha's August 14th wedding ceremony and reception.  The ceremony was held in the Holy Family Catholic Church in South Bend.  I worked with the church's organist and a vocal soloist, and loved being able to listen to them during the service!

The prelude music was a mix of classical music and modern love songs on the harp.  For the seating of the families, the vocalist sang "Child's Song of Love" accompanied by the organ.  Remember if you are having any sung music during your ceremony, that the processional needs to wait for it to end!  With instrumental music, I can watch the processional happen and end the piece just about anytime.  Doesn't quite work that way when a text is involved!

The bridesmaids entered to "Canon in D", and the bride's processional was "Trumpet Voluntary".  The organist and singer provided the music for the remainder of the ceremony, including "One Hand, One Heart" from West Side Story for the unity candle, "Eagle's Wings" for the Offertory, "Taste and See" for Communion, and Schubert's "Ave Maria" for the presentation of roses to Mary.

Merry Me Events did a spectacular job coordinating and with the flowers.  Everything went so smoothly and on schedule.  Check out the submerged orchids in the vase!

Playing for the ceremony, photo courtesy of Cathy Dietz Photography.

Once the ceremony concluded, I went over to the South Bend Country Club to set up for the reception.  I played on the balcony as guests arrived, then through the cocktail hour and dinner.  Instead of a traditional guest book, they used a framed picture of the couple, and guests signed the surrounding mat.

The table design was also done by Merry Me Events.  I'm sure the guests will all remember the flowers from this wedding!

I didn't get a picture, but they also had an ice carving that doubled as a signature drink server.  The host poured the drink from the top, and it wound its way through a spiral carved through the block of ice.  Of course, the beverage was purple to match their colors!

New Music Available

I'm always looking for new songs to add to my repertoire, and have some recent additions for you to check out.  Visit the repertoire list on our website for more ideas of music that sounds good on the harp! 

What's New:

• Lips of an Angel - as performed by Hinder and Jack Ingram
• Hey, Soul Sister - as performed by Train
• Thank You - as performed by Dido
• Bella's Lullaby - from the movie "Twilight"
• Pavana Con Su Glosa - Antionio de Cabazon (Spanish Renaissance composer)
• Tango from Suite of Eight Dances - Carlos Salzedo (1943)
• Rumba from Suite of Eight Dances - Carlos Salzedo (1943)

Don't see your favorite listed?  We're happy to take requests!

Wedding Music in Saugatuck, Michigan

On August 14th, Jeff played harp for a wedding ceremony and cocktail hour at the Laketown Conference Center in Saugatuck, Michigan.  The bride's family wanted to include several Celtic tunes to represent their Irish heritage.  They chose some specific pieces, then allowed Jeff to choose some light folk tunes to add to the mix.  The prelude consisted of:

• Suogan (Welsh lullaby)  [Click for mp3 sound clip!]
• Trumpet Tune
• Canon in D
• All I Ask of You from "Phantom of the Opera"
• Holy, Holy, Holy
• O Danny Boy

For the entrance of the bridal party and flower girl, he played Handel's "Aria" from Rinaldo.  The bride had two entrance selections:  "Pavane Style Renaissance" for the first half, when she entered with her mother.  After her mother had taken her seat, the bride's father led her the rest of the length of the aisle to the traditional "Bridal Chorus" by Wagner.

During the unity sand ceremony, they chose "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring", and also included a moment of quiet reflection after the vows, backed by "When Irish Eyes are Smiling".  The first movement of "Spring" from Vivaldi's Four Seasons was the recessional.

For the cocktail hour, they requested popular songs alternated with traditional Irish tunes.  Some selections included:

• Beautiful Dreamer
• Can You Feel the Love Tonight from "The Lion King"
• Love Me Tender
• My Heart Will Go On from "Titanic"
• By the Light of the Silvery Moon
• Grow Old Along with Me
• Fields of Gold

You can mix a variety of genres when you have a harpist providing the music for your wedding.  We are not limited to classical or Celtic music, and love playing unexpected contemporary songs!  Visit our Repertoire List to get an idea of the wide range of music that can be played on the harp.

Mackinac Island Wedding Harpist

There is truly no more romantic wedding destination than Mackinac Island.  Situated in Lake Huron, it is accessible only by boat or airplane, and there are no cars allowed on the island.  Transportation is on foot, bike, or by horse-drawn taxi.  It's a wonderful place to get away from modern "conveniences" and have an old-world elegant wedding!

I was so excited to have the opportunity to play for this ceremony and cocktail hour at the Inn at Stonecliffe.  Away from the downtown strip, and past the magnificent Grand Hotel, it is a secluded venue that offers a view of the Mackinac Bridge from the backyard ceremony site.

The logistics of getting the harp to the island took a little extra planning, but everyone was very helpful and accommodating.  Before boarding the ferry in Mackinaw City, we triple checked to make sure we had everything we could possibly need for the wedding.  This is one place you can't just run back to the car to pick up something left behind!  We wheeled the harp down the ramp onto the boat, and the ferry was on its way.

After grabbing lunch downtown, we boarded the Inn's shuttle - horse-drawn, of course!  They were also hauling up the flowers, and I met the wedding coordinator, Anne Coulter (who is super-organized and did an amazing job).  The harp was placed in a cart behind the shuttle, and plastic wrapped to the sides.  With every bump we hit along the way, Anne and I swiveled around to make sure we still had a harp!

We passed the Grand Hotel on our way up the hill, and we became a bit of a tourist attraction ourselves.  There are several other visitors who have pictures of my harp precariously wrapped to the cart!

 
We arrived at the Inn at Stonecliffe, cut through the plastic wrap, and set up the harp.  We had arrived about three hours before the ceremony was scheduled to begin (you never know about those horse taxis!), so we had some time to relax on the back porch and enjoy the view ourselves.  Jeff got in a little practice time, too.

The florist set up the aisle decorations a little too soon in the sun, so Anne moved them off to the porch.  We were able to hang them on the harp cart, so they wouldn't get smashed.  This must be the month for hydrangeas - one of my favorite flowers. 

The bride's only music request was that I play Enya's "Only Time" as she walked down the aisle.  She allowed me to recommend pieces that went well with it, and we decided on "Hymne" by Vangelis for the wedding party processional and the Czech/Bohemian folk song "I See You, My Beloved" for the recessional.

During the cocktail hour, I played a variety of upbeat, popular selections, including "By the Light of the Silvery Moon", "All You Need is Love", and "Hey, Soul Sister".  No Mackinac Island wedding would be complete without "Somewhere in Time", made famous by the movie of the same name filmed at the Grand Hotel.

The taxi back to the ferry docks didn't have a cart, so we managed to slide the harp under the back bench seat, and secure it with the rain flap.  Another wedding adventure, and we enjoyed every minute of it!

We are available for weddings and parties anywhere on Mackinac Island - visit http://www.theclassicharpist.com/ for details.

Mackinac Island Harpist

Chicago Wedding Harpist - Navy Pier Crystal Gardens

Braving the traffic for Lollapalooza (which turned out not bad at all), we headed into Chicago for a Friday evening wedding ceremony downtown.  It took place in the Crystal Gardens at Navy Pier - a stunning venue!  Usually downtown Chicago weddings are a logistical nightmare, with parking blocks away, no loading zone, etc., but Navy Pier makes it easy.  We were able to unload next to the entrance and take the elevator right up to the Gardens (which were closed to the general public for the wedding), and parking was on site. 

To coordinate with their pool blue and black color scheme, they chose the Laurel Leaf harp, which is ebony with gold leaves wrapped around the column.  This harp is not only beautiful, but has a sound that is impressive and is more portable than the larger harps.

As the guests arrived, I played "Hymne" by Vangelis and "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" by J.S. Bach.  For the seating of families, the bride chose "Aria" from Rinaldo by G.F. Handel.  The bridesmaids entered to "Canon in D" by Pachelbel, and the bride selected "Pavane Style Renaissance" by Wachs for her processional.

They also incorporated music throughout the ceremony.  There was a moment for reflection between the two readings, during which I played "Reverie" by Marcel Grandjany.  After the Lord's Prayer, the couple went to greet their parents, and I played the First Movement of "Spring" from Vivaldi's The Four Seasons.  The couple was announced and the recessional was the traditional "Wedding March" by Mendelssohn, followed by "Trumpet Tune" as the beginning of postlude music.

Looking for a Chicago harpist?  Visit http://www.theclassicharpist.com/ for more information!

Wedding Harpist in Bloomington, Indiana

Another hot Indiana weekend, another harp duet ceremony.  At least this one was in an air conditioned church!  We loaded up the harps and headed down to Bloomington, Indiana, to play for a wedding at the First United Methodist Church.  It was a pleasure to work with the resident organist, and we alternated music for the prelude.  We'd play a harp duet piece, then he'd do one on the organ.  It gives the gathering guests a nice variety!

We played "Canon in D" for the entrance of the bridal party, and then he brought in the bride to "Trumpet Voluntary".  He played light background music throughout the service, and then the recessional.  With our work done once the bridesmaids were in, we got to sit back and enjoy the rest of the ceremony!

Congratulations to Chad and Lisa!

If you are looking for a harpist for your Bloomington, Indiana, wedding, please visit our website (http://www.theclassicharpist.com/) for more information!

Music for an Anniversary Banquet

Most summers, I spend every weekend playing for a wedding, but on July 23rd, I got to play for the Church of God in Christ's (Indiana Second Jurisdiction) Anniversary Banquet.  I played for the same event in 2008, and was glad to be back!  They do a wonderful job of honoring the church's members and leadership, and everyone gets dressed up for an enjoyable dinner and reception.

Both times, it has taken place at the Halls of St. George in Schererville, Indiana.  They request a variety of classical and sacred music to provide background for their gathering time and dinner hour.

Michigan City Wedding Music

Jeff provided the music for this wedding ceremony at the Barker Mansion in Michigan City, Indiana.  Outdoor ceremonies take place in the enclosed courtyard of the historic house, and the inside of the mansion is available as a back-up for bad weather.

This couple was planning their Indiana wedding from New York City, and we were able to do all of their music selections and logistical work via email.  The music they chose was:

• Bridal party processional:  Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring by J.S. Bach
• Bride's processional:  Canon in D by J. Pachelbel
• Unity Sand Ceremony:  Hymne by Vangelis
• Recessional:  Trumpet Tune by H. Purcell

A few weeks after the wedding, Jeff received this thank you note from the couple:

"Jeff, Thank you so much for celebrating our wedding day with us on June 19, 2010, at Barker Mansion.  We really enjoyed having you play for the ceremony and your help with picking the songs and coordinating with us before the big day.  I have included a couple of pictures of you from that day, hope you enjoy these.  If we ever need a harpist again, I will definitely call you.  Thank you so much!"

They also enclosed a couple of pictures of him playing the harp for their wedding.

We love to see your pictures, so please send us the link to your proofs when you get it from your photographer!