November Weddings

November is not a very busy month for weddings - only three for me this year!  On the 6th, I played for a beautiful ceremony at the First Christian Reformed Church in Demotte, Indiana.  Her flowers were stunning, incorporating peacock feathers in a rich variety of fall colors:

They used rose petals to line the aisle, and also to create a monogram in the center:

If you do this, just be sure to seat your guests from the side aisles!  Many churches require that you use their in-house musicians for your wedding ceremony.  That does not, however, mean that you cannot include the harp in addition to the pianist or organist.  I love collaborating with other musicians, and for this wedding, the organist provided music as well.  She played for the postlude, recessional, and congregational hymn singing, while I provided harp music for the earlier parts of the service.  The prelude music included "Hymne" by Vangelis, "Largo" by Handel, "Ave Maria" by Schubert, and "Canon in D" by Pachelbel.  Other selections were:

• Hornpipe in G by Purcell for the seating of the families
• All I Ask of You for the bridal party processional
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring for the bride's processional

The next day, Saturday the 7th, I got to stay a little closer to home, and played for a wedding right in South Bend at the Zion United Church of Christ.  The bride and groom spent a lot of time coming up with just the right musical ambiance for their ceremony.  They chose softer music for the processionals, and then really cranked up the excitement level for the conclusion of the service! 

The prelude music included light classics, which segued into "Hymne" by Vangelis for the bridal party processional.  For the entrance of the flower girl, I composed a lighter and faster variation of this piece.  Glissandos announced the arrival of the bride, and she came down the aisle to a Czech folk song, "I See You, My Beloved".  These two pieces work extremely well as a pair, because they are in the same key and have a similiar style.

Their officiant was extremely flexible, and allowed them to have some light music played while they said their vows.  They also requested that I fill in with "moving music" any time people had to walk to the front and return to their seats.  That worked extremely well, and made the transition time between ceremony elements less awkward.

When they were selecting the music, we got a bit stuck trying to come up with a recessional.  They didn't want something traditional - just something fast!  Once I played the first few lines of "Sonata in Re" by Albeniz, that was it!  The postlude music stayed uptempo and set the mood for the party!

On the 28th, I returned to St. Adalbert's for another wedding Mass.  This time, it wasn't all in Spanish!  I also had the opportunity to work with a wonderful vocalist, who had been a teacher of the bride.  The father of the bride sang "The Wedding Song" as the families were seated.

We had a couple of snags with the music for the Mass - we had been given different pieces than were listed in the program! - but everything worked out with some help from the priest and mother of the groom.  The church had copies of what we needed, and we were both there in plenty of time to get everything put together and still get a rehearsal in before the guests started to arrive. 

In addition to the music for the Mass we played and sang:

• When There is Love
• Canon in D
• Bridal Chorus (Here Comes the Bride)
• How Beautiful
• Ave Maria
• Wedding March

If you are having a full Catholic Mass, there is a lot of music to select!   In addition to the prelude, processionals, recessional, and postlude, you will also need music for the psalms, offertory, sign of the peace, communion, and presentation of flowers.  Be sure that you confirm all ceremony music selections with your priest, as they must be appropriate for the worship service.

Tis the Season!

Even though there are fewer weddings as the weather gets colder, December is always whirlwind of corporate parties and other Christmas celebrations.

So far this year, I have played for two law office open house events, one chamber of commerce party, and two mini-concerts at a shopping mall.  This picture is from an open house held at the Midwest Museum of Art in Elkhart, Indiana.  I've been the harpist for this even for the past four years, and love sitting in front of the giant head!

On Monday, December 14th, I will be presenting two more concerts of Christmas music on the harp:

1:00-2:00 pm at the Peabody Public Library in Columbia City, Indiana
6:30-7:30 pm at the Carnegie Public Library in Angola, Indiana

That wraps up the Christmas season performances, and things will slow down the first few months of the year.  This is prime time for bookings for weddings taking place in 2010 and 2011, so reserve your date now!

Student Accomplishments

On November 7th, the local chapter of the Music Teachers National Association held the annual Achievement in Music piano festival.  This is a non-competitive event, and tests students on performance, keyboard skills, ear training, theory, and sight reading.  I had six students participate, and all received the top rating of "excellent" in performance, keyboard skills, and sight reading.

Camille A.

Claire C.

Joseph D.

Sydney G.

Zoe G.

Hannah M.

All six students also received a score of 90% or higher on their ear training and theory exams.  Three students received a perfect score:

Joseph D.

Zoe G.

Hannah M.

Congratulations, and you get a week off from playing scales! 

An Irish Wedding in September

I met with this couple way back in April - nothing like planning ahead!  If you are having a fall wedding, it's a great idea to get as much of your planning done before summer as possible.  During the summer months many of your vendors will be extra busy, and may not have the flexibility in their schedules to meet with you when they have more frequent wedding bookings.

The bride and groom wanted to celebrate their Irish heritage, but without the cliched - and if you know the lyrics, not very wedding-like - "Danny Boy".  I played a variety of Celtic tunes as the guests arrived at the Halls of St. George in Schererville, Indiana.  For the ceremony, they selected:

• Fanny Power by O'Carolan for the entrance of familes & the bridal party
• My Wild Irish Rose for the bride's processional
• Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ral (That's an Irish Lullaby) for the unity candle
• In My Life by the Beatles for the recessional

New Music Available

After my recital was over, I started working on some "fun" music to have ready for the weddings and events that prefer a more contemporary sound.  I love playing things that are unexpected on the harp!  Some recent additions to my repertoire include:

• Clocks; as performed by Coldplay
• Come Sail Away, as performed by Styx
• I'm Yours, as performed by Jason Mraz
• Irreplaceable; as performed by Beyonce Knowles
• Love Story; as performed by Taylor Swift
• So What; as perfomed by Pink
• You Belong with Me; as performed by Taylor Swift
• You Want to Make a Memory; as performed by Bon Jovi

To see a complete list of the music I play, please visit my repertoire list.  If you don't see your favorite listed, let me know!  I am always happy to continue to expand my play list with your requests, and it's a great way to personalize your event.

Student Accomplishments

Over the summer, I held a contest in my studio to see who could perform for the most people.  Each week, students would receive Music Money for each signature in their booklet, and would be able to purchase items out of the studio store.  iTunes gift cards were a hot item!  September concluded the contest, with the students who performed for the most people receiving a trophy and medal.  Congratulations to:

• Syndey G. (1st place, 140 signatures)
• Claire C. (2nd place, 138 signatures)
• Hannah M. (3rd place, 129 signatures)

Great work!

Wedding Ceremony at Ogden Gardens

Another perfect fall day!  On September 19th, I played harp for a ceremony at Valparaiso's Ogden Gardens.  The bride chose a nice mix of traditional wedding music, as well as some lesser-known pieces to make her wedding music unique.  The prelude music was:

• Long and Winding Road
• Embraceable You
• Someone to Watch Over Me
• Stairway to Heaven
• Send in the Clowns
• Liebestraume

Since this wasn't quite enough to cover the time they needed, I just continued to play similar pieces until everyone was ready to begin.  The ceremony music included:

• Suogan (entrance of families)
• Canon in D (bridal party processional)
• I See You My Beloved (bride's processional)
• Grow Old Along with Me (unity sand & rose ceremony)
• Sheep May Safely Graze (recessional)

The bride really liked the Bach piece she chose as her recessional, but wanted something more upbeat.  No problem - I just played Sheep May Safely Graze very quickly!  She was able to use a piece of music that she really enjoyed, and also have a lively exit from her ceremony.  Professional harpists or other musicians should be able to make an accommodation like that for you!

A Ski Resort In Summer

If you own a ski resort, what better way to keep busy during the summer than to host weddings!  It was a beautiful early fall day for an outdoor ceremony at the Cannonsburg Ski Resort in Belmont, Michigan.  The ceremony took place at the foot of the hills, and the reception followed inside the lodge.  The music chosen for the ceremony was:

• Canon in D (bridal party processional)
• Bridal Chorus (bride's processional)
• When You Wish Upon a Star (unity sand ceremony)
• Wedding March (recessional)

Harp Recital

On Sunday, October 18th, at 4:00pm, I will be presenting a solo harp recital in the Jacksonville Public Library, Jacksonville, Illinois. This is part of the Music Under the Dome Concert Series, and is free and open to the public. The program is:

• Suogan & David of the White Rock; Traditional Welsh Folk Songs
• Epices: Muscade, Pistache, Kola; Bernard Andres
• Passacaille; G. F. Handel
• Vers la source dans le bois; Marcel Tournier
• All These Woes! (Shakespeare) & Quick March; John Weinzweig
• Sonate in re; Mateo Albeniz
• Romance without Words; Felix Godefroid
• Ain't Misbehavin'; Fats Waller, arr. Ray Pool
• The Pink Panther; Henry Mancini; arr. Mavis Cauffman
• Great Day; Nancy Gustavson

A reception will follow across the street in the Jacksonville Theatre Guild offices. Please contact me for directions or other information!

Wedding Reception at Addison Oaks

On Sunday, September 6th, Jeff and I made the drive to Addison Oaks in Leonard, Michigan (north of Detroit). The room was decorated with hot pink flowers & napkins and black chair sashes.

I played a mix of music for Michelle & Matthew's wedding reception, including their one special request, "Collide" by Howie Day. It sounds surprisingly beautiful on the harp! If you are planning your wedding music and don't see your favorite piece on my repertoire list, never hesitate to ask. There is never a charge to learn new music for your event. As long as it is possible to play the piece on the harp, I can make it work!

September Ceremony & Reception: St. Adalbert's and Greek Orthodox Hall

The first Saturday in September I actually got to stay close to home! The ceremony took place at St. Adalbert's Catholic Church in South Bend, Indiana, and the reception followed at St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church Hall, also in South Bend.

The sanctuary of this church is stunningly beautiful. My big surprise of the day was that the entire ceremony & reception were conducted in Spanish! My skills in that language are meager at best, but since I know the order of the Mass well, I was able to follow along.



Most Catholic churches do not allow the traditional Bridal Chorus (Here Comes the Bride), so Mayra chose "Ode to Joy" by Beethoven for her entrance. Other wedding music included:

• Canon in D (entrance of families & bridal party)
• Romance without Words (offertory)
• Spring, Third Movement, from The Four Seasons (sign of the peace)
• Panis Angelicus (communion)
• Ave Maria (rose ceremony)
• Wedding March (recessional)

For the reception, she requested a mix of classical & popular songs, so there was something for everyone to enjoy!

Miller & Kidd Wedding Ceremony

From burning up to freezing in the span of two weeks! This outdoor ceremony was held in the gardens of Henderson Castle in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The wind was blowing and rain was threatening, but the ceremony was able to continue as planned outdoors.



They had set up a tent with a dance floor for the DJ (dancing was back outside in the garden after dinner indoors), and it was the perfect place to place the harp - if the rain came, the music could continue! While you and your guests might be able to survive a slight drizzle, the harp is extremely sensitive, and would need to be covered and taken inside at the first drops. For outdoor weddings, a covered gazebo or tent is a great back-up!

The bride chose traditional music:

• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (bridal party processional)
• Bridal Chorus (bride's processional)
• Trumpet Tune (recessional)

This was one where I had to sit on my hands during the service so my fingers wouldn't be stiff by the time I needed to play again!

Katz & Potash Wedding Ceremony

I knew this wedding would be beautiful when Nicole told me her plans! It was in the Conrad Hotel ballroom in downtown Indianapolis, and she had put together a stellar list of vendors to make it all come together. It was a traditional Jewish ceremony, but the music they chose had a definite modern twist:

• Prelude concluded with Erev shel shoshanim
• Hymne by Vangelis (entrance of families & bridal party processional)
• Storybook Love from The Princess Bride (bride's processional)
• Fields of Gold (recessional)

Sometimes the best place to set up the harp is behind your guests. It is also much easier and unobtrusive for me to get cues from your officiant or planner. The set-up in the Conrad ballroom works perfectly this way! It enabled me to keep a close eye on the door the bridal party was using for their entrance, and the planner could speak to me about cues and timing without the guests even noticing.

Foshee & Crawford Wedding

A hot day for an outdoor wedding! It was held on the patio at the Orchard Ridge Country Club in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I found a spot in the shade for the harp, and it went well.

If you are having an outdoor wedding in the summer, make sure that you provide a place in the shade for your musicians (and elderly guests!). The wood of the harp absorbs the heat from the sun, and the wood glue that holds the instrument together can actually soften if it gets hot enough. You don't want to add instrument repair bills to your wedding budget! The fluctuations in temperature also affect the tuning of the instrument. The more stable the environment, the better your wedding music will sound!

This couple only had one request for music: Canon in D by Pachelbel as the bride walks down the aisle. I was able to select some favorite pieces from my repertoire that would complement it well:

• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (bridal party processional)
• Canon in D (bride's processional)
• Spring, Movement Three, from The Four Seasons (unity sand ceremony)
• Pavane Style Renaissance (recessional)

I played popular pieces for the postlude, and for the beginning of the cocktail hour.

Jeff's August Weddings

My husband, Jeff, is also a harpist, and had a busy month of August, too. He started off with a Catholic wedding at St. Gaspar Church in Rome City, Indiana, where he played:

• Canon in D (seating of the families)
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (bridal party processional)
• Trumpet Tune (bride's processional

On August 8th, it was a double wedding day. His first ceremony was at Centennial Park in Munster, Indiana. The bride chose:

• Romance without Words (seating of the families)
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (bridal party processional)
• Canon in D (bride's processional)
• Trumpet Tune (recessional)

Once that one was complete, it was back in the car and off to the Center Meeting House (formerly known as the Morris Chapel) in Niles, Michigan. They chose the traditional wedding music, including:

• Canon in D (seating of familes & bridal party processional)
• Bridal Chorus (bride's processional)
• Trumpet Tune (recessional)

Amy Straka was their photographer, and you can see some beautiful images on her Facebook page. Be sure to become a fan - she's fabulous! Jeff then had to drive to Bristol, Indiana, and rescue me from the flat tire I got at the wedding I played!

The next weekend was at the Lane Place Pattison Pavilion in Crawfordsville, Indiana. His favorite request from that ceremony was "Stairway to Heaven"!

Want the best wedding music?

Let your professional musicians pick it for you! If you don't have strong feelings about your wedding music, leave it up to their judgment. I have been playing weddings for years (over 300 of them!), and definitely have my favorite pieces. They sound perfect on the harp, and my love of this music shows in the way I perform it.

While the traditional music is beautiful, there are so many lesser-known selections that will make your wedding unique. If you have hired professionals, they will also be able to choose music that works well on their instruments, and fits your wedding theme, venue, and level of formality. I love it when a bride gives me the artistic freedom to create her wedding soundtrack!

If you have one or two selections that you must have played, your musicians should be able to recommend other pieces that work well with your choices.

When booking your musicians, ask them, "If I left it completely up to you, what music would you play for my ceremony?" At the very least, it will give you an idea of the music that your group likes to play, and they may just recommend the perfect piece of music to complete your wedding vision!

The Bride Wore Purple

When Renee contacted me about her wedding music, I new this would be a completely non-traditional ceremony! There was to be no processional, no "giving away" of the bride, no matching bridesmaid dresses, and she would be, yes - wearing purple! It took place at Bonneyville Mill County Park in Bristol, Indiana on a hot and very windy August afternoon. Lots of clips were needed to keep my music from blowing into the river!

She selected popular pieces to play during the prelude, including "Fields of Gold" by Sting and "Embraceable You" by Gershwin. When the officiant (Congressman Joe Donnelly) arrived, I played Unchained Melody, and that was the cue for the wedding party, bride, and groom to make their way to the front. "What a Wonderful World" was the recessional, followed by "All You Need is Love" and "If I Had a Million Dollars" as the guests mingled and congratulated the newlyweds.

Wedding at Krape Park, Freeport, Illinois

August began with a trip to Freeport, IL, for the wedding of Nicole & Mark. The Duck Pond at Krape Park was a new venue for me, so I arrived WAY too early to scope out the location. Even though it rained the whole drive there, the skies cleared for the 3:00pm ceremony. The ducks and geese kept their distance, but you had to watch where you stepped - and where I could set up the harp!

Their wedding colors were light pink and black, and they had a Cinderella theme. The music selections included:

• Storybook Love from "The Princess Bride" as the prelude
• Canon in D by Pachelbel for the bridal party processional
• Bridal Chorus (Here Comes the Bride) by Wagner for the bride's processional
• A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes from "Cinderella" as a harp solo/interlude
• Wedding March by Mendelssohn as the recessional

July 2009 in Review

July 3rd, 2009
Deep River County Park, Hobart Indiana
Music Selections:

• Hymne by Vangelis for seating of families
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring by Bach for the bridal party processional
• Canon in D by Pachelbel for the bride's processional
• Trumpet Voluntary by Clarke for the recessional

July 5th, 2009Center Meeting House at Morris Farms, Niles, Michigan
Music Selections:

• Arioso by Bach for seating of families
• Sheep May Safely Graze by Bach for bridal party processional
• Andiam mio tesoro (Anonymous) for bride's processional
• Reverie by Grandjany for the unity candle lighting
• Spring (First Movement) from "The Four Seasons" by Vivaldi for the recessional

July 11th, 2009
Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Mishawaka, Indiana
Music Selections included:

• Hymne by Vangelis as the processional
• Love Divine All Love's Excelling (congregational hymn)
• Prelude in C by Bach
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring by Bach
• Arioso by Bach
• Canon in D by Pachelbel
• Trumpet Tune by Purcell
• Trumpet Voluntary by Clarke as the recessional

July 11th, 2009

Narnia Estate, Lemont, Illinois

Music Selections:

• Aria from "Rinaldo" by Handel for the bride's processional
• Hymne by Vangelis for the sand ceremony
• Wedding March by Mendellssohn for the recessional

July 17th, 2009
Holy Family Catholic Church, Chicago, Illinois
Music Selections:

• Canon in D by Pachelbel (Harp & Violin duet) for the processional
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring by Bach for the unity candle
• Panis Angelicus by Franck for the offertory
• Lady of Knock (Violin & Piano duet) for the rose ceremony
• Bagpipes for the recessional

July 18th, 2009
Oliver Mansion Gardens, South Bend, Indiana
Music Selections:

• All I Ask of You from "Phantom of the Opera" by Webber for the seating of families
• Romance without Words by Godefroid for the bridal party processional
• Hymne by Vangelis for the bride's processional
• Fanny Power by O'Carolan for the recessional

July 24th, 2009
Willow Harbor Vineyards, Three Oaks, Michigan
Music Selections:

• Hymne by Vangelis for the processional
• Spring (Third Movement) from "The Four Seasons" by Vivaldi as the recessional

July 26th, 2009
Coffee Creek Amphitheatre, Chesterton, Indiana
Music Selections:

• Canon in D by Pachelbel as the bridal party processional
• I'll Be by Edwin McCain as the bride's processional
• All You Need is Love by McCartney as the recessional

July 26th, 2009
Oliver Mansion Gardens, South Bend, Indiana
Music Selections:

• Claire de Lune by Debussy for the processional
• Hymne by Vangelis for the recessional