South Bend Harp Player ~ Open House Music

When you want to create an elegant atmosphere, the harp is the perfect choice to provide the background music for your event!  A law firm was holding a holiday open house for its clients, and hired me to be their harpist for the evening.

The event was held on the top floor of the Key Bank building in downtown South Bend.  The views over the city and Notre Dame campus were beautiful, and it was even better to watch the sun setting!  As the guests gathered and enjoyed cocktails and an hors d'oeuvre buffet, I played a variety of seasonal favorites.  With the harp, it's easy to go from "Silent Night" to "Silver Bells."

A holiday gathering is never complete without hearing everyone's favorite Christmas pieces.  I am available for holiday events and weddings anywhere in the Midwest, and would love to work with you and make yours one to remember!  Visit my website, The Classic Harpist, for information on including harp music in your plans.  Happy Holidays!

Kalamazoo Harpist ~ Christmas Music at the Comstock Library

The first event of the year when I get to bring out my holiday music is always an exciting time!  This year, it was for a holiday open house at the Comstock Township Library near Kalamazoo, Michigan.  The library staff went all out to make this a memorable occasion for their patrons of all ages.

As I played a variety of Christmas and Chanukah songs, people gathered around to listen.  Some kids even gave me special requests for their favorites!  There were also cookies, cider, a visit from Mrs. Claus, and my favorite - reindeer!  They might have upstaged me a little, but I didn't mind!

This was also the first time I tried out using the sheet music I've stored on my iPad instead of a binder full of music.  It took some getting used to (I only tried to flip it over to turn the page once), but I loved having so much music available in such a small package.  When you're moving a huge harp around, it's a benefit to downsize everything else whenever possible!

For holiday events, the harp can provide for all of your musical needs.  From traditional Christmas carols to modern popular pieces and Chanukah selections, even a sing-along is possible!  Visit my website, Kalamazoo Harpist, for more information on having a harpist for your celebration.

Goshen Harpist ~ Wedding Ceremony at Liberty Community Church

We love it when we get to work with the same families for multiple weddings.  In 2006, Devon was the harpist for the groom's sister's wedding, and I was happy to get to play for them this time around!  Heather and David were married at Liberty Community Church in Goshen, Indiana.

The entrance of the wedding party and the family was packed full of wonderful song choices.  The processional began with the grandparents and parents entering to "You are My Sunshine."  The mothers of the bride and groom then walked to the alter to light the side unity candles.  While they were doing this, I played "In My Life" by the Beatles. 

Next came the bridesmaids' entrance.  For these processionals, Heather went more modern with the bridesmaids entering to "Glitter in the Air" by Pink.  The flower girls and ring bearers had their own entrance music, the Disney song, "It's a Small World."  The bride then made her entrance to "Marry Me" by Train.

During the ceremony, I provided music for the lighting of the unity candle.  The song of choice for this moment was "I'll Be" by Edwin McCain.  The bride and groom made their exit to "Love Story" by Taylor Swift.

If you are interested in having harp music for your Goshen area wedding, please visit our website, Elkhart County Wedding Harpist.  We can provide traditional, non-traditional, or any mix for your ceremony music!

Tiffin, Ohio Harpist ~ Wedding at the Ohio Memorial Chapel

This year, our November brides have enjoyed better weather than our summer weddings had!  The Saturday after Thanksgiving was another gorgeous fall day.  Erin and Jeremy held their wedding ceremony at the Ohio Memorial Chapel in Tiffin, Ohio.  The chapel is beautiful, and it has great acoustics! 

They opted for a harp & piano duet as their ceremony music.  The pianist was Joy Morin, and if you are looking for a piano teacher or performer in the Bowling Green area, you should contact her (http://pianostudio.joymorin.com/)!

The prelude was primarily popular pieces, such as "Can't Help Falling in Love," "I Cross My Heart," and "The Wedding Song."  With the harp & piano duet, we alternated who played the melody and who played the accompaniment.  It was a lot of fun to work with such a talented musician who was able to improvise and really make the music come alive! 

Because of where the piano was located, I had to set up the harp almost behind the pulpit.  It made it a little hard to see, but the pastor was wonderful about giving us cues!

When she let us know that the mothers were ready to enter, we played Bach's "Prelude in C."  The processional music for the bridal party and bride was "Canon in D" by Pachelbel.  As the couple lit the unity candle, we played "The Prayer" from Quest for Camelot.  The recessional to conclude the ceremony was "Ode to Joy" by Beethoven.  We continued the upbeat music with the postlude selections, including "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" and "You Are My Sunshine."

Whether as a solo harpist or working with other musicians (violin, cello, flute, piano, trumpet, or anything else you can imagine), I love providing music for weddings!  Stop by my website, Ohio Wedding Harpist, or call 1-877-HARP-578 to tell me more about your plans and how the harp can fit in with them.

Harp Music for the Holidays

During the month of December, we always have several performances that are open to the public.  If you'd like a change to hear the harp in person, this is a wonderful opportunity! 

Everything listed is free and open to the public.  If you need any more information about attending one of these events, please call us at 1-877-HARP-578 or send us an email.  We'd love to meet you and share some of our favorite Christmas, Chanukah, and other seasonal music with you!

• December 3rd:  1:00-3:00 pm, Comstock Township Library, Comstock, Michigan

• December 11th:  2:00-3:00 pm, Peabody Public Library, Columbia City, Indiana

• December 15th:  5:00-6:00 pm, German Township Library, South Bend, Indiana

• December 17th:  2:00-3:00 pm, Harris Branch Library, Granger, Indiana

• December 24th:  7:00 pm (pre-service music starts at 6:30), Christmas Eve Service, First Christian Church, Mattoon, Illinois

We also have openings for bookings for private events, so contact us or visit our website to find out about having a harpist for your family or company party!

Harp music for a Christmas Open House at the Embassy Theatre, Fort Wayne, Indiana

Indianapolis Harpist ~ Wedding Music at the Benton House

I've never done the whole shopping in the middle of the night thing on Black Friday ~ I'd much rather spend that time at a wedding!  Sayla and John chose the day after Thanksgiving for their intimate wedding ceremony in Indianapolis.  The historic Benton House ~ newly decorated for Christmas ~ was a lovely setting for the ceremony.  Their peacock feather theme was incorporated in their corsages, floral arrangements, ceremony readings, and guest favors.

Harp prelude greeted guests as they arrived, and when the bridal party entered, I played "Ave Maria" by Franz Schubert.  After a few words of welcome from the officiant, the bride entered to the traditional "Bridal Chorus" ~ also known as "Here Comes the Bride" ~ by Richard Wagner.  During the ceremony, they had a moment of reflection during which I played "Unchained Melody."  The recessional to conclude the ceremony was "My Heart Will Go On" from Titanic.

From small ceremonies to grand receptions, having a harpist provide the music for your event adds a special touch!  Visit my website ~ Indianapolis Harpist ~ or call 1-877-HARP-578 for more information or a quote for your event.

Crown Point Harpist ~ Harp Music for a Baby Shower

A harpist for a baby shower?  Yes, the harp provides a beautiful and soothing sound that is perfect for a baby shower luncheon! On November 12, I provided a variety of musical selections as family and friends celebrated their soon to be growing family.  This was the first grandchild for the dad's parents, so they were extra excited!  Some selections that I played included modern pop pieces, Christian children's songs, and classic lullabies. 

The harp is a perfect instrument for any occasion.  Whether you are planning a large wedding, small social event, or a baby shower, visit our website, Crown Point Harp Music, to see how we can make your event better!