Melodious Strings would love to have the honor
of assisting you to create the best musical atmosphere and experience
for you and your event.
"Kate was very helpful and quick to respond to our questions. With the 1000 other decisions being made for our day, we greatly appreciated her checking in with us from time to time to keep us moving forward with this aspect of our wedding. Thanks Kate!"
-Carter Ward, groom at Delfosse Vineyards, in Faber ,Virginia.
"Working with Kate to arrange this event was delightfully simple. The music was beautiful and much appreciated by all of our guests. Thank you for sharing your talent."
-Sister Kathy Ulrich at "Our Lady of the Angels" monastery in Crozet, Virginia (new building dedication)
"...I got compliments from a ton of people who were watching the ceremony! They were a pleasure to work with...they collaborated with me and answered all my questions to create the playlist for the ceremony..."
-Bailey, bride at Wintergreen Resort in Roseland, Virginia
Q: What string ensembles do you offer?
A: We offer a variety of string ensembles, including but not limited to:
-String quartets (standard violin/violin/viola/cello)
- -String trios (standard violin/viola/cello)
- -String duets (we offer violin/cello, violin/viola, violin/violin, and viola/cello)
- -Soloists (we offer solo violinists, violists, and cellists)
- We also offer custom ensembles if the client's needs and requests differ from the standard options above.
Q: Will a contract be provided?
A: Yes, a contract which contains payment details, location, times, etc. is sent to the client once the booking has been confirmed.
Q: Is a deposit required?
A: Yes, a non-refundable deposit that is taken from the overall quote (not in addition to it) is required once an ensemble has been officially booked for your event. We accept deposits via a check/checks or money orders sent by mail, or a digital deposit via PayPal.
Q: Will musicians come to rehearsals?
A: Musicians can come to rehearsals for an extra fee if schedules allow and the rehearsal location is not too far (mileage rates may apply past a 2 hour commute (2 hours combined from both ways). If preferred, one of our musicians can attend as a group representative.
Q: What will the musicians wear?
A: Unless otherwise specified/requested, our string ensembles perform in formal, wedding-appropriate attire in all concert-black. We can also do business/ business casual appropriate attire if desired. Just let us know what you need and we'll make it work for you!
Q: When will musicians arrive for an event?
A: Our musicians will arrive at least a half an hour before the official start time of the performance to ensure proper set up and to discuss any final logistical details with the planner, officiant, director, etc.
Q: How will musicians know when to change selections during a wedding ceremony?
A: The musicians will need cues from a wedding coordinator or another appointed person to know when the various processionals of the different wedding parties are ready to begin. A program or script is also useful if available.
Q: What are the musicians’ qualifications?
A: All members of the Melodious Strings Ensemble are professional musicians who have been classically trained at respected and prestigious programs and universities across the country and are active performers with many local orchestras and ensembles.
Q: How soon should I book?
A: Sooner is better, as preferred dates fill up very quickly, and we are often booked as far as a year and a half in advance. Saturdays in April, May, June, September, and October, get filled up the most quickly first. We are already filling up our dates as far as October 2023 as well.
Q: Can the musicians perform outside?
A: Yes! However, there are sometimes weather conditions that are not instrument-friendly. We cannot perform outside if any of the following conditions are present:
- Any type of precipitation
- Direct sunlight when outdoors (lack of shade)
- Excessive humidity
- Below 60 degrees Fahrenheit
Q: Does Melodious Strings provide amplification and/or microphones?
A: We do not currently provide amplification for our ensembles. However, we find that for ceremonies, amplification is not usually necessary, as the ensemble is positioned closely off of one corner of the ceremony location, and there is little competition for noise during the ceremony. For cocktail hour, we typically recommended hiring a larger ensemble such as a trio or or quartet to better project their sound in the louder environment of the cocktail hour.
Q: Can pieces be performed that are not on your repertoire lists?
A: Yes, absolutely! We take custom requests all the time. For repertoire requests that we do not already have available on our repertoire lists, we are currently including 3 new custom arrangements with any of our wedding packages for no additional fee. More than three new custom arrangements are charged separately, and are subject to time available to arrange them.
We do ask that if you have more than 3 new custom arrangement requests that are not already listed on our repertoire lists that you give us minimally 90 days notice so that we have adequate time to arrange and rehearse the new music. 3 or fewer arrangement requests require at least 45 days notice so that we have time to arrange and rehearse the new repertoire.
We will also learn up to 3 new repertoire requests for the events (for pieces that already have sheet music available). The client would be responsible for purchasing the sheet music. We are happy to research for you to find what sheet music is available for your requested repertoire, and to send you the links for purchasing. More than three new repertoire requests for pieces with sheet music already available are charged separately to cover rehearsal time and traveling to rehearsals in addition to the cost of the sheet music, and are subject to how much time we have available to do so.
For 1-3 new repertoire requests to learn (for sheet music already available) we need the sheet music at least 90 days prior to the event. More than three pieces need additional time for rehearsing, and are subject to how much time we have available to learn the new music.
Q: Can the ensemble accompany a soloist?
A: Yes! For an additional fee, our ensembles can accompany a soloist. For each additional soloist would be an additional, separate fee. We would also either need the instrumental parts to accompany the soloist, or to receive the vocal/piano score that the soloist uses at least 2 months prior to the event so that we can arrange the string ensemble accompaniment accordingly. This fee does not cover rehearsal on a separate date besides the event date-the ensemble would arrive early prior to the event on the day of to rehearse and run through the piece with the soloist.
Q: Do you provide event insurance?
A: Yes! As of May 2019, we are pleased to announce that we now provide event insurance for every one of our events, and it is included in every package for no additional cost. Just let us know if your venue requires it and we'll be happy to email them an insurance certificate specifically covering your event date.
Q: How much do you charge for your services?
A: We charge based on the type of ensemble being booked and the location of the event. Even though the musicians of Melodious Strings met at James Madison University, we have moved ever outwards as we have graduated, so travel fees are incorporated into our quotes as well. For instance, one of our primary cellists resides in West Virginia, our primary violists, from the Shenandoah Valley, and our two primary violinists reside in northern Virginia. To receive a custom quote for your event, contact us with:
- Your service needs (wedding, anniversary, luncheon, gala, etc.)
- If you have a specific type of ensemble you are wishing to book (quartet, quintet, trio, duet, soloist, etc.)
- Time frame and the date the ensemble is needed for, and
- Your event location/venue
With this information, we can provide you with a custom quote or set of quotes as requested in a timely manner.
Q: What type of payment does Melodious Strings accept and what is your payment policy?
A: We accept check, money order, cash, or PayPal. Payment is due either as soon as the service is fulfilled or before. If payment is mailed via check, we request that the check be mailed out minimally 2 weeks prior to the event.
Q: Cancellation Policy
A: We ask that any cancellations be made at two weeks prior to the event to avoid paying for the full balance of the service. If a cancellation is made less than two weeks before an event, the full balance is owed to the ensemble listed in the contract.
Q: Do the musicians need to be provided with anything?
A: Armless chairs for the musicians will need to be provided, and if outdoors, appropriate shade and/or shelter, as string instruments are very susceptible to the outdoor elements. Melodious Strings will provide the sheet music and music stands.
If you have any other questions, do not hesitate to contact us for more information.
A Melodious Strings Solo Violinist performed at Sorella Farms in Evington, Virginia.
Alina Thomas Photography |
"I feel extremely lucky to have found Kate to perform our wedding ceremony music. She was a pleasure to work with from start to finish. Kate was very informative and willing to help me plan out music for each part of our ceremony. She was very open to my ideas and offered her opinions which I really appreciated. Wedding planning can be so stressful and having someone like Kate to work with really helped ease my mind. She was easily my favorite vendor! We received so many compliments on the ceremony music and I could not stop singing her praises." |
Header photo by Jen Fariello at Montalto.