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Frequently Asked Questions |
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Frequently Asked Questions |
Table of Contents
- Why should I hire you for my wedding instead of another trumpeter?
- How far will you travel to play a wedding?
- If you are not available for my wedding, can you find another trumpeter to play for me?
- How can I hear you play before hiring you?
- How many weddings have you played?
- How do I book you to play my wedding?
- What will you wear to play at my wedding?
- I want trumpet music in my ceremony, but I don't want to have to pick each piece of music. If I tell you at which moments I want trumpet music, will you pick appropriate musical selections?
- I am using the resident organist and/or singer from the church where my ceremony will take place. Can you work with musicians whom you have never met?
- What is your fee?
- Do you expect to be fed at the wedding reception?
- Will you come to the wedding rehearsal?
- Do you play outside?
- Do you perform at receptions in addition to wedding ceremonies?
- Do I need to know the duration of each musical selection in order to time the various moments in the ceremony such as the start of each segment of the procession?
- Is there anyone else I should consult about the musical selections in my ceremony?
- If I contract you to play my wedding ceremony, do I need to hire any other musicians?
- Do we need to meet in person to discuss the music for my ceremony?
- If I book you for my ceremony only, how much of your time do I get?
- How far in advance can I contract you to play my wedding?
- How long have you been playing weddings?
- Can you coordinate with my wedding planner or the music director at my church?
- Can you play a piece of music not listed in your Wedding Music Planning Tool?
- Do you need amplification?
- What equipment do I need to provide for you (and your fellow musicians)?
- My wedding ceremony will be in a church and I want brass quintet or trumpet and string quartet to provide the music. Should I have an organist and a singer there also?
- How long before the ceremony do you begin playing prelude music?
Why should I hire you for my wedding instead of another trumpeter?
I recommend that you listen to some of the clips on my Sound Samples page. The most important tool you have to help you pick a musician is your ear, so listen for a few minutes and get to know my playing. If you like what you hear, you should know that many "Wedding Trumpeters" or "Ceremonial Trumpeters" focus more on the business side of playing weddings than on the art of making music. As you can see from my biography and resume, I do much more than play weddings. My demanding concert schedule requires me to practice four to five hours every day (in addition to concerts and rehearsals) to continually improve (not just maintain) my musical and technical ability. I have been trained by some of the finest teachers in the world, and I am fortunate to have performed with many of the world's greatest musicians. I am also very experienced in playing weddings and will use that experience to make sure that you are delighted with the musical portion of this incredibly important day.
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How far will you travel to play a wedding?
While I make my home in Peabody, Massachusetts, I give performances, including weddings, all over New England.
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If you are not available for my wedding, can you find another trumpeter to play for me?
Yes. I am fortunate to have many talented and accomplished colleagues who often play for me when I am not available for a performance of any kind, including a wedding. My hard and fast rule is that I would never send a musician to someone else's wedding that I would not want to have perform at my own wedding. In fact, many of my colleagues did actually play at my wedding!
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How can I hear you play before hiring you?
The easiest ay to hear me play is to click on one of the links on my Sound Samples page. All of the clips in the first section are from live, unedited performances, so you can get an accurate picture of my playing. You can also go to my Calendar page and pick a concert to attend. Since not all of my orchestral concerts will have soloistic trumpet parts, I recommend checking with me first via email to make sure the performance you attend will give you a good opportunity to hear me play. If you do come to a performance, be sure to come back and say "hi" after the show!
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How many weddings have you played?
Hundreds.
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How do I book you to play my wedding?
Just fill out as much information as you can in the Wedding Music Planning Tool and click submit. I will then review your information and send you a reply email with my availability, a price quote, and any other questions or comments that I have. If you respond positively to that email, I will email you a contract which you can print, sign, and mail to me along with a deposit.
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What will you wear to play at my wedding?
That's up to you (within reason!). Most often, I wear a dark suit with a long tie, but I sometimes wear a tuxedo with black bowtie or even tails with white bowtie for very formal evening weddings. If you have a preference, be sure to make a selection in the appropriate section of the Wedding Music Planning Tool.
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I want trumpet music in my ceremony, but I don't want to have to pick each piece of music. If I tell you at which moments I want trumpet music, will you pick appropriate musical selections for me?
Certainly. While some people are very specific in their musical requests, others either don't have a preference or don't have the time to listen to each selection and make a choice. If you would like me to choose the music for you, just select "No preference" for that part of the ceremony in the Wedding Music Planning Tool.
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I am using the resident organist and/or singer from the church where my ceremony will take place. Can you create a polished product with musicians whom you have never met?
Yes. As long as each musician involved is experienced and well trained, it will sound like we have been playing together for years.
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What is your fee?
There are many factors that go into determining the fee for a wedding performance, including the number of musicians requested and the date and location of the wedding. When you complete and send the Wedding Music Planning Tool, I will include a price quote in my reply.
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Do you expect to be fed at the wedding reception?
No. I am not a guest at your wedding and I don't expect to be treated as one. I (and any other musicians I contract for you) will focus on making great music for you and your guests and eat elsewhere when we are done working.
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Will you come to the wedding rehearsal?
Hiring me to come to your wedding rehearsal is unnecessary and fairly expensive. That said, if I am available at the time of your rehearsal, I'd be happy to quote you a price for the additional service.
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Do you play outside?
Yes, with a few conditions. The temperature must be above 60 degrees and we need shelter from direct sun, precipitation, and high winds.
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Do you perform at receptions in addition to wedding ceremonies?
Yes. When I perform at a reception it is generally with my brass quintet. I can also perform at your reception as a solo trumpet with string quartet. If the same group of musicians performs for your ceremony, we can head over to the reception site at the conclusion of the recessional. If I perform at your wedding as a solo trumpet with organ, the rest of the brass quintet or the string quartet can meet me at the reception.
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Do I need to know the duration of each musical selection in order to time the various moments in the ceremony such as the start of each segment of the procession?
No. I will adjust the duration of each musical selection to fit with the timing of your ceremony so you don't have to worry about, for example, making it down the aisle in 49 seconds exactly.
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Is there anyone else I should consult about the musical selections in my ceremony?
I recommend that you discuss your musical selections with your officiant, your wedding planner (if you have one), and, if your ceremony will be in a church, the organist and/or music director of the church.
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If I contract you to play my wedding ceremony, do I need to hire any other musicians?
To get the best musical effect for your ceremony, you will need more than solo trumpet. Check the Wedding Music Planning Tool for some options. If your ceremony is in a church, I can provide an organist, or I can perform with your church's resident organist. I can also provide a second trumpet to play with the organ, a brass quintet, or a string quartet. For church ceremonies I recommend having an organist, even if you also have brass quintet or string quartet, and an organist and a singer are absolutely necessary for a wedding mass. If your ceremony is not in a church (which means no organ), you will want a brass quintet, or trumpet with string quartet.
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Do we need to meet in person to discuss the music for my ceremony?
No. We can consult by email, starting with the Wedding Music Planning Tool, and by telephone. If, however, you come to one of my concerts (see the Calendar section) please let me know that you will be there and come back and say "hi" at intermission or after the performance.
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If I book you for my ceremony only, how much of your time do I get?
The time of service will be specified in your contract. I generally allow 90 minutes from the beginning of the prelude (15 minutes before the ceremony) to the end of the recessional. Let me know in the comments section of the Wedding Music Planning Tool if you are planning an extra long ceremony, or if you expect to start later than the advertised time.
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How far in advance can I contract you to play my wedding?
The sooner, the better.
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How long have you been playing weddings?
I have been performing at weddings since 1988.
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Can you coordinate with my wedding planner or the music director at my church?
Yes, gladly. They can contact me directly by email or telephone. The job of your wedding professionals is to reduce your workload and stress level. You have more important things to do than relay messages among us.
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Can you play a piece of music not listed in your Wedding Music Planning Tool?
Probably. Just type the composer and title in the box next to "Other" in the appropriate section of the Wedding Music Planning Tool and I will address your request in my reply.
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The trumpet sound projects quite well so, unless you are getting married in Fenway Park, no amplification is necessary.
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What equipment do I need to provide for you (and your fellow musicians)?
We need one armless chair per musician, enough light to read our music, and shelter from direct sun, rain, and high winds.
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My wedding ceremony will be in a church and I want brass quintet or trumpet and string quartet to provide the music. Should I have an organist and a singer there also?
For a church ceremony, I recommend having an organist and, for a wedding mass, I recommend having a singer also to lead the congregation through the parts of the mass. Your officiant can advise you on this as well.
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How long before the ceremony do you begin playing prelude music?
Prelude music generally begins about 15 minutes before the processional. If you would like a longer prelude, please indicate that in the Special Requests section of the Wedding Music Planning Tool.