Bringing a Touch of Elegance...

Good Morning lovely people! I've spent the last 24 hours discussing music choices for a wedding this Spring with a lovely bride and, to match the elegance of the wedding, we've settled on a subtle string quartet to supply the music.

It got me thinking about how music can reflect the style of a wedding and how quite often, elegance and sophistication is associated with string quartets (though as a brass musician I know we are just as sophisticated!).

Thanks to the powers of being a professional musician for many years I've been so lucky to meet and work with some amazing musicians, but a few weeks ago I happened upon a lovely London and South-Eastern based string quartet called Carnaby Strings.

Consisting of four beautiful ladies (apologies gents as all this week's musicians have been female, but superiority, bias and all that!), the group have been working and performing together since their days of musical studies. Each, in their own right, are talented and sought after musicians, performing for some of London's most famous musical establishments such as English National Opera, Royal Opera House, BBC Concert Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and numerous West End Shows and they join together to create some stunning music through the medium of Carnaby Strings.

Tailoring each event perfectly, the ladies offer a wide selection and genres of music for weddings, private functions and corporate events and they have performed at weddings and events at some of the most distinguished of venues. Just check out the venue list on their website! Ranges from The Ritz and The Dorchester to The Houses of Parliament.

With quite obvious style and class, there's no doubting they would offer the most fabulous touch of elegance to your wedding and the sounds they provide could be the most fabulous accompaniment to processionals, recessionals and reception music.

Do you have dreams of walking down the aisle to Pachalbel's Canon? Click here, have a listen, close your eyes and imagine... http://soundcloud.com/carnaby-strings/carnaby-strings-johann

Or are you looking for something different to lift the spirits of your guests, a perhaps of Dionne Warwick perhaps? http://soundcloud.com/carnaby-strings/carnaby-strings-walk-on-by

You can hear and see for yourselves how beautiful this string group sounds and looks and they will not disappoint, working closely with you to make your experience perfect, and that's what we love about all our musicians we feature, the personal musical touch to make your day perfect.

For more info on Carnaby Strings get in touch with me at expressivoweddingmusic@gmail.com or check out Carnaby Strings website at http://carnabystrings.co.uk/

The new 'Sunday Sounds' featuring Lyndsey and Mark

It's Sunday and it was fantastic waking up with the window open and birds singing; true sounds of spring and I love it!

I'm looking forward to today; a day of musical rehearsals and then relax time for the evening before two weeks of intense music-making. Therefore, I have decided that we need to make the most of the few hours relaxation we get on a Sunday, so I am re-naming Sunday 'Sunday Sounds.' The day when we get to listen to some great sounds and music.

My plan is to find you some great accessible music to listen to from the traditional to a little different, hopefully it will give you some ideas and inspiration, either for your own wedding or just inspiration of some great music to listen to.

So, where shall we start? Let's start at the beginning, with the traditional and for the Processional (the bit where the bride walks down the aisle!) sometimes there is nothing better than the sounds of Trumpet Voluntary by Jeremiah Clarke. Now I might be biased as I'm a trumpet player but it is superb!

This version is the fantastic London Symphony Orchestra performing the classic piece of music.

Lyndsey and Mark and the salute from the Slaithwaite Band

In December 2012 two lovely people, Lyndsey and Mark, married in the beautiful Yorkshire town of Holmfirth and by request from Lyndsey, she walked down the aisle to Trumpet Voluntary, played by me on this occasion and accompanied by the Slaithwaite Brass Band, the band which Mark plays with and Lyndsey is one of the 'WAGS!'

It was a fantastic day, even in December the sun shone and the music was so special, mainly because it was performed by friends and people who love the gorgeous young couple, and they had a fantastic trumpet player too!

Their service music also consisted of hymn tunes including Shine Jesus Shine and a fantastic, but slightly unusual choice of recessional music (the going out bit!) of a march called Killaloe, which is the regimental march of the Royal Irish Regiment.

This was chosen not because of any real connection to the Military but purely because Mark had played it several times when a member of a brass band and loved it. It's a rousing finish to any concert or musical event and I think it made the perfect finale to this wedding. Have a listen here and see what you think:

Music played such an important part in the wedding day of Lyndsey and Mark, with the Slaithwaite Band also playing at the evening reception, before a DJ took over the evening.

A mix of the traditional and unusual, enjoy the Sunday Sounds  that made Lyndsey and Mark's wedding perfect.

Love
Tabby xxx

Picture courtesy of Karen Walton Photography