Funeral Harp Music ~ Rensselaer, Indiana

The music of the harp is perfect for a funeral ~ it is the instrument of angels!  It is a soothing and ethereal sound, and doesn't overpower conversation while friends and family reminisce.  For this service, I played during the visitation and the funeral.

The service took place at Jackson Funeral Chapel in Rensselaer, Indiana.  During the visitation, the family requested mostly classical and folk pieces, including:

• Arioso (Bach)
• Largo from New World Symphony (Dvorak)
• Pavane (Faure)
• By Kells Waters (traditional Welsh)
• Suogan (traditional Welsh)
• Hymne (Vangelis)
• Finlandia (Sibelius)
• Prelude in C (Bach)

The service was filled with remembrances from family members, friends, and business associates.  In between, I played two solos ("Meditation" from Thais by Massenet & Schubert's "Ave Maria") to provide some time for reflection.

Planning a funeral is never easy, and I am always honored when families ask me to play for their loved ones.  Depending upon my schedule, I may be available for last-minute services, memorials, and graveside ceremonies.  Please visit my website, Funeral Harp Music, or call 1-877-HARP-578 for more information about music for funerals and visitations.

Southwest Michigan Harpist ~ St. Joseph Wedding Ceremony

On a Sunday afternoon in May, I provided harp music for a wedding at the John E.N. Howard Bandshell in Lake Bluff Park.  This wedding and concert venue is just a short distance away from St. Joseph's Silver Beach, where we had an exceptionally windy wedding ceremony last fall!

The bride & groom had a back-up plan in place at their reception hall (the Priscilla U. Byrns Heritage Center), but the weather cooperated and we were able to go ahead as planned for the outdoor ceremony.  They went with traditional music:  "Canon in D" for the entrance of the mothers and bridesmaids, "Bridal Chorus" for the bride's processional, and "Wedding March" for the recessional.

When you have an outdoor wedding, there are lots of things other than the weather to consider.  When you have a wedding in a public park you have to consider...the public!  Everyone loves a wedding, and this one even had a couple of families stop and watch the entire event.  You also cannot control everythingthat goes on around you.  Just as the bridal party started down the aisle, everything was drowned out by a passing train.  Fortunately, it was a short one! 

There are a lot of positives about an outdoor wedding, and if you are as relaxed and easy-going as Amanda and Adam were, then none of the negatives even matter.  They had a beautiful ceremony, and I was happy to be a part of it!

As a professional wedding harpist, I love working with couples to create the perfect music for their day.  Visit my website, Southwest Michigan Harpist, or call 1-877-HARP-578 for more information!

Choosing the Right Harp for Your Wedding or Event

Jeff and I love tailoring our music to fit the needs and wishes of our clients, and a big part of that is the harps that we own and use.  All four of our professional-quality instruments have a unique appearance and sound.  This post will help guide you in selecting which one is the best for your wedding or event!

The two types of harps we offer are lever harps and pedal harps.  Lever harps are smaller and lighter - and much easier to transport!  They have a lever at the top of each string to alter the pitch (like the black keys on a piano). 

Our BlevinSong Lever Harp has 36 strings, and was built by Dwight Blevins in Colorado.  This harp has an Irish or Celtic style, both in appearance and sound.  I'd describe it as the "brightest" sounding harp we have.  This is the harp we use for most of our beach weddings, and it can be placed directly on the sand.  It is perfect if your venue is difficult to access (winding staircases, gravel pathways, in a tree house - and yes, I've really played in a tree house!), or if the majority of music you are requesting is Celtic. 

Our other lever harp is a Webster Laurel Leaf harp, designed and built by Bill Webster just outside of Detroit, Michigan.  With 40 strings, this harp is a little larger than the BlevinSong.  This harp is perfect for outdoor weddings, and beach weddings when the harp is not placed directly on the sand (boardwalk, platform, etc.).  It has a classic and elegant style, with carved gold leaves wrapped around the ebony column. 

All of the music marked with a "+" on our repertoire lists can be played on either the BlevinSong or Laurel Leaf harps.

Pedal harps are the type of harps you see in an orchestra.  Instead of levers on each string, they have seven pedals at the base of the instrument.  We use those pedals to set the strings for sharps and flats (like the black keys on a piano), and the pedals move discs at the top of each string by means of a rod that runs through the hollow column.

If you are interested in learning more about how a pedal harp works, I recommend the article Pedal Harp 101 at the Harp Spectrum.

Both of our pedal harps were built by W&W Musical Instrument Company (Venus Harps) in Chicago, Illinois.  The harp that we custom ordered for Jeff is a semi-grand (concert size) Penti in a matte ebony finish.  It has 46 strings, and has a beautiful modern and sleek silhouette.

The other pedal harp is a Venus Classic Concert Grand.  With 47 strings, this is the largest harp that is built.  It is hand-carved, and decorated with roses at the top of the harp and around the base.  This harp is one of the earliest instruments built by W&W, and is over thirty years old.  It is the perfect romantic instrument!

All of the sound clips on our website were recorded on the Penti & Classic harps.  The pedal harps offer the greatest musical flexibility, and all of the music on our repertoire list can be played on either of these two instruments. 

Website:  www.TheClassicHarpist.com
Toll-free: 1-877-HARP-578

St. Louis Harpist | Forest Park Jewel Box Wedding

The Jewel Box in St. Louis' Forest Park is the perfect place to have the feel of an outdoor wedding, without the worries about the weather!  The greenhouse was filled with hydrangeas, and was a lovely setting for the wedding of Dara and Kevin.

The prelude as guests arrived was performed entirely by African drummers - Ngoma in Motion.  They were incredible!  The ring bearer was enthralled by their performance, and one of the men handed him a gourd rattle so he could join in.

When the wedding party was lined up and ready to begin, I played "Canon in D".  Quite the change from the drummers - everyone knew the wedding was starting!  The bride incorporated many items from her parents' wedding ceremony into her own, including her processional song, "Misty".  The bride's mother served as the Matron of Honor, and the groom's father was his son's Best Man.  Dara looked stunning in a gold lace dress.  The black and gold colors of my Laurel Leaf harp fit in perfectly with their ceremony!

During the ceremony, the couple participated in a ritual that I had not seen before.  They each tasted the four temperaments (lemon for the sour times in life, cayenne pepper for the hot, honey for the sweet, and the fruit of the vine to symbolize the blending of two families).  This is a traditional ceremony of the Yoruba, an ethnic group from West Africa.

Just before the recessional, the newly married couple jumped the broom (the broom and ring bearer's pillow had also been used in the wedding of the bride's parents).  The recessional was back to the drummers, and I was encouraged to improvise along with them.  It was a lot of fun, and I can't wait for another Jewel Box wedding!

We are available to provide wedding music in St. Louis and the surrounding areas. Visit our website, St. Louis Harpist, for more information!

Fort Wayne Harpist | Allen County Courthouse Wedding & Reception

The Allen County Courthouse in Fort Wayne is an amazing venue for your wedding ceremony and reception.  Unfortunately, I forgot to bring my camera with me to my May 14th wedding, so if you want to see pictures of the inside, you'll have to check out my blog post from a wedding I played there last September. 

This wedding was set up a little differently, with the ceremony taking place under the center rotunda.  The guests were seated all around the platform set up in the middle for the bride & groom.  This gave more of the guests a front-row seat for the vows! 

All of my contact for this wedding had been with the mother of the bride (Rhonda), who is also a musician.  In addition to all of the duties and stress of being the mother of the bride, she also sang for the ceremony!  I played harp for the ceremony, along with flautist Jenny Robinson (from the Fort Wayne Philharmonic and IPFW).  A harp & flute duet is a beautiful and elegant ensemble.  Mozart even wrote a concerto for this combination!

The harp & flute started the prelude with the Welsh lullaby "Suogan".  Rhonda and her duet partner then sang "All I Ask of You" from Phantom of the Opera; we followed with an instrumental Gershwin song "Embraceable You".  One more vocal duet, "Unforgettable", then the harp & flute finished up the prelude as the rest of the guests arrived.

The parents of the bride and groom entered to a vocalist singing the Josh Groban song "You Raise Me Up".  With a cue from the wedding planner, we began the processional music for the bridal party:  "Air on the G String" by J.S. Bach.  This piece really comes to life when a sustaining instrument (like the flute or a violin) playing along with the harp, keeping those long melodic lines going. 

The bride had one request for the ceremony music.  Her processional was kept a secret from everyone until she actually walked down the aisle.  She even instructed the DJ to play a different song for the rehearsal!  When the big moment finally came, "1234" by the Plain White T's was her choice.  It was a perfect blending of live music for most of the ceremony, with one favorite song in its original format - the way you are used to hearing it.

During the ceremony, I accompanied Rhonda singing Malotte's "The Lord's Prayer", and a guitarist played and sang "Marry Me" by Train during the lighting of the unity candle.  The recessional was the traditional Mendelssohn "Wedding March". 

At the conclusion of the ceremony, I took the harp upstairs to provide background music for the cocktail hour.  Like the prelude, this was mostly popular love songs with a few well-known classical pieces mixed in. 

If you are looking for a Fort Wayne Harpist, please contact us!  From the Courthouse to the Rose Garden to the Bridal Glen in Foster Park, we have played for weddings and parties throughout the city.  We would love to add the special touch of harp music to your event!

http://www.theclassicharpist.com/
1-877-HARP-578

Southwest Michigan Wedding Music - Centre Meeting House Wedding Harpist

Over the course of our time playing harp professionally in Southwest Michigan, both Devon and I have had the chance to play at the Centre Meeting House (formerly Morris Farms) several times.  My most recent wedding there was on May 14th and I was amazed as to how Michael Angelo's had transformed the chapel for this wedding ceremony. 

The music for the ceremony included "Ave Maria" for the entrance of the parents and grandparents.  The bridesmaids, flower girl, and ring bearer entered to "Edelweiss" from The Sound of Music.

For Chelsea's entrance, she had requested the song "River Flows in You", which has been called "Bella's Lullaby" from Twilight.  The piece was a special request that I learned for the wedding and it sounds truly beautiful on the harp. The Bride and Groom exited to "King William's March" by Jeremiah Clarke.

Non-Traditional Wedding Music on the Harp

Weddings may be traditional, but your music doesn't have to be! Although many of our brides choose the wedding standards (Here Comes the Bride, Canon in D, Wedding March, etc.), more and more couples are choosing to personalize their ceremony with music selections that are meaningful to them.

Our repertoire is constantly expanding to include new pieces, so check our website frequently for the latest updates.

You can also mix and match, including some traditional music and some that everyone will recognize, but maybe not expect! We've put together a few sample ceremony play-lists for you to see how you can combine different genres of music or create a theme with your selections.

Would you like to have a piece of music that isn't on our list? We'd love to hear from you and work with you to create a custom music experience for your ceremony!  Visit our website (http://www.theclassicharpist.com/) or call 1-877-HARP-578 for details.

 
 

Sample Ceremony Play-Lists

 

Bridal Party: All I Ask of You

Bride: Fields of Gold

Unity Candle: Romance Without Words

Recessional: Trumpet Tune

Bridal Party: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring

Bride: Spring from The Four Seasons

Unity Candle: A Whole New World from Aladdin
Recessional: All My Loving

Bridal Party: Can't Help Falling in Love

Bride: At Last

Unity Candle: Embraceable You

Recessional: Our Love is Here to Stay

Bridal Party: Edelweiss from The Sound of Music

Bride: Storybook Love from The Princess Bride

Unity Candle: Till There Was You from The Music Man

Recessional: You'll Never Walk Alone from Carousel

Bridal Party: Fields of Gold

Bride: Come Sail Away

Unity Candle: Annie's Song

Recessional: Wedding March

Bridal Party: When You Wish Upon a Star from Pinocchio

Bride: I'm Wishing

Unity Candle: Candle on the Water from Pete's Dragon

Recessional: Can You Feel the Love Tonight from The Lion King

Bridal Party: Only Time

Bride: Bridal Chorus (Here Comes the Bride)

Unity Candle: The Prayer from Quest for Camelot

Recessional: You Raise Me Up

Bridal Party: In My Life

Bride: And I Love Her

Unity Candle: Grow Old Along with Me

Recessional: All You Need is Love

Bridal Party: Suogan

Bride: Mairi's Wedding

Unity Candle: O Danny Boy

Recessional: Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral

Bridal Party: Moon River from Breakfast at Tiffany's

Bride: Keeper of the Stars

Unity Candle: Glitter in the Air

Recessional: Fly Me to the Moon



Chicago Harpist ~ Corporate Open House Music

Jeff and I were delighted to play harp duets for a reception for the Oklahoma Foundation for Digestive Research!  The open house was held at the Swissotel in downtown Chicago, in their Edelweiss Penthouse on the 43rd floor.  I can't think of a better way to spend a Monday evening!

From where we set up the harps, we overlooked the Chicago river and Navy Pier (remember the wedding I played in the Crystal Gardens last summer?)!

As always, we arrived extra early.  We always build in an extra hour or two of time when we are faced with the unpredictability of Chicago traffic and parking downtown.  The Swissotel, however, makes it easy with valet parking right at the front door.  Once we were done playing, we were able to take the harps down the elevator all the way to the garage, and were quickly on our way.

You just can't beat this backdrop for your party!  The Edelweiss Penthouse is perfect for cocktail parties, open houses, and small wedding receptions.  All of the guests (and the harpists!) enjoyed the lake and city views.

We provided background music for two hours while the guests enjoyed cocktails, appetizers, desserts, and coffee.  We played a few classical and Irish pieces, but it was mostly popular music.  Some favorites were "Can't Help Falling in Love", "Yesterday", and of course (considering the name of the Penthouse)  ~ "Edelweiss" from The Sound of Music.

The room was decorated with black linens and spring floral arrangements with yellow and pink roses mixed with green hydrangeas.  Since everyone attending had to be back on a plane to Oklahoma the next morning, the hosts sent us home with one.  It matches our living room perfectly!

Jeff and I perform both professionally as harp soloists and in a visually and acoustically impressive harp duet.  We are available throughout Chicago and the suburbs for parties, weddings, and concerts.  Visit our website, Chicago Harpist, or call 1-877-HARP-578 to find out more.  We'd love to work with you to make your event a success!

South Bend Harpist ~ Mother's Day Fashion Show Music

On the Saturday before Mother's Day, the Village at Arborwood hosted their third annual fashion show.  The clothing was provided by the Dress Barn and Fashion Bug, and the models were the directors and residents of Arborwood.  Everyone had a great time!

I provided harp music as guests arrived and were served a luncheon of sandwiches and fresh fruit.  After they were finished eating, the fashion show began.  The activity director described the clothing, and then the models walked up and down the aisle to the music of the harp.  At the end of the afternoon, one of the ladies came up and told me how much she enjoyed the pieces I played ~ she recognized most of them, and then sang the Gershwin song "Someone to Watch Over Me" along with the harp!

If you are looking for a South Bend harpist, please contact us!  Jeff and I provide music for weddings, receptions, parties & other programs throughout Northern Indiana. 

Website:  http://www.theclassicharpist.com/
Toll-free:  1-877-HARP-578

Memorial Service & Funeral Music ~ Northern Indiana Harpist

It is always a special honor to be asked to provide music for funerals and memorial services.  There is something so ethereal about the harp that it lends itself perfectly for these solemn occasions.  The music of the harp is truly uplifting, and can soothe the grieving.

This was a memorial service arranged by the Center for Hospice Care in South Bend to honor those who had passed away during the last six months.  The service was held in Plymouth, Indiana, at the First United Church of Christ.  I played a variety of hymns, classical pieces, and Celtic tunes as people gathered in the church, and also an instrumental solo ("Pie Jesu" from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Requiem) during a time for reflection. 

The service included a candle lighting ceremony and a reading of the names of those who had passed away.  The conclusion of the service was singing "Let There be Peace On Earth", which I accompanied on the piano.  Hospice volunteers provided cookies and snacks for a reception in the church's fellowship hall.

Jeff and I provide music for funerals, visitations, graveside services and memorial services throughout the Midwest.  We are also available for last-minute bookings, and will work with your church musicians.  Please visit our website, http://www.theclassicharpist.com/, or call us at 1-877-HARP-578 to find out more about how the harp can fit in with your plans.

Chicago Wedding Music ~ Itasca Country Club Wedding Harpist

Sarah and James planned for an outdoor wedding ceremony, but the rain that threatened throughout the day pushed the ceremony inside.  Both the ceremony and reception took place at the Itasca Country Club in Itasca, Illinois.  Fortunately, they have a beautiful room overlooking the golf course that they had set up for the ceremony.  It's not too far away from O'Hare airport, and we heard lots of planes fly overhead! 

The colors of dark purple and light green appeared in the flowers, linens, and bridesmaid dresses.  A friend of the couple performed the ceremony ~ his first!  During the prelude, the bride requested all classical music.  For the bridal party processional, she chose an Imogen Heap song, "Hide and Seek".  If there is a piece you would like played that isn't on my repertoire list, let me know!  Most special requests can be accommodated.  For the bride's processional, she went more traditional with Pachelbel's "Canon in D".

There were three readings during the ceremony, all given by family members of the bride and groom.  The first was Elizabeth Barrett Browning's "Sonnets from the Portuguese 14":

If thou must love me, let it be for naught

Except for love's sake only.  Do not say

I love her for her smile her look her way

Of speaking gently, for a trick of thought

That falls in well with mine, and certes brought

A sense of pleasant ease on such a day

For these things in themselves, Beloved, may

Be changed, or change for thee, and love, so wrought,

May be unwrought so.  Neither love me for

Thine own dear pity's wiping my cheeks dry,

A creature might forget to weep, who bore

Thy comfort long, and lose thy love thereby!

But love me for love's sake, that evermore

Thou mayst love on, through love's eternity.

This was followed by "The Presence of Love" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Song of Solomon 8:6-7.  During the lighting of the unity candle, I played "Hymne" by the Greek composer Vangelis.  After they were presented to their guests as husband and wife, they recessed to "Your Song".  This Elton John song was also playing over the piped-in music as we headed through the restaurant to the cocktail hour!

The rain held off long enough for the cocktail hour to go ahead on the outdoor patio.  If it looks like rain, this is a great compromise!  The ceremony requires much more set-up with chairs, candles, and flowers.  Moving all of that inside quickly can't happen easily, if at all.  The cocktail hour only required the set-up of the bars, and they are on wheels.  If it started to rain, everyone could have gotten back inside quickly! 

No pictures of the harp set up for the cocktail hour, unfortunately.  It was so windy, I had my hands full keeping the harp and music stand from blowing over!

The play-list for the cocktail hour was all contemporary and popular songs:

• Edelweiss from The Sound of Music
• Hey Soul Sister by Train
• Music of the Night from Phantom of the Opera
• Part of Your World from The Little Mermaid
• Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin
• Storybook Love from The Princess Bride
• You Belong with Me by Taylor Swift
• Think of Me from Phantom of the Opera
• Yesterday by The Beatles
• All You Need is Love by The Beatles
• With a Little Help From My Friends by The Beatles
• Can You Feel the Love Tonight from The Lion King
• Let it Be by The Beatles
• In Dreams from Lord of the Rings

As professional wedding harpists, Jeff and I frequently perform for weddings and parties throughout Chicago and the suburbs.  Please contact us at 1-877-HARP-578 or visit our website, Chicago Wedding Harpist, for more information.

Music from the Royal Wedding

Yes, I got up at 4:00 am to watch Prince William and Kate get married!  I had seen the ceremony program a couple of days before, and was especially excited to hear the music they had selected.  They stayed away from the most traditional wedding pieces, but kept the music classical or sacred, and appropriate for the church service.  The great majority of pieces chosen by the couple were written by British composers.

With a guest list nearing two thousand people, their prelude was longer than most to allow for all of the guests to enter and find their seats.  Pre-service organ solo music included:

• Fantasia in G; Johann Sebastian Bach
• Veni Creator Spiritus; Sir Peter Maxwell Davies
• Prelude on St. Columba, Op. 28; Sir Charles Villiers Stanford
• Sonata for Organ, Op. 28 (Allegro maestoso & Allegretto); Edward Elgar

The solo organ portion of the prelude was followed by several orchestral pieces:

• Serenade for Strings in E Minor, Op. 20; Edward Elgar
• Courtly Dance V: Galliard from Gloriana (Symphonic Suite), Op. 53a, No. 7; Benjamin Britten
• Fantasia on Greensleeves; Ralph Vaughan Williams (which has a beautiful harp & flute duet!)
• Farewell to Stromness; Sir Peter Maxwell Davies
• On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring; Frederick Delius
• Touch Her Soft Lips and Part (Henry V Suite); William Walton
• Romance for String Orchestra, Op. 11; Gerald Finzi

The final three pieces were played at the wedding service of Prince Charles and Camilla in 2005.  This was followed by one final organ selection, "Canzona" from Organ Sonata in C Minor by Percy Whitlock. 

A trumpet fanfare announced the arrival of the Queen, who entered to "March" from The Birds by Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry.  The processional for the clergy was "Prelude on Rhosymedre" by Ralph Vaughan Williams, and the bride entered to "I was Glad", also composed by Parry.  This piece was played during the wedding of Prince Charles & Diana in 1981.

Three hymns were sung during the service, beginning with "Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer".  The other two hymns were "Love Divine All Loves Excelling" and "Jerusalem", which is a very popular hymn in England due to the words of one of the verses (written by William Blake):

And did those feet in ancient time

Walk upon England's mountains green

And was the holy lamb of God

On England's pleasant pastures seen

And did the countenance divine

Shine forth upon our clouded hills

And was Jerusalem builded here

Among those dark Satanic mills

Bring me my bow of burning gold

Bring me my arrows of desire

Bring me my spears o'clouds unfold

Bring me my chariot of fire

I will not cease from mental fight

Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand

'Til we have built Jerusalem

In England's green and pleasant land

Most people don't get to have pieces specially commissioned for their ceremony, but this wasn't a "regular" wedding!  The choral anthem, "This is the day which the Lord has made", was composed for the occasion by British composer John Rutter.  It was followed by another choral piece, a motet "Ubi Caritas" by the Welsh composer Paul Mealor.  The national anthem, "God Save the Queen" was sung by the congregation after the signing of the register.

A second trumpet fanfare ("Valiant and Brave", another piece composed just for this service) signalled the end of the ceremony and the beginning of the recessional.  The bride and groom exited Westminster Abbey to "Crown Imperial" by William Walton.  "Toccata" from Symphonie V by Charles-Marie Widor and "Pomp and Circumstance" by Edward Elgar (another one from the wedding of Charles & Diana) played as the guests exited the ceremony.

During the Queen's reception at Buckingham Palace, guests enjoyed a luncheon accompanied by harp music.  A few years ago, Prince Charles reinstated the position of Royal Harpist to the Price of Wales.  The harpist currently holding the position, Claire Jones, was thrilled to perform for the occasion!  The couple chose a variety of classical pieces and Welsh folk songs to highlight their ties with the country.

You can also have a bit of the royal treatment with a harpist at your wedding or reception.  Contact us for more information about how the harp can make your event memorable and unique.  Visit our website (http://www.theclassicharpist.com/) for more information, or call 1-877-HARP-578.