Going to the Chapel Wedding Musicians

Instrumental - Duo, Instrumental - Solo, Instrumental - Trio, Soloist / Vocalist

Organ, Piano

Black tuxedo. For Scottish weddings I often wear my Navy blue tartan sash (over the shoulder) and Celtic broches.

You may hear me live by special appointment. I offer free initial consultation at my church.

If bringing my own gear, I need 30 minutes. The best arrangement is for me to leave my equipment set up from the rehearsal.

An 8 x 6 area near an electrical outlet.

Over 20 miles from Brentwood, there's a $30 fee plus mileage.

Q: How much is it to also get a singer or violinist? A: Nashville musicians on average charge in the $200-300 range per event. You’re Not Walking Down the Aisle in "Just Any Old Dress"... So Don’t Play Down the Ceremony Music! by James A. Weinberg I marvel at how selecting live music for one’s ceremony often takes a back seat to choosing flowers, gowns and other physical elements. But after years of watching brides during the planning stages, I’ve concluded they don’t really mean to undervalue music, but often feel ignorant or intimidated. Don’t worry—I won’t go into a discourse on the Importance of Music here. Let me just say that well-chosen, well-played music keeps your guests entertained and moves everyone into place at the right time. It gets you in and out with an air of elegance and dignity. Even though it may seem fleeting and ephemeral, music is as concrete a presence at your ceremony as the candles and boutonnieres. When you play back your video for years to come, guess what’s in the background? A soundtrack! Make it as much a priority as planning the other details. "But I don’t know anything about music!" So what do you do when you don’t know Mozart from Beethoven, and find it easier to buy matching gloves for the bridesmaids than select your wedding march? This is where a knowledgeable wedding coordinator and/or a music planner will be of great assistance. As you shop around, beware of sites or vendors who only focus on reception music. There’s more to a wedding than the party afterwards! I know of one statewide association whose music page mentions nothing about the ceremony—only celebrating when it’s over. In a similar vein, don’t let a DJ talk you into doing your ceremony. Playing a CD in place of live music is like wearing blue jeans down the aisle. "What can I expect from a musician?" Some musicians place restrictions on what is considered proper for ceremonies. This is an injustice to the client. That’s why it’s so important to communicate with musicians before hiring. Find out if he’ll play ’Evergreen’ during the prelude. Ask if she can play the Widor ’Toccata’ for the postlude. View their websites. Contact their references. After you pick someone, you and your fiance should have your musician audition pieces from their repertoire, or may listen to recordings and inform them of your choices by phone or email. Couples frequently elect to have me choose their music, but I feel it’s important for the music to have personal meaning. You can greatly assist the process prior to the consultation by listening to and identifying the style of music which most appeals to your tastes. Specific composers (like ’Schubert’) and periods (like ’Romantic’) and names of works (such as ’Ave Maria’) will greatly aid the organist and make the consultation session more productive. Many wedding music sites list suggested pieces with sound samples, so a bride doesn’t have to take an Intro to Music course to make educated choices. In fact, you don’t have to know anything about what you’re listening to at all. The main criterion is that you like it! After all, it’s a matter of taste, and it’s your day. Visit websites like Amazon.com that sell CDs where you can search for wedding music and hear 30 second clips. I also encourage couples to bring sheet music of favorite songs, tapes, or programs from other weddings when we meet for a consultation. "Can I have him play country?" If you are having your ceremony in a church, use discretion when requesting love songs and other secular music, keeping in mind the sacred nature of the event and place. Your minister or wedding coordinator might offer guidance on this subject as well. Rules defining restrictions vary from church to church, so ultimately these decisions should be made in conjunction with the officiating minister. If your ceremony is at a mansion, country club, garden, or is simply less religious in tone, find musicians who are open to non-traditional styles of music. Plan ahead. There has to be time for your musicians to obtain sheet music for specially requested songs, to work out arrangements, and to practice! Communicate! Stay in touch with your organist or music planner. If you have a wedding coordinator, make sure she keeps in contact with your musicians. One last word of advice: Take your rehearsal seriously. The walk-through of the bridesmaids’ processional, bridal march, and recessional should be done in real time to give the organist or other performers a sense of exactly how much is required to get people from point A to point B. It also alerts the bridal party to their cues so everything runs smoothly. About James A native of Rochester, New York, James began piano lessons at age 5, first with his mother and then at several prominent studios including the Eastman School of Music. Following high school, he entered SUNY Fredonia as an organ major, later transferring to Stetson University in Deland, Florida. While raising a young family, he attended Peabody Teachers College in Nashville as a music education major, followed by a tour of duty in the Navy as a Journalist Seaman. Upon discharge, James spent 7 years in radio broadcasting, most of them as a classical announcer and producer at WPLN-FM. In 1985, he completed a bachelor’s degree in church music (cum laude) from Belmont College, and a few years later returned for graduate work with an emphasis in K-6 methodology. A master’s in music education was conferred in 1991 from Belmont University. James has worked for churches of every major denomination and currently holds the post of choirmaster-organist at Holy Cross Anglican Church in Franklin, where he maintains a private piano studio with two dozen students DBA "James' Music Studio". He and his wife of 37 years, Carol, an artist, gardener and homemaker, have two grown children--Benjamin and Rebecca--and live with their two cats and poodle Isaac in Brentwood.