What's Up With That Gig?

How to Package and Price Your Services

noreply@blogger.com (Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:18:00 +0000

Design three basic performance packages.

Why three? Read below:

The Highest Cost Package—
This contains your most performance time available for a wedding and all extra services you’re willing to provide. Because it’s your premium package, you’ll want to price it as such.

The Lowest Cost Package—
This enables brides who have very small weddings or very small budgets to afford your services. This package is your minimum—your minimum of how much time you will perform and the minimum of what the bride can afford to pay you. This package is the answer to the bride’s question of, “What is your minimum?”

The Best Value Package—
This package is in the middle of your price range. When a cost-conscious bride finds out that there isn’t that much included in your lowest cost package, she’ll be willing to pay a little more to receive more value.

Copyright © 2008 by Anne Roos, excerpt from "The Musician's Guide to Brides: How to Make Money Playing Weddings", published by Hal Leonard Books. All rights reserved. No part of this may be reproduced in any form, without written permission, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review.

Hundreds of additional tips, are available for musicians (and all entrepreneurs) in my book, "The Musician's Guide to Brides" available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com, amazon.com, Sylvia Woods Harp Center catalog, and of course, at my website at http://www.celticharpmusic.com/.

Essential Items Needed When Gigging

noreply@blogger.com (Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:51:00 +0000

Here is a list of essential items you will need when traveling to a gig. Don't leave home without them!

1. Your instrument, of course. You should have a protective,waterproof case for it, either a soft gig bag or a hard shell case. Pack with your instrument,
all of the items that you directly use with your instrument (a full set of strings, drum sticks, bows, rosin, etc.).

2. Your favorite seat to sit upon. Your comfort is tantamount to having a good time
performing. Bring your favorite portable chair, bench, or stool. If you don’t, your client is apt to
offer you something that will be uncomfortable. A client once offered me a chaise lounge chair to sit upon while performing. Can you imagine playing harp while sitting on one of those things? I couldn’t either, and thankfully, I brought my own folding chair instead.

3. Strong, waterproof bags for your sheet music. In case you need to scribble a line or two of music at a gig, also keep some blank manuscript paper, a pencil, and an eraser handy at a gig. Post-it sticky notes are good, too, because you may need to write some last-minute cues on your sheet music. My favorites heet music gig bags are Tuxedo Bags, made by Humes & Berg.
These cordura bags are indestructible, and they’ll fit tons of sheet music. (Humes & Berg also makes a wide selection of cordura soft cases for instruments.)

4. A music stand. Invest in a solid metal music stand, and save the cheap wire stand as a spare. A solid stand is less likely to fall over in the wind or when someone backs up into it, and if you play a cello, double bass, or harp, you’ll avoid scratches on your instrument. You’ll also be able to place large books or heavy binders on a solid stand without their falling off . Manhasset has a solid, fold up stand called the Voyager. It’s more money than a wire stand, but it’s worth the added investment.

5. A soft case for your music stand. It’s a nuisance when a wire stand suddenly opens up while carrying it, and it is pretty painful to drop a Manhasset stand on tender feet. These are reasons enough to have a soft carrying case for your music stand.

6. A tough waterproof bag on wheels. Place all your small peripheral items in this bag. What works best for me is a 20''rolling carry-on flight bag that I purchased from a factory outlet store. Purchase it in person, not online, so that you can see the capacity, the design of the interior, the number and size of pockets, and the quality of the bag. Don’t purchase a bag that will fall apart in a few months. It needs to be rugged. Fill this bag with:

a) An electronic tuner and an optional alligator clip cord or another cord to connect it to your instrument pick-up. Itis easier to tune in noisy environments if you can plug yourtuner directly into your instrument pick-up.

b) Extra batteries for your electronic tuner.

c) A fix-it kit for your instrument: wrenches, pliers, wirecutters, you name it. I place all this stuff in a Dobbs kit (a men’s travel toiletry kit) so that I can easily find it inside therolling gig bag.

d) Gaffer’s tape and masking tape. Don’t bring duct tape, because it will leave a sticky mess wherever you use it. Gaffer’s tape looks just like duct tape and is just as strong, but it can be easily removed without gummy residue. I have used gaffer’s tape for anything from sticking a loose pick up back inside my harp, to taping down cords on the floor to avoid accidents, to fixing the hem on a gown. It’s truly indispensable. Masking tape is also very useful to have handy, just in case you need to write on it. I also use masking tape to cover unused input or output holes on my amp when I’m performing outside (it keeps bugs and sand from ending upinside my amp).

e) Sheet music clips to hold down your music in breezy conditions or to keep your music books open. Don’t use clothespins; they look too tacky for a well-paid musician to use at weddings. You can purchase see through clips at standard music stores or any number of online retailers.

f) A doorstop. Keep doors open while you are loading and unloading musical equipment.

g) Instrument polishes and polish cloths. You’ll be amazed to see the gunk that can get on an instrument, especially when performing outside.

h) Personal emergency items. In the summer, I take mosquito repellent lotion with me, along with antihistamine, since I am allergic to mosquito bites. I also bring along sun block. In the winter, I take hand warmers with me, the ones that can be purchased in camping stores. I place them in my pockets so that when I have some downtime at a wedding, I can keep my hands warm. Aspirin and Band-Aids are year-round emergency items for me, along with a nail file, Kleenex, and cough drops. I usually keep them in my purse or car, but they can also be contained in the rolling gig bag. You might have others items necessary for your own personal comfort that you’ll want to drop into your bag, too.

i) Extra business cards and brochures. You may wish to keep business cards in your wallet or purse, but it’s good to know that you have more in your rolling gig bag if you run out. If you are using amplification, also store the following items inside the rolling gig bag.

j) Lots and lots of extra batteries for all of your electronic devices.

k) Power AC adapters to recharge your electronic devices. If you are using a battery-operated amplifier, these adapters will save you if your batteries run low.

l) Warranties and instruction booklets for your tuner and amplification devices. When your equipment malfunctions, you’ll be able to trouble-shoot on the spot.

m) A wide assortment of cords. Over the years, I have collected cords that I don’t presently use with my equipment. I still carry them with me to all my gigs. Why? I can plug into house sound or into onsite P.A. systems that will enable my harp to be heard well in that particular location. Some of these spare cords will just do the trick, fitting right into asound system built for the wedding or reception site.

n) Velcro straps for tying up your cords neatly.

So, now you are fully prepared to anything unexpected that may come along.

Copyright © 2008 by Anne Roos, excerpt from "The Musician's Guide to Brides: How to Make Money Playing Weddings", published by Hal Leonard Books. All rights reserved. No part of this may be reproduced in any form, without written permission, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review.

Hundreds of additional tips, are available for musicians (and all entrepreneurs) in my book, "The Musician's Guide to Brides" available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com, amazon.com, Sylvia Woods Harp Center catalog, and of course, at my website at http://www.celticharpmusic.com/.

3 Easy Steps for Creating and Updating Your Wedding Music Repertoire

noreply@blogger.com (Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:26:00 +0000

Step 1. Take out a few peices of paper, and some colore pencils, too. On one page scribble down the kinds of music that you play right now, making a list of your present repertoire. Be as detailed as possible. Don't stop to analyze whether your music is approppriate for weddings. Just write down the titles of every tune you know how to play comfortably, music that you know you can perform in front of an audience without stumbling or breaking into a cold sweat.

If you play different genres of music, say you can play jazz guitar and know some bluegrass tunes, use different colored pencils to differentiate between the types of music you play. Maybe use one color for up-tempo tunes and another for slow ballads. You can also separate the types of music you play by ethnicity or whether they are secular (religious) or non-secular. Take time to go through your sheet music books and include everything in your list. Take as long as you like to complete this page.

Step 2. Review this list and place things in an order that makes sense to you, an order that you could perhaps share with a potential client, a bride. Place all the pre-ceremony music together, the reception music together, the possible bridal entrance tunes together, and so on. You'll want to be prepared to offer the bride several choices for each wedding activity. Remember: Not every bride wants to enter to "Here Comes the Bride."

Step 3. Start on a new page. Make a wish list of all the kinds of music you'd like to learn to play. Write down specific titles. These may include tunes you are still working on, tunes that you're not ready to perform in front of an audience quite yet. This list will help you to determine if you should continue working on these tunes or abandon them for other music that will give you a better chance of landing you wedding gigs.

When you're done with the list , compare it with the first list of songs you know. Do the songs you want to learn fit in with the types of songs appropriate for weddings? For instance, if you play for receptions, are they danceable? Put these tunes in order, with you first choices at the top of he page.

If you are in a band or ensemble, do this entire brainstorming exercise with your band members. They may have tunes in their personal repertoires that could be worth adding to your group's song list. This exercise will also help to confirm that all the members of your group have the same goals. If they aren't interested in performing at weddings and receptions, then the truth will certialny come out through this brainstorming activity. The key to this exercise is to make sure that each member of your group is on the same collective track. Musicians who share the same goals tend to get along well together and have longevity as a group.

Brides love menus of information. When they aks you, "What do you play?" you'll now be prepared to share your repertoire list with them.

Copyright © 2008 by Anne Roos, excerpt from "The Musician's Guide to Brides: How to Make Money Playing Weddings", published by Hal Leonard Books. All rights reserved. No part of this may be reproduced in any form, without written permission, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review.

Hundreds of additional tips, are available for musicians (and all entrepreneurs) in my book, "The Musician's Guide to Brides" available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com, amazon.com, Sylvia Woods Harp Center catalog, and of course, at my website at http://www.celticharpmusic.com/.

Do What You Do Best---Create a Repertoire

noreply@blogger.com (Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:57:00 +0000

Do what you do best, and you'll love what you do. The music you play that resonates within you carries your own fingerprints. Even if other musicians can play the same songs as you do, what you bring to these sonsg is uniquely your own.

To land lucrative wedding gigs, you need to find your niche among the competition. This is know as "positioning" in marketing lingo. It means researching what makes you different from the rest of the musicians and capitalizing on these differences. Compiling your wedding repertoire is the first step to making you stand out.

"You are more attractive when you break bread with a competitor."-from Attracting Perfect Customers by Stacey Hall and Jan Brogniea of Perfect Consulting Unlimited.

How do you find out what your competition plays? There is no better time than now to enlist some allies. Make friends with other successful musicians in your geographical area and hear them perform. Get together and jam. Check out their websites. If some musicians give you the cold shoulder when you approach them in friendship, they may be viewing you as a threat, and that's their problem. Your competition can be your friends.

Copyright © 2008 by Anne Roos, excerpt from "The Musician's Guide to Brides: How to Make Money Playing Weddings", published by Hal Leonard Books. All rights reserved. No part of this may be reproduced in any form, without written permission, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review.

Hundreds of additional tips, are available for musicians (and all entrepreneurs) in my book, "The Musician's Guide to Brides" available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com, amazon.com, Sylvia Woods Harp Center catalog, and of course, at my website at http://www.celticharpmusic.com/.

10 Tips on What it Takes to Play at Weddings

noreply@blogger.com (Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:25:00 +0000

Here are ten general tips that will help you to be a successful wedding musician. Master these, and you'll start receiving a steady flow of referrals, inquiries, and bookings:

1. Be content with taking directrions from the bride and those she appoints to oversee her wedding, no matter how stange you think her expectations of you may be. Follow instructions with a kind smile and a nod, without being argumentative. Aim to please.

2. Educate the bride about the services you have to offer. Keep the lines of communication open so that there is absoulutey no doubt in the bride's mind that she can count on you.

3. Politely stand your own ground when necessary. Be firm regarding such issues as requesting pay, seeing that you are provided with your performance requirements, and squelching impossible demands.

4. Possess a willingness to offer helpful suggestions about how to select weddings or reception music, without actually making up the bride's mind for her. In other words, if you disagree with the bride's musical taste, or you don't like playing the songs she has chosen, let her know why. If she insists, play what she wants to hear anyway. Understand that she is creating her own personal memories with the music she chsooses.

5. Accept the fact that you will be performing background music while people are talking and mingling. You are not a "diva"-You don't have to be the center of attention.

6. Perform smoothly and with confidence. Understand that if you dispaly a lack of confidence, the bride and the other wedding professionals on your team will have a lack of confidence in you too.

7. Look food, No, look GREAT! Smile. Look like you are having fun when you play, Take good care of yourself and the clothes that you wear. Take good care of your equipment, too.

8. Realize thsat you can learn from other experiences.

9. Know that a positive attitude makes you a magnet for enjoyable, high-paying wedding gigs. You'll be viewed as a calm professional. Brides will appreciate that your feathers don't get fuffled too easily. Better yet, other wedding vendors will see that you can handle
situations that come up at a wedding with ease, and they will want to work with you again. They'll refer you over and over.

10. Love what you do and success will come. Show you love of what your do with gratitiude. Thank the bride, your clients and other wedding vendors, and everyone who crosses your path.

These tips are designed to help your set parameters for what you are and to help guarantee success at future wedding gigs.

Copyright © 2008 by Anne Roos, excerpt from "The Musician's Guide to Brides: How to Make Money Playing Weddings", published by Hal Leonard Books. All rights reserved. No part of this may be reproduced in any form, without written permission, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review.

Hundreds of additional tips, are available for musicians (and all entrepreneurs) in my book, "The Musician's Guide to Brides" available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com, amazon.com,
Sylvia Woods Harp Center catalog, and of course, at my website at http://www.celticharpmusic.com/.

The Right Mindset-The Bride is the Star, Not You

noreply@blogger.com (Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:07:00 +0000

Performing at weddings is much more than simpy playing well. It's more then creating a lovely atmosphere for tying the knot, and it's more than supplying the right party music to get people up and dancing at a reception. Unlike other gigs where you can play any tune you wish within a certain sytle, this is the bride's big day and she is in charge. She gets to select the special music that will make her day magical. This requires clear communication between the bride and the musicians.

This might sound easy at first. So, you just explain to the bride what selections you can perform, she chooses, and then you show up at the wedding and play. Just like any other gig, right? Not so fast...

The bride is unlikely to have hosted or coordinated other big events in the past and therefore will be inexperineced in event planning. Because of this fact, she may have very different expectations of what you can and cannot play, where you can set up, how to pay you, and so on.

The wedding itself, and the planning of it, can be an emotional rollercoaster for a bride. Often she'll hold a picture in her mind of her perfect wedding, and she'll do anything for her wedding day to match her fantasy. She'll enter into wedding planning with these expectations, while she is wrestling with the expectations of her fiance', her parents, and her future in-laws. Sometimes a bride will crack under this pressure, rendering her nervous, indecisive, or overly concerned with non-essential details.

Accept the very real stress a bride may be under and hold her hand through this process. Educate her about what you need from her, from music selection to the kind of performance area that you require, Don't assume she is experienced with party planning. It's also good to do this even with a bride who will be having a smaller wedding, eloping, and getting marrided for a second time, or simply renewing her vows. This bride may be more flexible and relaxed, but she still needs to have the same level of communication with you as a nervous and excited bride with big wedding plans.

Wedding muiscians are an important member of a team of wedding vendors consisting of the celebrant, the event coordinator, the banquet manager, the photographer, the videographer, and any number of other service providers. We all work together to make the bride's day memorable. Wedding musicians are part of the bride's "supporting cast". We are not interested in upstaging or stealing the spotlight from her. She is the star on her wedding day.

Copyright © 2008 by Anne Roos, excerpt from "The Musician's Guide to Brides: How to Make Money Playing Weddings", published by Hal Leonard Books. All rights reserved. No part of this may be reproduced in any form, without written permission, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review.

Hundreds of additional tips, are available for musicians (and all entrepreneurs) in my book, "The Musician's Guide to Brides" available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com, amazon.com, Sylvia Woods Harp Center catalog, and of course, at my website at Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos

September Tips for Musicians & Entrepreneurs--Education is the Key to Communication

noreply@blogger.com (Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:56:00 +0000

Regardless of your business, whether you are a musician, a wedding professional, or an entrepreneur in another field, the way to keep communication lines open and to keep your client happy is to educate them about what you do.

As a harpist, most people who initially contact me to play at their wedding or special event may have never thrown another big party before. A bride may have a specific picture in her mind of her perfect wedding, so she'll enter into the wedding planning with these expectations. She may also be wrestling with the expectations of her fiancé, parents, and future in-laws, too.

Accept the very real stress a bride may be under and help her through this process. Educate her about what you need from her, from music selections to the kind of performance area that you require. Don't assume she is experienced with party planning. Even for more relaxed clients who are planning smaller, less formal weddings, they still need to have the same level of communication with you as more stressful clients.

No matter what your line of business may be, inform the client every step of the way about what you'll do for them. Even after they commit to hiring you, don't drop these lines of communication. If they are considering whether to hire you, educate them about yourself, don't "sell" yourself. When offering referrals, educate your client about others, and don't push. And certainly, if a dispute arises with your client, think in terms of educating them about the way you handle business, not in terms of winning an argument.

In the wedding business, educating the client averts wedding disasters. And in all business fields, educating your client results in customer satisfaction, loyalty, and yes, referrals for new customers. Read more general information about weddings and at my Celtic Harp Music blog. Feel free to go there and leave a comment.

Hundreds of additional tips, are available for musicians (and all entrepreneurs) in my book, "The Musician's Guide to Brides" available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com, amazon.com, Sylvia Woods Harp Center catalog, and of course, at my website at http://www.celticharpmusic.com/.

When the Unthinkable Happens

noreply@blogger.com (Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 23:55:00 +0000

It is the one thing that musicians and performers dread. We’re all human, and it can happen. I am referring to double-booking. (Yikes!). Maybe two contracts got stuck together in your files and you didn’t realize you had booked that second wedding on the same day. Or perhaps you transferred the time of the gig from the contract to your calendar incorrectly. Or maybe a fellow band member booked a gig and didn’t tell the other members. However it happened, it can be a real jam.

Beyond double- and triple-checking your availability when a client calls, if you get stuck with two jobs that are just too close together, here is what you can do:

Arrive at the second job earlier that day and drop off equipment (instruments, amps, etc.). Set up as much as possible. Then, go off to your first job with another set of equipment. When you are done at the first job, you will be able to cut down on set-up time when you arrive at the second job because you won’t have to load in. Doing this really helped me when I was in this pickle very recently, and neither of my clients were suspect of anything amiss. (Caution: Of course, make sure you can leave equipment at the first gig in a secure location.)

Certainly, if you can only do the two jobs by cloning yourself and your band members, then you’ve got to give up one of the jobs. Select the job that will be easier to refer to someone else. Find a replacement before you phone your client to give them the bad news. Give your potential replacement all the details about the gig, including your client’s music choices, so that when the client phones them, you will have done all the legwork for them. If you cannot find comparable substitute musicians for the gig, contact your favorite booking agent or wedding coordinator and explain the situation to them.

When you speak with your client, tell them that you have found another musician or band for them. Talk up the other band’s great attributes, give your client their number, and tell them, “Let me know what you would like to do after you speak with them.” Or, refer them to a reputable booking agent or wedding coordinator. One referral is enough—The point is to save your client from needing to contact a bunch of different referrals.

Next, put everything in writing: Your conversation with your client, their decision about whether to have money refunded or sent to the alternative act, and your sincerest apologies. Follow the rules that you established in your performance agreement regarding cancellations, and cite these guidelines verbatim in your letter. Mail this letter to your client (keeping a copy for your records), along with any money owed to them. Then, breathe a sigh of relief.

Even if your client decides they don’t want to book the other performers you recommended, they will appreciate the effort on your part and there is a better chance they will react in a rational way to your news. By the way, handle any gig that you have to cancel for any reason in this manner, even if you didn’t double-book.

Tips for Brides, Event Planners, And Anyone Hiring Performers

Musicians are human. We make mistakes. Life gets in the way and sometimes we need to cancel a performance for rational reasons: family events, surgery, pregnancy, and all kinds of other things, including accidentally double-booking. We’ll try our best to find you a replacement act when these things happen, but if we don’t, please ask us to help you. We may know great booking agents or wedding coordinators who can also help. And we’ll happily return your deposit or send it along to the replacement act you select. We are truly sorry when we need to cancel.

Tips for Musicians:

Understand how your client feels when you need to cancel. Be honest with them. Then, help them as much as possible, even if they get irate. I’d be upset, too, if I suddenly couldn’t have my favorite band play at my event. A little sincere compassion goes a long way.
Many more tips are available from my book “The Musician’s Guide to Brides” available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com , amazon.com, and of course, at my website at http://www.celticharpmusic.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=9

I’m looking forward to reading your stories, comments, and feedback.
Anne :-)

Anne RoosCeltic Harp Music by Anne Roos
(And contact me at anne@celticharpmusic.com for personal consultation and mentoring—Make a living while gigging)

Painting is by Edvard Munch and is called "The Scream"

Six Tips for Seeking Musicians Through the Internet

noreply@blogger.com (Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:48:00 +0000

The Internet is now the substitute for the Yellow Pages phone book when it comes to looking for talent for your wedding day. But is it truly better? Depends on how you use it. Here are some suggestions for getting the most out of your online musician search:

1. Search engines-Make sure you are searching within the location where your wedding or event will be held. What happens if you fall in love with a band that is 300 miles away from your wedding site? Will you shell out the money to pay for their travel, food, and accommodations? Look for wedding directories in the geographical location where you are getting married by typing something like "Weddings in Tahoe" in the search engine field. Then, look within those directories for the kind of instrumentation you are seeking.

2. Online booking agencies-These websites charge a fee to musicians for their listings. Some of these, such as gigsalad.com, are fantastic. They have a multitude of musicians listed, and you can do your homework from there to get more information. Beware of online booking agencies that charge you a fee to receive information. They should not be charging you to shop on their site (although they may want you to create a username and password so that you can save your searches when you return to their site).

3. Directories that rate musicians who are listed-How did the musicians receive those ratings? Did they pay the site owner an extra fee to receive a five star rating on their listing? And do you really want to hire a musician with less than a perfect rating? If you are looking at directories that rate musicians appearing in their listings, know exactly how they received those ratings before shopping.

4. Online booking agencies that require musicians to send bids to you-Avoid these sites, because there are usually hidden fees that are charged to the musician, and the musician may pass those fees along to you. You may save money if you phone individual musicians, after visiting their web sites, rather than going through a third party to receive bids.

5. Wedding websites-Some of the best places to find musicians online. You will find a musician who has wedding experience and will not end up hiring a band who has no idea how to behave at a wedding.

6. Booking agents online-Many are listed online. Booking agents are particularly useful if you are looking at the last minute, if you want someone else to be the point person with the musicians, or if you simply don't know where to find experienced musicians. Look for booking agents within your geographic area, then give them a call and chat. Expect to pay a commission to a booking agent, a sort of a "finder's fee", for helping you land the perfect musicians for your occasion.

A final word: Beware of comments left on blogs and directories about specific musicians. Don't believe everything you read on the Internet. Find out if your church, banquet manager, minister, event coordinator, and others at your event also recommend the musicians you are considering.

Alex the Romantic

noreply@blogger.com (Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 22:24:00 +0000

I received a phone call from Alex six days before his wedding. He said, “I’m getting married this coming Sunday. Are you at all available?” I get the quick details of the place and time and the answer is, “Yes! I can do it. You’ll have to get your music list to me quickly, but I’ll be there.”

Alex is like many people headed to the altar these days—He waits until he knows all the wedding services are in his budget, and then he phones around to hire those services. In this economy, people feel safer committing to their wedding plans when they know they can pay for them, and sometimes, that means making wedding plans on very short notice.

It turns out that Alex is a romantic, too. He hired me as a surprise to his bride, Gina. He knew that she would love the added touch of live harp music to accompany her walk down the aisle. Here is the music he selected for his wedding (for more information on these songs, check out my repertoire list:

Pre-Ceremony Seating Music:
1. “Beauty and the Beast”
2. “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes”
3. “Earth Angel”
4. “Killing Me Softly”
5. “The Unforgiven”
6. “Yesterday”
Plus Classical music selections of my choice

Processional for 1 Flower Girl and 1 Ring Bearer:
“When You Wish Upon a Star”
Bride’s Entrance:
“Here Comes the Bride”
Music played softly behind Exchange of Vows:
“Sunny”
Recessional:
“I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing”

Post-Ceremony Music Played During Photo Session:
1. “La Bamba”
2. “Guantanamera”
3. “A Whole New World”
4. “You’ve Got a Friend in Me”
5. “Isn’t She Lovely”
6. “Stairway to Heaven”

Okay, so Alex’s taste is very eclectic, mixing Disney, Rock and Latin music. But he knew his guests’ taste and he knew his bride.

I phoned Rev. Ronald Sayed, Alex and Gina’s minister, to give him a heads up not to breathe a word to the bride that I would be performing for her wedding. He loved the idea that the harp music would be a surprise.

The wedding day came, and I arrived at beautiful Lakeside Beach at Lake Tahoe on a gorgeous, cloudless summer morning for Alex and Gina’s destination wedding. Alex, dressed in style wearing a matching hat with his beige suit, delivered single roses to mothers who were waiting. Then, Gina arrived by horse drawn carriage. As she walked up the aisle to “Here Comes the Bride”, she turned to look over at me, her eyes got very big, and then she smiled from ear to ear.

After the ceremony, guests sang along to “La Bamba” as I played, and a couple danced while I played “Guantanamera”. One guest asked me to play “A Whole New World” again, too. Guys waiting before the ceremony gave me a thumbs-up sign when they heard Metallica’s “The Unforgiven” on the Celtic harp.

Alex had it nailed. He knew what would please his bride, he knew what would please his guests, and everything went flawlessly. It’s okay for guys to get into the planning of the wedding ceremony and to offer a few romantic surprises. I’ll bet Alex had more romantic surprises waiting at the reception and later that day, too...

Tips for Brides and Grooms:

Ladies—Let your fiancé get in on the wedding plans. It’s his wedding, too. Even if he doesn’t want to be the decision maker for all your wedding details, there may be just a few that he would like to handle. It doesn’t hurt to ask and include him in the planning. Perhaps the music is most important to the groom. Or maybe he’s a foodie and wants to make the final decision on the cake or the dinner menu. Be brave and let him get in on the wedding action. Allow him to surprise you!

Guys—Most women simply melt when you spring a romantic surprise on them. Will you provide a special poem during the vows? Will you bring a red rose to give to each of the mothers? Or will you hire a harpist without telling your bride? Many brides may secretly like a little help in the wedding plans, and offering to help make decisions could relieve some of her pre-wedding stress.

Music can provide a wonderful surprise for your intended. I’ve played the harp as a surprise at wedding proposals, anniversary dinners, birthday parties, bridal and baby showers, you name it. Once, a man hired me to play for his wife as a surprise, while they dined on room service food in their hotel suite. I asked him, “What is the occasion?” He answered, “I just wanted to surprise my wife on our last day of vacation.” I played all the songs he instructed me to play for her, and she cried during dinner. She said, “I have the most romantic husband in the world!” It makes me melt just to think about it.

Some general tips about last-minute weddings and surprises: If you are not booking wedding services months or years in advance, it helps to avoid the busiest days and times of the week. You’ll find more wedding services available for midweek and morning weddings, rather than Saturdays and evenings. And if you are planning a wedding in a public area (beaches, parks, etc.), these locations are typically quieter in the morning hours.

Tips for Musicians:

It’s totally fine to take last-minute gigs, especially in this economy. Many brides and grooms don’t know how much they have to spend on their wedding services until they get closer to their date, and they make quick plans as soon as they know they have the money to tie the knot.

You need to prepare quickly when you’re booked just a few days before the wedding. If you are in the habit of taking deposits before a gig, you may need to rethink your policy on collecting fees. And then there is the fact that you’ll have very little time to practice before the big day. Don’t be concerned about the list of music you receive—As long as you can play it, don’t try to make sense of it. Trust that your client knows exactly what is best for the wedding.

And finally, if you and your music are a surprise, there’s no need to worry about how it may be received. The key is to be flexible about it all, and you’ll have a great time watching everyone’s reaction. Alex knew exactly what would make his bride and guests happy, and I was so glad to be a part of it all.

Many more tips are available from my book “The Musician’s Guide to Brides” available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com, Amazon.com, and of course, at my website at www.celticharpmusic.com.

I’m looking forward to reading your stories, comments, and feedback.

Anne :-)

Anne Roos
Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos

(And contact me at anne@celticharpmusic.com for personal consultation and mentoring—Make a living while gigging)

Gratitude and Contentment

noreply@blogger.com (Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 15:45:00 +0000

This tip is a simple one, and I am reminded of it every time I perform--Gratitude.

In these tough economic times, I try to turn my mind to being grateful for what I am doing instead of getting nervous about how my calendar is filling up. And when a gig doesn't seem to go just as planned, I don't let it get to me. Instead, I think about how wonderful it is to be providing music for someone's special day or special event. Truly, I can't think of anything else I'd rather be doing.

Performing is never boring. Every wedding, every gig is different. Especially when I'm playing for a wedding, I think about the great honor it is to provide music for a very special day in someone's life. I love being part of the celebration!

Musicians whom I interviewed for my book, "The Musician's Guide to Brides" had this to say about playing for weddings:

"...It's my job, and I love it and love weddings. People are usually happy and a bit excited, the locations are usually beautiful, and music makes a meaningful contribution to the atmosphere of a significant event in people's lives."--Gwyneth Evans, Concert and Celtic Harpist

"Making a living playing music at wedding is to move, touch, and inspire others."--Seán Cummings, eighth generation bagpiper

"You play for people who might not have heard live music in years. And when things go right (and they usually do) the room is filled with joyful tears and heartfelt laughter. What's not to like?"--Tim Goldsmith, Red Davidson Trio

"I found it to be a very immediate gratification for music. People come up to you right away and thank you and compliment you vs. the symphony where the people are distant and clap politely for 15 seconds and leave!"--Van Vinikow, The Supreme Being of "The String Beings" string trio/quartet

"I love music!"--Destiny, Harpist from the Hood

What about you? What are you grateful for in your gigging experience? Does a feeling of contentment get you through the rough spots when a wedding gets crazy? And if you aren't a musician, have you experimented with taking gratitude to work with you? If so, how has it changed things? Do share your thoughts by adding your comments below. I'll cover some great ways to demonstrate your gratitude in the next blog entry...

The attitude of gratitude and hundreds of other tips are included in my book "The Musician's Guide to Brides" available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com, Amazon.com, and of course, at my website at www.celticharpmusic.com

I'm looking forward to reading your stories, comments, and feedback.

Anne :-)

Anne Roos
Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos

(And contact me at anne@celticharpmusic.com for personal consultation and mentoring-Make a living while gigging)

Cathy is Late to the Altar

noreply@blogger.com (Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos) — Sun, 10 May 2009 20:13:00 +0000

Cathy and her mother met me at a February bridal fair. Cathy decided right then and there that she wanted to have me perform for her wedding. Her mother paid my deposit, and I thought, “These folks are getting everything in line.”

But an interesting thing can happen as the wedding day approaches: Nervousness and overwhelm can lead to disorganization.

About a month before the wedding day, I spoke with Cathy about her music selections. In that conversation, she frantically mentioned to me that her minister would be going on vacation on her wedding day and suddenly didn’t have anyone to perform the ceremony for her. (Argh! Without a celebrant, there is no wedding!). So, I recommended she speak with Reverend David Beronio, as I knew that he traveled to Genoa, Nevada to officiate ceremonies.

She booked Reverend Dave after about a week of deciding. He confirmed this fact with me by phone, telling me, “Yes, I’ll be doing Cathy’s 3:30 pm ceremony.” Uh oh. My contract said the ceremony started a half hour later at 4 pm. I phoned Cathy to find out that she had indeed changed the ceremony time to fit into her photographer’s tight schedule. Cathy forgot to tell me. (Argh! I would have shown up with no time to set up before the ceremony began!).

Finally, things seemed to be on the right track. Cathy sent me her music list in time. These were her music choices (for more information on these songs, check out my repertoire list:

Pre-Ceremony Seating Music:
Celtic and Classical Selections
Mother’s Seating Music Plus Processional Music for 3 Bridesmaids and 2 Flower Girls:
“Canon in D”
Bride’s Entrance:
“Here Comes the Bride”
Music played softly behind Ceremony:
“All the Way” (popularized by Frank Sinatra)
Recessional:
“Angelical Hymn”
Post-Ceremony Music Played During Photo Session:
1. “Glory of Love”
2. “Moon River”
3. “Grow Old With Me”
4. “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing”
5. “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You”

I arrived at the wedding site on schedule, at the beautiful outside lawn at the Genoa Lakes Golf Club in Genoa, Nevada . I checked in with Marie, the wedding coordinator at the Golf Club, after I had set up. She was inside Antoci’s Restaurant , busy setting up for the reception and told me that no one had arrived yet.

So, I waited and waited outside. Reverend Dave arrived and reviewed his cues with me. Still no one appeared outside, and it was 3:15, my scheduled time to start playing for the seating of the guests. So, I followed Rev. Dave inside to find out when guests would be seated and whether the ceremony was on time. I discovered that the bride was still absent, so the guests were instructed to wait inside so that they would not have to wait in the hot sun.

Soon it was 3:30, then 3:45, and still no guests outside. Finally, the bride arrived at 4 pm, a full 30 minutes late, causing the following potential problems:

1. The minister had another wedding to perform elsewhere at 5 pm.
2. The photographer had another group to photograph at 5 pm.
3. I was booked to perform until 4:15, otherwise, I’d need to ask for overtime pay (I also travel with a “roadie” or an assistant, who was on the clock as well. I’d need to pay him for his overtime, too).

Reverend Dave got things underway quickly. The ceremony ended at 4:25 pm, and Marie quietly warned the bridal party that I might be owed overtime pay. I approached the bride and groom to congratulate them. Cathy apologized profusely for her tardiness and her mother asked me how much extra money she owed. I explained that she didn’t owe me anything, but if she wanted me to play during the photo session, as I was originally planning to do, she would need to pay me for overtime. Cathy and her mother decided to forego that music due to the extra cost.

Unfortunately, the only music Cathy heard was her entrance music, the music during the ceremony, and the recessional tune.

Tips for Brides:

The number one way to insure that your wedding goes smoothly is to be on time—not just being on time for your arrival at your ceremony site, but also being on time with all your pre-wedding plans.

As you hire your wedding vendors, they will tell you when they will need specific information. Write down these due dates and tasks in a wedding calendar and refer to it on a regular basis as your wedding day approaches. Here are examples of information to include in your calendar:

1. Due dates and amounts of final payments for each of your wedding services.
2. Wedding license particulars
3. Final date to get your music list to your musicians (so they’ll have time to practice).
4. Date to have all RSVPs back from guests (so that you’ll have a final guest count)
5. Date to get your final guest count to the banquet manager (so that they will know how much food to prepare)

And there are more dates and tasks to include, depending upon what services you have hired for your wedding.

Keep a record of the email addresses and phone numbers for all your wedding vendors. This way, if you need to change your wedding date or time, or if your ceremony location has suddenly changed due to unexpected weather, you won’t leave anyone out. (I once performed at a wedding where the bride decided to have the ceremony time start a full hour earlier. She informed everyone of this fact except the minister! Needless to say, the ceremony did not start earlier, as she had planned).

On your wedding day, avoid being “fashionably late” to your ceremony. I am speaking about not planning to be on time. I’m not talking about true emergencies that are certainly unplanned, such as a flat tire on the way to the ceremony—These are excuses usually forgiven by guests and vendors.

A ceremony that begins late or runs much longer than you anticipated can have great repercussions for the rest of your wedding:

1. Your fiancé can have second thoughts about tying the knot and it’s not the best way to start your relationship with his family.
2. Guests may be unhappy that they were made to sit in the hot sun or freezing temperatures before the ceremony began.
3. Your wedding vendors may have other commitments after their contracted time to perform their services for you. Your celebrant, your musicians, your photographer, and your videographer may need to leave for another wedding and cannot work overtime for you.
4. If your wedding vendors can stay and do not have other commitments to be elsewhere, you will likely owe them overtime pay (and this can be quite expensive, when you multiply this by all the vendors involved).
5. If your ceremony ends late, this can also adversely affect your reception--Your food may be cold or overcooked, and you may owe your reception vendors overtime pay as well.

Being organized and on time with your wedding details, and being on time to your wedding, will keep your budget intact.

If you prefer to hand these details over to someone else, look into hiring your own wedding coordinator. In the long run, they can save you time and money, allowing you to relax on and before your big day. Check out the Association of Bridal Consultants.

Tips for Musicians:

Brides have a lot on their minds. Understandably, balancing their own dreams for their wedding day with the wishes of the their family members and future in-laws make some brides feel nervous and overwhelmed. And sometimes, the demands of a job or schoolwork make it difficult to keep up with wedding agendas.

There is one sure-fire way to make sure you have all the information you need prior to the wedding:
Phone the bride one week before her wedding day and review all your contracted details with her, including the date, time, location, song selections, details about set-up, parking permits, loading zones, and more. The most important bit of info to review is when final payment is due, if you are still owed a balance. And if you are contracted to perform for another wedding after the bride’s wedding, inform her that her wedding cannot run late because you cannot offer overtime.

I would estimate that for me, about 20% of the time, the bride neglects to tell me some important bit of information until this conversation. That important bit has included anything from a time or location change to having 130 guests arriving instead of 30 (suddenly necessitating amplification from me).

Yes, some plans change on the day of the wedding. If the wedding is outdoors and the weather is inclement, you’ll want to be in touch with someone in the wedding party to determine if the location has moved. Of course, checking in with the celebrant, the wedding coordinator, and the banquet manager upon arrival will keep you informed of any changes that might have been decided during the wedding rehearsal.

And if the bride arrives late, you may go into overtime (or sometimes, it’s the celebrant or a close family member who is late). If you are due overtime pay according to your contract, then ask for it. Asking for overtime pay is a bummer, because you are putting a damper on the couple’s happy day, but you have every right to ask for it. Your hired roadies and other ensemble members will be expecting the extra pay for the extra time, too. If you don’t mention your overtime rate in your performance contract, then it’s time to add it.

Many more tips are available from my book “The Musician’s Guide to Brides” available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com, Amazon.com, and of course, at my website at www.celticharpmusic.com.

I’m looking forward to reading your stories, comments, and feedback.

Anne :-)

How Do You Know if an E-Mail Inquiry is Legit?

noreply@blogger.com (Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos) — Thu, 07 May 2009 14:40:00 +0000

With the present economy, e-mail scams are rampant, and wedding businesses, particularly musicians, are often the target.

Most brides and potential clients will include the question “How much?” in their initial email inquiries. They will include your name in the email greeting and may include some additional info about the time, date, and location of the gig. These are all good signs that the bride is genuinely interested in learning about your availability and talents.

However, on rare occasions, you will receive questionable inquiries. Actually, they are not inquiries at all—they are from scammers. As Steve Tetrault of GigSalad.com in Springfield, Missouri explains, “Their ultimate goal is to get you to receive a deposit check for an amount that is greater than what it should be, then ask you for the difference. Their check turns out to be fraudulent and they walk away with a few thousand bucks from you.”

Pretty scary stuff, but true.

Here are seven warning signs that you've received a fake email inquiry:

1. The email message is not addressed to anyone in particular.
It will start off with "Hello", or "Greetings", instead of "Dear Anne". This means that it was probably a mass mailing. Another test: Look at the "To:" field and the "Reply To:" field or the "From:" field in the header of the email. If these are all the same email addresses, the email was a mass mailing, not intended just for your eyes only.

2. The inquiry is riddled with exceptionally poor spellings, grammar, and punctuation.
Yes, some brides can't spell worth beans, but if you try to read the sentences out loud and find the urge to change the order of nouns and verbs, you don't have an inquiry. You have s*pam.

3. The email makes requests that do not apply to the services you offer.
If you are a string quartet, and the email is asking for a wedding DJ, it is too big a mistake to take seriously.

4. The email is giving you bogus information.
I once received an email that said the ceremony and reception would last from 11 am until 7 pm and that my services would be needed for that length of time. Really????

5. The scammer gives you a lot of extraneous info, such as a mailing address and phone number, only to say to contact them by email.
They're trying to convince you that they're for real. Don't fall for it. If an address is provided, go to MapQuest.com or YahooMaps or another map site and see if the address is a fake. You can also try calling a given phone number to see if it actually works.

6. Any email messages from overseas, claiming that they are willing to pay for your travel expenses and accommodations to perform in a foreign country.
Weddings are local events, and brides, event coordinators, and booking agents are most interested in booking local talent. It's pretty unlikely that a client who is not an established fan of yours (already on your email list) will pay you thousands of dollars, put you up in a hotel, provide your meals, and take care of your expenses to travel any distance to perform.

7. Any email from a client or event planner who is itching to pay you upfront, without any previous correspondence or conversations with you.
People aren't that eager to part with their money for any musician, and they like to do a bit of shopping around, asking questions, before they commit to spending money.

If you receive one of these wedding scam emails:

1. Don't reply.
Once you reply, the scammer thinks he has you hooked, and now that he knows he has a legit email address, he may pass your address along to all his scammer friends, too.

2. Report it as s*pam.
If you received the email through an online wedding or music directory, alert them. They'll want to put a halt to it and report it to the correct authorities. Don't blame these online directories, because they are victims as much as you are.

3. Depending upon what is contained in the body of the email, take things a step further.
You can report it to the online FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3.gov), SpamCop.net, your own Internet Service Provider, and a host of other online agencies that exist to eradicate s*pam.

The above tips, and many more, are found in my book “The Musician’s Guide to Brides”. This book is written primarily for wedding musicians, but it’s also filled with savvy information about marketing, advertising, and promoting your business as a working musician. It’s available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com, amazon.com, and of course, at my website at www.celticharpmusic.com.

How have you dealt with con artists? Please share your comments and insights below to help others avoid these pitfalls, too.

Cheers,
Anne :-)

Anne Roos
Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos
(And contact me at anne@celticharpmusic.com for personal consultation and mentoring—Make a living while gigging)

How to Respond to Incompetent Colleagues

noreply@blogger.com (Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:20:00 +0000

When I arrive at a wedding to perform, I do a little research. I speak to the wedding coordinator and the celebrant (the minister, priest, rabbi, pastor, etc.) prior to the ceremony to get my cues and to learn of any nuances before I start playing. My job goes smoothly when I learn about updates to the ceremony agenda prior to my performance. Questioning the wedding coordinator and celebrant about particulars can make my playing seamless during a ceremony.

But what if the wedding coordinator doesn't care about my needs
and doesn't even want to take the time to talk with me? What if
the coordinator does talk to me but ignores our discussion? This
happened to me at a recent wedding, where there were more than
300 guests at a big church and more than 13 attendants walking
down the aisle before the bride's entrance. I went over all my
cues needed and the church wedding coordinator ignored me. She
mentioned she would close the doors to the room and then re-open
them to signal when the processional would begin, but the doors
remained open at all times. The flower girls were to walk in
last, which was my signal to be ready to play the bridal march.
Instead, the coordinator sent them down the aisle first, and I
was left needing to count the 11 bridesmaids before the bride was
to enter.

I was completely confused, didn't get to play the song selected
for the mother's candle lighting and seating, and it took me
until the appearance of the 2nd bridesmaid to determine that I
needed to skip to the processional music.

Things like this will happen, when other wedding vendors will
simply ignore my needs or not know what they are doing in the
first place. I've known ministers who have refused to talk with
me before the wedding to go over the details, actually admitting
that they didn't know what they were going to do anyway. I was
left to watch for a subtle nod of the head to assume that it was
time to play behind a prayer. Professional photographers and
videographers have stood right in front of me when I needed to
see the processional and bride walk down the aisle. I have played
at weddings where the reception band or DJ was within earshot,
testing their sound systems during the ceremony and drowning out
the exchange of vows. I have performed at corporate functions
when sound systems were promised and not provided, or the sound
tech showed up three minutes before I was to begin playing.

What should we do when we're doing our best job and others
muck it up for us? Here are five tried-and-true pointers:

1. Absolutely do not let on to the bride or your client that
anything is wrong! Do not tell the bride, "Oooops. I couldn't
play the seating music for the mothers because the wedding
coordinator didn't give me my cue." Don't tell her, "The sound
guy didn't show up on time so I couldn't begin playing when your
guests arrived." Do the best you can, smile, and behave as if
absolutely everything is going perfectly. (If the bride or client
complains after the event, be careful about dissing other service
providers. If that idiot service provider hears about it, they'll
make your life miserable. Be gracious and simply apologize.)

2. If something needs to be fixed right away, quietly tell the
offending service vendor about your needs. Have your roadie whisper

into the ear of the photographer, "Please move so that our string
quartet can see when the bride is entering." If the photographer
barks back, everyone within earshot will know that the
photographer is a dolt.

3. If you have a bone to pick with a wedding coordinator or other
wedding vendor, and you assume you will cross paths with this
person again, wait until after the ceremony and quietly tell them
what went wrong, as constructive criticism. Don't ever pick a
fight with them in front of your client and their guests.

4. Forget about it if you predict that you'll never be working
with that person again. For instance, I once performed at a
wedding where my amp was misbehaving, crackling and sputtering.
Instead of quietly informing me that my mic or amp needed
adjustment, the owner of the estate where the wedding was held
yelled at me in front of all the guests seated: "The harp sounds
terrible! All we hear is sh_t". I left that wedding venue having
decided that I would never take another job to perform there
again. Thus, there was no point for me to speak to the owner
about her rude behavior.

5. Your best retaliation is to never recommend an incompetent
service provider to anyone. And if a bride or client asks you
about that person, simply say that you have other businesses that
you prefer to recommend. Don't go into detail. Don't bad-mouth
unprofessional businesses. Instead, compliment competent service
providers with referrals. They will return the favor.

These tips, and many more, are available in my book "The
Musician's Guide to Brides". This book is written primarily for
wedding musicians, but it's also filled with savvy information
about marketing, advertising, and promoting your business as a
working musician. It's available wherever Hal Leonard Books are
sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers
including sheetmusicplus.com, Amazon.com, and of course, at my
website at www.celticharpmusic.com.

How have you dealt with unprofessional colleagues? Please share
your comments and insights.

Cheers,
Anne :-)

Anne Roos
Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos
(And contact me at anne@celticharpmusic.com for personal
consultation and mentoring-Make a living while gigging)

What To Do In a Business Lull

noreply@blogger.com (Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 16:28:00 +0000

It's April, and here in Tahoe, this is typically a slow time for gigs. It's not quite the summer wedding/tourist season, and my performance schedule is light.

Do I freak out and wonder what to do with myself or where the next dollar will come from? Absolutely not! I make lavish use of my free time, because I know it won't last and my performance calendar will soon be full again.

Need some ideas of what to do when your business is slow? None of these suggestions cost a penny, but they'll make good use of your spare time:

1. Reconnect. Contact those valuable people who have been referring you to their clients. Say "Hello!" And ask if they need more brochures, business cards, demo CDs, or any other promotional products from you. Share some marketing ideas and find out how business has been for them. Making a personal appearance at their office produces a much bigger impression than phone or email contact. So if possible, schedule an appointment and buy them a cup of coffee. You'll be surprised-they will enjoy the little break from their work tedium to visit with you. But best of all, they'll remember you the next time their phone rings with a client needing a musician.

2. Get busy online. Check your website for dead links. Do some surfing around and check out your competition. Then devise a game plan for your next website update with your webmaster. Freshen up your online social networking profiles. Upload some different songs and photos (they don't need to be new songs and photos, just different ones). Add content to your blog (What? You don't have one? It's time to start).

3. Do your homework. Discover new ways to market yourself. Check out the great marketing info available online in podcasts, blogs, e-books, and newsletters. Need help in how to sell? A great site for sales info is salesopedia.com. Need help with publicity and promotion? Check out Joan Stewart at The PublicityHound.com and Joan's "How to be a Kick-Butt Publicity Hound" E-Book. And if you are searching for info specific to the music business, for artists, and authors, start at Bob Baker's site. Refresh your career goals.

4. Go window-shopping online or in retail stores. Plan ahead to make your music sound better. Make a wish list for new equipment that you are hankering to own. Check out equipment reviews on musiciansfriend.com and even amazon.com. Talk to other musicians about which instruments and electronics they like best. Then, when the money rolls in, simply refer to your wish list, find a rock-bottom price, and make your equipment dreams come true.

5. Enter the zone. Work on some new music, play to your heart's content. Discover a new song to add to your repertoire. Create scores for the tracks for your next CD project. Compose or arrange new tunes. Or dust off some of the old stuff you love to play and get back into it. Call some friends over and make music together.

6. Get thee to a library. Read, read, read. Pick up some books on marketing or just get a fun read. You have free time...why not shut off the computer and learn something new? Park yourself in your favorite café, or sit outside on your porch or deck and become absorbed in the printed pages. Or if you are so inclined, start writing that book that you've always wanted to write.

7. Get a life. Enjoy nature: Sit on the beach or hike in the forest. Pick up a new hobby. Go to dinner and a movie with your sweetie. Play with your kids. Take a break!

Relish the time you have off from dealing with clients. Rethink your marketing strategy and make plans to build your music career. Or don't work at all-- take a vacation from your desk, your computer, your iPhone, and your Blackberry. Shut off the email and do something different. Trust that work will return and you'll feel refreshed and recharged.

New to Gigging?

You've certainly heard the phrase, "Don't quit your day job". But in this economy, many are choosing to leave their day job to do exactly what they want in life, and to make a living doing it. If you're between jobs, plan for your next career step. Whether you are a gigging musician, or a gigging freelancer in another field, I can help you to make a living doing just what you want to do, to find your own happy niche in the marketplace (and to help you manage the inevitable lulls in business).

I'm available for personal consultation and mentoring. Contact me via email to get started. And in the meantime, if you have some fabulous ways to manage the lulls in your business, please share them here.

Cheers, Anne :-)

Anne Roos
Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos
(And contact me at anne@celticharpmusic.com for personal consultation and mentoring-
Make a living while gigging)

TV Loves a Good Sport

noreply@blogger.com (Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 16:53:00 +0000

Last December, I was invited on the weekend Good Day Sacramento show, on KMAX-TV, CW Channel 31, to perform some holiday music on the Celtic harp...Or so I thought.

During email correspondence prior to my appearance, the producer said, "We hear you can play hard rock on the harp. It would be great if you could do that on our show. Is that okay?" Sure, fine with me. Then, I was asked if it was okay if they put me in an elevator to play "live elevator music", so to speak. Sure, that was fine also. Really, as long as I was safe and my harp was not harmed, these stunts were perfectly acceptable to me.

It was all good TV! I had a blast playing Christmas tunes in an elevator as the doors were opening and closing. And then, I was brought into the studio and played "Stairway to Heaven" to the delight of the show hosts, Cody Stark and Kelly Chapman. It was great fun, and it gave me a ton of publicity, on television and online.

I was invited back again on March 14th for another appearance. Before that date, the producer asked me to be ready to play more rock on the harp. That's all they wanted. And I had a feeling they would place me in another strange place....

Sure enough, my first appearance on the show was a shot of me sitting in the TV station lobby, playing the Celtic harp for the security guard and people who were signing in at the front desk. This is when my main interview took place. Cody said, "We received an email from a listener who said, 'It was nice you invited the harp lady back since you guys stuffed her in the elevator the last time she was here.'" Cody loved hearing hard rock music on the harp and brought up the subject of Metallica. Perfect segway, because I was prepared to play a bit of Metallica's "The Unforgiven", just for Cody. It made his day, but the TV crew wasn't completely satisfied until I was filmed playing in as many places as they could think of. I played in the studio, next to the weather desk, while Cody delivered the forecast (I played Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight"). Then I played in the Spanish translation booth (Sting's "Fields of Gold").

They weren't done with me yet-During one of the commercial breaks, the producer's assistant asked me whether I would play inside the shower of one of the bathrooms in the building. I laughed, and said, "As long as it is clean and dry and no one turns on the water while I'm playing."

Yes, I sat in a shower, playing the Celtic harp with a TV camera held just inches away from my hands and face. Since we were only a few days away from St. Patrick's Day, and the broadcast included a video clip of cabbage bowling (I'm not kidding!), the producer was fine with me playing a bit of Irish music. The sound of Irish jigs bounced off those walls with better acoustics than last December's elevator stint.

My finale: The show credits ran as I played "Free Bird" in the studio, to Cody and the entire crew's applause. "We love having you here. You're such a good sport!" And I loved it too. What fun to be challenged in a way that delights TV viewers! After the show, I said to Cody, "I hope you'll have me back. But maybe you're running out of places to have me play the harp." I added that it was too bad that they didn't have a weather helicopter, and Cody retorted with a sly grin, "Don't tempt me, Anne. You never know what I'll think of next."

As I was packing up to leave, Cody handed me an email he received during the broadcast from a viewer who thought it was cool that I could play Metallica on the harp. And would I play for her brother's wedding? I also received several other gig inquiries later that day. I posted links to the broadcast on my website, my blogs, and on social networking profiles. I twittered about them. And the comments keep coming in. So what if I played inside an elevator and inside a shower? Demeaning? Absolutely not. It made for good TV, I had fun, the TV crew had fun, and I can't beat the promotion.

Tips for Musicians:

There will come a time, sooner or later, that a TV or video camera will be focused on you, and not just a fan sitting in your audience at a gig. You could be the subject of an interview and performing to thousands of viewers. It's the best kind of promotion out there, if you do it right.

I have appeared on radio and television interviews too many times to count in my 25-odd years of performing, but I'm always learning something new about the experience. So, I'll give you just a few pointers that have worked across-the-board for me:

1. Most local TV news shows air live, which means if you make a mistake, it airs anyways. Therefore, do as much up-front preparation as possible. Communicate with the producers well in advance, honing in on everything from what they want you to play, to whether they'll want to give your Cds away on-air, to even a possible dress code.

2. Bring more music than is needed. The producers may change their minds about what they'll want you to play at the last minute. Be flexible.

3. Practice that music. Don't prepare music that is too challenging for you to play under stressful conditions. Don't set yourself up for failure.

4. Glue a smile on your face. Be gracious. Act as if that TV set is the producer's living room and you have been invited to play just for the hosts, the camera, and that guy standing behind the camera. If they ask you to sit somewhere unusual to play, you are entertaining special guests in their own home, kindly oblige. Don't act like a diva (the TV magnifies any behavior you convey-even a subtle expression that says, "You want me to do what???").

5. After the airing, watch the videos of your performance and learn from them. Practice makes perfect-You'll do better each time you get in front of a camera. You will also become more comfortable, too.

6. Always thank the crew and the producers and continue to keep in touch.

I'm no expert on all of this, but I'll point you to a great book containing much more information about handling yourself on TV, for musicians and anyone who becomes the subject of an interview. I like this book because it is very instructional and not full of a lot of hype: Full Frontal PR by Richard Laermer, Bloomberg Press, Princeton, N.J., 2004.

How do you get on TV in the first place? Do your homework--Joan Stewart's multitude of PR tips, ideas, and strategies will get you started.

Many more tips are available from my book "The Musician's Guide to Brides". This book is written primarily for wedding musicians, but it's also filled with advice about marketing, advertising, and promoting your business as a working musician. It's available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com, Amazon.com, and of course, at my website at www.celticharpmusic.com.

I'm looking forward to reading your feedback about performing in front of a TV camera.

Cheers, Anne :-)

Anne Roos Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos (And contact me at anne@celticharpmusic.com for personal consultation and mentoring-Make a living while gigging)

St. Patrick’s Day Tip to Musicians

noreply@blogger.com (Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos) — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:30:00 +0000

Do you have a St. Paddy's Day gig? Arrive sober and leave sober. Everyone knows when you've already had one or two drinks when they meet you. It isn't just your behavior--they can smell it on your breath. Don't start off with a bad first impression. At a pub or concert gig, well-meaning guests may buy you a pint while you are performing. A word of caution if you decide to imbibe--sloppy playing and stupid behavior will not get you booked again for next year. Best to wait until after the gig to party (and of course, choose a designated driver).

If you have a private corporate party or a March wedding gig coming up, avoid alcohol altogether. If your co-workers (banquet captain, wedding minister, event coordinator, etc.) see you drinking, they may spread the word that you were drinking while on the job, putting your reputation in the toilet. Learn more about performing at weddings (with useful info about performing at all sorts of gigs) in my book, "The Musician's Guide to Brides" available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com, Amazon.com, and of course, at my website at www.celticharpmusic.com

NEW! Consulting and Mentoring Available:
Anne Roos' Guidance to Making a Living by Gigging

You've certainly heard the phrase, "Don't quit your day job". But in this economy, many are choosing to leave their day job to do exactly what they want in life, and to make a living doing it. Whether you are a gigging musician, or a gigging freelancer in another field, I can help you to make a living doing just what you want to do, to find your own happy niche in the marketplace. Contact me anne@celticharpmusic.com to get started today.

Different is Good

noreply@blogger.com (Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 15:40:00 +0000

A few weeks ago, I received a call from Monica from the Tuxtown tuxedo rental shop. Excitedly, told me that she would be launching a full-service wedding boutique in a few weeks and wanted me to perform at the grand opening! The date was Valentine's Day, a day she hoped to attract many couples that are headed to the altar.

Monica's new store, the Wedding Emporium, is located in the Carson Mall in Carson City, Nevada. I was looking forward to performing inside her new one-stop shop for tuxedos, bridal gowns, and photography. But when I arrived, Monica said, "There's a stage set up in the middle of the shopping mall. I think it would be much better for you to perform there, where everyone will see you, instead of inside my shop."

It wasn't what I expected--A lone harpist on a big stage inside of a mall? That was okay for the jazz band, which was packing up when I approached the stage, but wouldn't I get lost up there? Would anyone see or hear the harp? Would anyone be paying attention?

As it turned out, the shopping mall was fairly quiet, even with complimentary chocolate-covered strawberries handed out to patrons who roamed about on this Valentine's Day. For a harpist, quiet is a good thing. The harp music reverberated throughout the mall, and people gathered to take seats in front of the stage as I played a mix of Celtic music and modern popular love songs (view my complete repertoire list to get an idea of what I played).

Shoppers approached the edge of the stage and asked for requests, and I sold CDs that they wanted autographed. Even Monica could hear me performing as the harp music wafted into her store. When I finished playing, she bought CDs to sell to her own customers and took a large stack of brochures to pass on to brides-to-be.

Originally, I had an odd picture in my head of being ignored on a big stage in the middle of a mall, for I am a solo musician, not a band. Happily, I was wrong.

Tips for Retail Store Owners:

These are hard economic times, and that means you may need to be a bit creative about getting shoppers into your store. Many shop owners attract customers by discounting prices on selected items by 50% or more. Instead, what if you invested in a musician to draw a crowd?

In the above story, Monica didn't slash prices at all, but even on a quiet shopping day, brides were parading into her store. Of course, she sent a press release to the local paper. She also handed out fliers to other colleagues in her wedding networking group, Weddings of the West. She cooperated with other stores in the mall, too, and they all got the word out.

You could host your own musical events. I have seen a Hawaiian luau band playing in Trader Joe's grocery stores, pianists performing in music stores, string quartets in hotel lobbies, and jazz trios playing inside mall food courts. Take a cue from the folks at Disneyland-they have live music at all their eateries and even outside of shops where people are milling about. Music serves to make patrons linger, and if they linger, they are more apt to buy.

Tips for Musicians:

Don't be afraid to take on a different gig than you're used to playing. If you have never played in a department store, in a shopping mall, in a music store, in a bridal shop, or even inside a grocery store, maybe it's time to give it a try.

Sure, you may need to offer a discount off of your regular performance fees to land these gigs, but if you have CDs to sell, you will make it up in sales. Plus, you just never know who may pick up your business card and give you a call later for a much more lucrative gig. At the very least, you'll get some free promotion.

Go where you are apt to meet future clients. If you primarily play at weddings, approach bridal salons, jewelry stores, cake shops, etc., and see about performing in these retail outlets to gain exposure to brides who may want to hire you. If you primarily teach music lessons, approach full-service music stores to demonstrate how wonderful their sale instruments can sound with proper practice (you might even win yourself a spot teaching in that store, too). If you have your CDs commercially available, you can also perform in bookstores that are willing to stock your CDs. Actually, performing anywhere that people can sit down and take a listen to you can attract new fans, customers, and clients.

Many more tips are available from my book "The Musician's Guide to Brides". This book is written primarily for wedding musicians, but it's also filled with advice about marketing, advertising, and promoting your business as a working musician. It's available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com, Amazon.com, and of course, at my website at www.celticharpmusic.com.

I'm looking forward to reading your feedback about performing in retail stores.

Cheers, Anne :-)

Anne Roos
Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos
(And contact me at celticharpmusic@yahoo.com for personal consultation and mentoring-Make a living while gigging)

A Musical School Performance is a Real Education

noreply@blogger.com (Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 18:04:00 +0000

I visited Minden Elementary School in Minden, Nevada to give a presentation to 4th-6th grade students. But before attending, I supplied Ms. B, the teacher who invited me, with a complete lesson plan. It included what I was planning to teach: an introduction to the Celtic harp in Renaissance England and Ireland, along with a full discussion of the culture and music from that period.

I dressed in full Renaissance period costume (appropriate for a
middle-class musician from that time), and I brought plenty of sheet
music with me, just in case I ran out of what I planned to play.

When I arrived, three boys helped me bring my equipment into the
multi-purpose room where the assembly would be held. Ms. B
even assigned a young lady by the name of Kai, to make an
introduction to the students before I began my presentation.

There were some 200 students gathered. After explaining about
the culture and dress of the 1500s, I performed the following tunes,
with plenty of explanation in between:

1. Early Music-3 French Dances
2. Written by King Henry VIII-"Pastyme With Good Company"
3. Can they name this tune?--"Greensleeves"
4. O'Carolan's music:
"Shebeg & Shemore"
"Planxty George"
"Carolan's Draught"
5. Renaissance Dances:
"My Lady Carey's Dompe"
"Galliard"
"Epping Forest"--waltz
"Abbots Bromley Horn Dance" and
"The Green Man"-Double jigs
"Considine's Grove"-Hornpipe
"Princess Royal"--Hornpipe
6. Can they tell the difference between which is an air and which is a march?
"Carrickfergus" and "Brian Boru's March"

Encore:
"The Water Kelpie"

I instructed the children to hold their questions to the end of the
assembly, and there was a question/answer period the last ten or
fifteen minutes before my hour was up.

Next, I was lead into the library, where I did an additional
presentation for Ms. B's and Ms. Moyer's 6th grade classes. The
students had prepared questions for me to answer as part of their
"Music and Arts Lecture Series". They wanted to know what it was
like to be a working musician, and they asked questions like "Why
did you want to play the harp?", "Where are harps made?", "Where
do you perform?", and "Do you feel unique because you play the
harp?". I finished off the round of thoughtful questions with a few
more tunes.

Next, cookies, chips, and lemonade were served in the library and
they had "Meet and Greet". The kids thanked me and excused
themselves to get snacks. They mixed and mingled like adults at a
cocktail party! The students were all so well-behaved, and it was a
joy to perform for them.

View some great photos in the photo gallery on my website.

Tips for School Teachers and Principals:

Bringing in musical talent for performances and educational
presentations does not have to be a budget-breaker. By utilizing
the local talent in your community, you won't need to provide them
with accommodations or food. Furthermore, musicians are usually
booked up on evenings and weekends, so their schedules are more
open on weekdays and may pass along a discount to you.

Zero in on exactly what they will be teaching and how that
information or performance will fit into your present curriculum. It is
common to ask for a lesson plan and references. However, if you
require musicians to jump through too many hoops to be
considered (submitting lengthy applications, panel interviews, extensive
press kits, etc.), some musicians my simply decide against
applying in the first place.

Once you have invited a musician for an assembly, prepare the
students for the visit. A great idea is to have the students prepare
questions to ask the musician ahead of the visit, as in the above
example. And afterwards, the children can write essays about
what they learned from the visit. Of course, children who have
behavior issues should be warned or simply weeded out of the
classes who attend the assembly.

Take photos and movies of the presentation to share on school
websites and with parents. Make it a big event. Show that you
support the arts in your community. And keep in touch with the
musicians afterwards--They love to hear how their presentations
were received.

Tips for Musicians:

If you are great with kids and have something to teach and share
about your instrument and your music, consider offering school
presentations as a wonderful way to supplement your income and
do something special for your local community. In fact, there are
many musicians who travel to perform for schools far and wide-
performing for kids is their specialty.

The first step to performing in schools is to contact your local
school districts and find out what their requirements are. Some will
simply instruct you to contact individual school principals to see
about their interest, needs and budget. Larger school districts may
have an arts program in place. In these cases, there will be an
application/interview process before you are even considered.

Hone in on what you can offer to kids. Do a Google search on
"lesson plans" and use those outlines and examples to create
some lessons that tie in with your musical performance. Schools
will want to know what you'll be teaching, and sample lesson plans
provide the format for conveying this information to them.

Finally, include a discount for local schools. We need the arts in
our communities, and children need to see people up-close-and-
personal performing for them.

Many more tips are available from my book "The Musician's Guide
to Brides". This book is written primarily for wedding musicians,
but it's also filled with advice about marketing, advertising, and
promoting your business as a working musician. It's available
wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and
through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com,
Amazon.com, and of course, at my website at
www.celticharpmusic.com

I'm looking forward to reading your feedback about performing at
school events.

Cheers, Anne :-)

Anne Roos Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos

Bridal Fair Madness!

noreply@blogger.com (Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 19:15:00 +0000

Once or twice a year, I purchase a booth and exhibit at a bridal fair. I do my homework. I make sure that the bridal fair has had high attendance in past shows, I interview other exhibitors from past shows to find out if they had a good experience, and I make sure my booth will be far away from the booths of other musicians, entertainers, and DJs.

I exhibited at the 21st Annual Fantasy Wedding Faire in Reno,
Nevada, produced by the American Heart Association, perhaps
against my better judgment. Why? Because I broke my own
cardinal rule: Never exhibit in the same room as a fashion show. I
signed up for this show because several other wedding service
colleagues had participated in previous years and successfully
booked a number of weddings from the brides who attended.

The event was held in the Silver State Pavilion at the huge Grand
Sierra Resort. Very spacious and comfortable--the room was well
suited for a bridal fair. Set up was a breeze, with easy load-in, but I
didn't count on walking into DJ Bill McClain's loading cart when I
was setting up. Scraped up my foot! Ouch! Maybe it was a bad
omen?

My booth was located on the opposite wall from the fashion show,
as far away from the fashion show as I could possibly be. But once
the doors opened and the brides entered, I discovered my booth
was beneath five PA speakers in the ceiling. These speakers
belched constant announcements for raffle ticket prizes,
descriptions of dresses and models in the fashion show, and
annoying fashion show music at an astounding volume. Anyone
approaching my booth had to yell to converse with me. And of
course, no one could hear my poor little harp-my amp was no
match against those giant speakers. It was no way to introduce
my services to brides.

I commonly book weddings at bridal fairs, because I always offer a
10% discount to brides who decide to hire me at the fair. But this
show was quite the exception, when people could barely converse
with me. Or perhaps, it was a sign of our economy that a larger
discount needed to be offered for landing bookings at bridal fairs? I
may never know.

At least I do know that many brides were interested in my services,
because they waited in line to talk with me, even though they had
to shout over the din. More than 100 brochures left my table that
day. And I'll be in touch with those who entered my drawing for a
free wedding CD, too.

The networking opportunities were endless. Two very generous
florists donated flower displays for my booth: Hattie Reed from Art
in Bloom and another floral arrangement from Floral Expressions &
Events. I met Kathleen from the Harbor House at Sand Harbor
Beach, Lake Tahoe, and learned about their wonderful wedding
facilities. Maybe she'll start recommending me to brides getting
married there. Kristy Hawke who produces the Nevada Women's
Expo also introduced herself to me. Adjacent to my booth was
Andy and Jennifer from The Pampered Chef and along with my
friends Rolf and Eileen from Starling Video , helped watch my booth
when I had to take a break.

So, even if a bridal fair may look like a total washout on the surface,
the connections between the brides and the exhibitors can make it
well worth attending!

Tips for Brides:

Bridal fairs aren't just about checking out the bridal fashions,
sampling cakes, and winning door prizes. Go there with the idea to
hire your wedding vendors at the show. Here's why: most wedding
services offer budget-saving discounts if you decide to book them
right then and there. Bring your checkbook or credit card, an
envelope for your receipts, and your fiancé, mom, and others to
help you make decisions. If they cannot attend, bring along a cell
phone so that you can call them from the show and help you
decide.

Don't want to make quick decisions at the fair? Then bring
something to take notes. Don't be caught without any way to write
down quotes from a potential ceremony site, florist, or musician.

Also prepare a sheet of address labels, and write your email
address and phone number onto those labels before you attend the
fair. At each booth, you may find a drawing for a prize like a free
honeymoon, free flowers, dinner for two at a restaurant, or a
substantial discount off of particular services. Instead of wasting
your time filling out forms for each drawing, just affix the address
stickers to each entry form you encounter and move along to the
next booth.

Follow up with those you meet after the bridal fair while their
wedding services are still fresh in your mind. The more generous
wedding vendors may extend their bridal fair discounts a few days
beyond the fair, especially if you hit it off well with them. But if you
wait weeks or months, not only will you be paying full price, you
may also find that they are no longer available on your wedding
date.

Tips for Musicians:

Exhibiting at bridal fairs is a huge monetary and time commitment.
The booth price alone is not the only monetary factor-having
brochures and promotional materials pre-printed, electricity for your
booth, and other booth amenities will add to that cost. And you
must plan to perform in your booth. The only way brides will fall in
love with the idea of hiring you for their wedding or reception is to
see you in action, as if they would see you at their wedding. You
may need to put in some extra rehearsal time with your ensemble
before the day of the bridal show.

When choosing to buy booth space at a local bridal fair, you can
ask all the right questions of the fair promoter, hear that the fair was
successful previous years from other wedding vendors, and the
event can still stink. All it takes is for the fair to be poorly attended
(perhaps due to lack of advertising or bad weather), or even
something like being placed under a string of loud speakers, as in
the above example. But there are always other wedding colleagues
to meet, and they could be in the position to send you a lot of work
in the future-the silver lining to participating in a bridal fair.

If a wedding fair was truly a washout for you, look at it rationally and
decide what you could have done differently to make it a better
experience. That's what I'm doing about my experience at this last
wedding fair. Should I be involved with another bridal fair that has a
fashion show in the same building? Should I offer a larger discount
to brides who consider booking my services at the wedding fair,
because of this down economy? Should I make a formal complaint
to the fair producers about being placed under the PA speakers or
should I not bother at all? These are some questions I'm
pondering.

I've only touched on a few of the intricacies of participating in a bridal fair
in this blog. I devote an entire chapter to this subject (including
negotiating booth prices, setting up your booth, etc.) in my book
"The Musician's Guide to Brides" available wherever Hal Leonard
Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers
including sheetmusicplus.com, Amazon.com, and of course, at my
website at Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos.

I'm looking forward to reading your stories, comments, and
feedback. And if you have something new to add about your bridal
fair experiences, I'd love to hear them.

Sending my best, Anne :-)

Going With the Flow

noreply@blogger.com (Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 17:25:00 +0000

Alex started planning her wedding almost a year in advance. She
met me at the Dream Wedding Show a popular Sacramento area
bridal fair, and decided right then and there to book my services.

She planned to have me perform for the wedding ceremony and
cocktail service at the reception. When Alex booked me, she
informed me that it was all at the Lions Gate Hotel.

When I spoke with Alex a week before her wedding to confirm her
wedding details, she told me that the Chapel was not next to the
reception ballroom, and I would need to load my equipment and
drive to the reception after the ceremony. She said, "I'll email you a
map."

Well, the map never came to me, but I figured it was a hotel, and all
I needed to do was to go to the registration desk and ask where the
chapel was located. Even the website for the hotel showed the
chapel and the hotel on the same grounds.

I was wrong. I had no idea where the chapel was, and I phoned the
bridal party while I was en route to the ceremony. The bride's cell
phone was handed off to her uncle, who met me at the entrance to
the Lions Gate complex, and I followed him in his big pickup truck to
the chapel.

I was still there in plenty of time, and with my roadie Ben's help, I
got settled quickly and was ready to play. Pastor Tom gave me all
my cues upon my arrival, and the DJ, Terry Stewart , even volunteered
to patch my harp microphone into his speaker system.

Alex loves the sound of the Celtic Harp and wanted to weave a
mixture of holiday music, Renaissance music, and Irish and
Scottish favorites into her ceremony. Here's what I played (for more
information on these songs, check out my repertoire list.

Pre-Ceremony Seating Music:
1. "What Child Is This"
2. "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"
3. "Rorate" (Scottish Christmas Carol)
4. "Pastorale" from Corelli's "Christmas Concerto"
5. "O Come, O Come Emmanuel""
6. "Pie Jesu"
7. "All Through the Night" (traditional Welsh)
8. "O Holy Night"
9. "Heart's Cry" from "Riverdance"
10. "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming"
11. "The Holly and the Ivy"

Seating of bride and groom's parents:
"Kelvin Grove" (traditional Scottish)
Wedding Party of 4 Bridesmaids and 1 Flower girl:
"Simple Gifts"
Bride's Entrance:
Pachelbel's "Canon in D"

There was no music played during the ceremony, and the bride's
cousin played Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" on the chapel organ for the
recessional.

As soon as the wedding party had walked back up the aisle and
was outside the chapel for photos, Ben helped me pack up and I
was off to the reception. Fortunately, someone was kind enough to
post signs so that we could find the ballroom, or I'd probably have
to pick up the phone and call Alex's Uncle again!

Terry had recorded music playing in the ballroom as guests began
to arrive, allowing me time to set up. When I was tuned up, he
turned down his music, and I started to play a variety of rousing
Celtic tunes, as Alex had instructed.

After Alex and her new husband, Rob, entered the room under a
sword arch, Terry announced that guests at certain tables could
proceed to the buffet line. This wasn't his only announcement. I
would play for five or ten minutes, then Terry would give me the
signal to stop, and he'd make another table announcement, then I'd
resume playing. There were more than 150 guests in attendance,
so he made these announcements a number of times. It was a
delicate balance of respecting Terry's cues and his respecting that I
was on the clock to continue performing.

This arrangement was fine with me. Terry was easy to work with,
and we were both there to please the bride and groom. This was
exactly how Alex wanted things to flow, so who was I to have an
ego about it all?

When my time was up, I thanked and congratulated Alex and Rob
and said my good-byes to Terry. Alex's uncle stopped me as I was
leaving. He beamed, "I will have a wonderful story to share for
years about escorting the harpist to Alex's wedding!"

Tips for Brides:

With all the planning in the world, little things can be left forgotten
just days before your wedding day. In the above example, it was
the map for the harpist. I ran under the assumption that the map wasn't
so necessary and I would find the location, but not even a GPS
would have helped me, as the chapel didn't have a separate
address.

How do you remember all these wedding details? Write them down
and follow through with everything you plan to provide for your
wedding vendors. Delegate when it becomes too burdensome.
Give other people tasks, like making maps to the ceremony and
reception sites. Or simply hire a wedding coordinator to help you
out--It's money well spent if you and your wedding party want to be
completely free of overseeing all the nitty gritty wedding details.

Tips for Musicians:

Make that call to your clients one week before the gig. Go through
all the wedding details-location, arrival time, and balance due,
everything on your performance agreement. You'll be amazed, but
every once in a while, a necessary piece of information will come
up in that conversation that you never heard before. For instance,
the time of the ceremony may have changed and the bride
completely forgot to inform you.

Keep in mind that things can still go awry, even if you have had this
pre-date conversation. Something can even change at the wedding
rehearsal. This is the reason why you also need to check in with
the officiant and wedding coordinator as soon as you arrive.

Just go with the flow if things unfold differently than what you
expected. Being escorted by a man in a big pickup truck to a wedding
site is certainly not what I expected. Nor did I think that the DJ at
the reception would periodically interrupt me. I didn't panic. Really,
it was all fun.

Many more tips are available from my book "The Musician's Guide
to Brides" available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and
bookstores, and through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com,
Amazon.com, and of course, at my website at www.celticharpmusic.com

I'm looking forward to reading your stories, comments, and
feedback. Have a very prosperous, Happy New Year!

Sending Warm Wishes,
Anne :-)

Anne Roos
Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos

Julie and Ryan Mix it Up for Their Wedding

noreply@blogger.com (Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos) — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 03:36:00 +0000

Julie and Ryan are seriously into music-She is a flutist and Ryan sings in barbershop quartets. So, they wanted to include all kinds of music at their winter wedding.

Here's what I played (for more information on these songs, check out my repertoire list).

Pre-Ceremony Seating Music:
1. "Star of the County Down" (traditional Irish)
2. "Unchained Melody"
3. "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty" (Christian hymn)
4. "You'll Never Walk Alone"
5. "Silent Night"
6. "La Vie En Rose"
7. "In Dreams"
8. "Come What May"
9. "Canon in D"
10. "Clair de Lune"
11. "Arabian Dance"
12. "Annie's Song"

Wedding Party of 3 Bridesmaids: "Ave Maria" (Schubert)

Bride's Entrance: "Here Comes the Bride"

Music played softly behind Ceremony: "Some Enchanted Evening"

Music during the Lighting of Unity Candle: "You Raise Me Up"

Recessional: "March" from the Nutcracker Suite

Post-Ceremony Music Played During Photo Session:
1. "The Angelical Hymn"
2. "Into the West"
3. "(Everything I Do) I do It For You"
4. "Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow"
5. "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes"
6. "Ice Castles (Through the Eyes of Love)"

The scene was set for the wedding, with candles lit throughout the indoor gazebo at David Walley's Resort in Genoa, Nevada.

When Rever e n d David Beronio arrived, I checked in with him about my cues for the ceremony and then seating began. He checked in with Wendy, the wedding coordinator. I began playing "Ave Maria" just as Reverend David walked up to the altar with the gentlemen. Trouble was, I had not set my harp in the correct key after coming off of playing "Annie's Song" for the seating.

In walked the bridesmaids on cue, and I just continued flipping harp levers, playing an errant note here and there, until the harp was finally in the correct key. I felt like a gymnast who starts off her routine a little wobbly and has a flawless finish. All else went perfectly. The bride walked in to her majestic music, and I was in sync with all my cues from the minister.

Did the bride and groom notice, in that candle-lit room decorated like Christmas? Did the bridesmaids notice? Not that I knew. Everyone complimented about the music. Only Reverend David took notice and mentioned afterwards, "Was wondering about that first song, but it all came out beautifully!" (Rev. Dave is a fan of music played during the ceremony).

As I left at the end of Julie and Ryan's photo session, Julie gushed about how she loved "Some Enchanted Evening" played during her ceremony, and off they went to their reception.

Tips for Brides:

Go ahead and mix up your music list for your wedding. Like Julie and Ryan, you can let your music selections be a reflection of you and your fiancé. Just make sure to clear your ceremony music choices with your officiant, especially any tunes played during the ceremony itself.

In the above example, you'll notice that I was in touch with the wedding coordinator and the minister before and during the ceremony. When you hire services providers who are professional, they work together as a team to make everything come out perfectly. It is a plus if the service providers have worked with each other in the past, too. For instance, I am familiar with Reverend David's ceremonies, so I know that he welcomes music played within the ceremony.

When you hire your wedding service providers, ask how long they have been in business as well as whether they know some of the other providers you have already hired. Then, you can relax in the knowledge that you have hired a team of professionals who will take care of your wedding needs.

Tips for Musicians:

Check in with everyone prior to the wedding ceremony to get your cues, even if you have worked with the minister and the coordinator in the past. Every wedding is different, and you might find out that there was a change made in music or cues at the last minute.

And if your instrument, your voice, or your ensemble members crack a wrong note, just keep on going. You can't go back and fix that moment, but you can perfect the remainder of your performance. We're all human, and stuff just happens. Professionals make mistakes all the time--they just know how to cover for them.

Many more tips are available from my book "The Musician's Guide to Brides" available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com, Amazon.com, and of course, at my website at www.celticharpmusic.com.

I'm looking forward to reading your stories, comments, and feedback. Have a wonderful Holiday Season and a Very Happy New Year!

Sending Warm Wishes,

Anne :-)
Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos

P.S.--Musicians--Get a jumpstart on your New Year's Prosperity Plan. Attend one of Bob Baker's workshops.

‘Tis the Season to Party—The Economy Isn’t That Bad

noreply@blogger.com (Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 00:53:00 +0000

Rich contacted me to perform at his company's "Holiday Family Luncheon". He was desperately looking for some kind of entertainment that would fit the budget he was given. When I gave him a quote, he exclaimed, "You're much cheaper than a dance band or a DJ! Those guys want $1500 or more, and that doesn't even include their mileage." Within 24 hours, I was hired for a 4-hour holiday party.

About 250 employees, along with spouses and children, attended the banquet. Trees with twinkle lights, fountains, and park benches decorated the Tuscany Ballroom of the Peppermill Resort Casino in Reno, Nevada for this special event. And there I sat, with my harp, dressed in my white and gold gown. Rich said I looked like a snowflake.

I played every holiday classic tune you could imagine, including Victorian Christmas carols and music from the Nutcracker Suite. I also took requests, playing "Stairway to Heaven" for Rich (never mind that it wasn't a Christmas song). And then, when Santa entered the room, I played "Santa Claus is Coming to Town". (For more information of the extent of my song list, check out my corporate repertoire list).

I was tickled to hear from so many guests that the music set a wonderful backdrop for the occasion. People could visit with each other without having to shout over a loud PA system. Many of the attendees stared at me while I played, mentioning later that they had never seen a harp before and were amazed. At the end of the party, Rich, and another company event coordinator Sheryll, said they would certainly consider me for their future employee events and next year's holiday party.

Though there is so much talk of a bad economy and companies pulling back on their holiday festivities this year, this example proves that there are companies that are not in trouble. Rich and Sheryll worked for two merged companies that make chocolate and pet food-both staples that people continue to buy, even in a recession. Holiday cheer still exists.

Tips for In-House Corporate Event Planners:

A down economy does not mean that you have to say, "Bah Humbug!" And put the brakes on your annual employee holiday parties. They can still happen-Just scale them back to fit your present budget.

Instead of the expensive DJ or dance band, opt for soloists or small ensembles. Your guests will be able to mix and mingle without shouting, and not as much space will be required for the performance area. If it is a family party, you can even host a talent show or have employee's children perform, with a little backup accompaniment from a professional musician. There are many inexpensive ways to entertain.

You can also opt to have your party in a smaller venue, go with a buffet service instead of a sit-down meal, or serve only one course, for instance appetizers or desserts. What other budget-saving ideas can you think of?

There are many ways to trim the expenses on your holiday festivities without nixing them altogether, and you can always afford live entertainment.

Tips for Musicians:

Do you truly think that the economy is so bad that no one is partying this year? Think again. Companies that are in recession- proof businesses are doing just fine.

Make yourself affordable to your clients. If you are a large band, let clients know that they can hire just a portion of your group. If you are a soloist, you are probably charging quite a bit less than bands or DJs, and this is a major selling point.

Give the client one quote for the entire package and don't itemize the cost of everything that you are including. Give a secondary package quote if the client doesn't have the budget for the first quote you supplied. Offer to match the theme of the event with your costumes and repertoire. Offer no-cost amplification or other complimentary frills to land the gig.

When you are at the event, be willing to take requests. Play an encore--be generous with your abilities and your time. Bring a few CDs to give as gifts to those who hired you and to the CEO. Realize that corporate clients are in a position to hire you for their future events. The goal is to attract repeat business, and this is accomplished by bending over backwards for your clients.

Stay positive in this tough economy, and you will attract clients to you.

Many more tips are available from my book "The Musician's Guide to Brides". This book is written primarily for wedding musicians, but it's also filled with advice about marketing, advertising, and promoting your business as a working musician. It's available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com, Amazon.com, and of course, at my website at Celtic Harp Music.

I'm looking forward to reading your feedback about performing at corporate functions. Check back here again for next week's story.

Cheers,

Anne :-)

Anne Roos
Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos

Karen’s Happy Wedding Day

noreply@blogger.com (Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 00:47:00 +0000

Karen had everything lined up months in advance for her destination wedding at the historic Cal-Neva Resort at the north end of Lake Tahoe. Karen scheduled a lovely November wedding inside the Lakeview Chapel. The alpine views were gorgeous.

Karen was precise about every detail for her wedding. The autumn bouquets and the rust-and-gold color scheme matched perfectly. But there was one thing that was out of her control—Reverend Dan thought the ceremony was to start at 4 pm, not 3:30. He arrived 30 minutes late to the ceremony!

Karen was cool about it and happily walked down the aisle without taking notice at all (I think she was too happy to worry about the time on her wedding day!).

Fortunately, I always book ceremonies with a cushion of extra time, just in case the ceremony starts late or runs longer than expected. So, the 90-minutes I scheduled worked out just fine. The newlyweds were whisked off to their reception immediately following the ceremony, and I did not go beyond the time I booked for my performance.

Although the ceremony took place in a chapel instead of a church, Karen wanted Christian hymns intertwined with modern popular selections for her ceremony music. So, she requested to have every other song as a hymn for the seating of the guests. Here’s what I played (for more information on these songs, check out my repertoire list.

Pre-ceremony seating music:
1. “Wind Beneath My Wings”
2. “Amazing Grace”
3. “Imagine”
4. “Morning Has Broken”
5. “From This Moment On”
6. “Be Thou My Vision”
7. “You Raise Me Up”
8. “We Gather Together, A Prayer of Thanksgiving”
9. “Hero”
10. “Blest Are They”
11. “Once Upon A Dream”
12. “Here I Am, Lord”
Mother’s Lighting the Unity Candle: “Ave Maria” by Schubert
Wedding Party of 6 Bridesmaids, 1 Flower Girl, and 1 Ring Bearer: “Canon in D”
Bride’s Entrance: “Here Comes the Bride”
Recessional: Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March”

Karen still had a ceremony full of live music--A ceremony that starts late does not need to ruin the bride’s entire wedding day.

Tips for Brides:

Having a timetable for your wedding day agenda is important, but realize that there can be a delay in your ceremony or reception events. You may have absolutely no control over these mishaps—a bridesmaid may rip her pantyhose before she walks down the aisle, the ring may have been left back at the hotel room, or the minister may arrive late (as in the above example). Don’t let these things get under your skin.

Plan for an extra cushion of time by hiring your wedding and reception services for longer periods than you think may be necessary. You’ll avoid the possibility of paying costly overtime fees. Reserve the ceremony and reception sites for more time, too.

Why feel rushed if some things don’t start exactly on time?

Tips for Musicians:

Always book your wedding gigs with more time than anyone thinks is needed. Anything can happen to delay the start of the ceremony, and the ceremony may run longer than anyone anticipated.

This goes for reception musicians, too, because if the ceremony starts late or runs long, the reception may start late, too. And what if the meal is late being served?

Keep in mind that the larger the guest list, the longer it takes to move the crowd—Seating will take longer, and so will exiting. Therefore, book extra time for larger groups of attendees, too.

When you are generous with the time you quote for weddings, you won’t need to ask for overtime pay. Overtime pay may be a great boon for your bank account, but it is a major bummer to have to request it from the bride.

Many more tips are available from my book “The Musician’s Guide to Brides” available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including Sheetmusicplus.com, Amazon.com, and of course, at my website Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos.

I’m looking forward to reading your stories, comments, and feedback. Check back here again for next week’s story.

Cheers,
Anne :-)

And Happy Thanksgiving to those of you in the U.S.!

Jerry and Angel Tie the Knot

noreply@blogger.com (Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:03:00 +0000

Not many people plan November weddings, but Jerry and Angel went about it right. It’s off-season for weddings, and that means the wedding services they chose were immediately available. They may have even received a discount for some of their wedding services—A good move in this economy.

Here at Lake Tahoe located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, it’s chilly fall and the outside temps are not the most comfortable for either the guests or my Celtic harp. So, Jerry and Angel held their wedding indoors, where they and their 30 guests could have a lovely view of Lake Tahoe at Lakefront Wedding Chapel.

Getting married in a chapel does not mean that you are resigned to use their minister. Angel and Jerry brought in Pastor Alan, a Baptist minister, to officiate the ceremony. Everything from the lighting of a Unity Candle to Communion was included in a ceremony that lasted less than one hour!

Pastor Alan personalized the ceremony by including a very sweet story about how Angel and Jerry met online eleven years ago and were finally tying the knot. This moved their guests to both laughter and tears. Angel’s father, with tears in his eyes, started off the ceremony with a prayer. The mark of a great minister is one who will welcome adding material to a wedding ceremony to make it personal to the bride and groom.

Jerry was in charge of music selection, and he decided to mix modern popular love songs with traditional wedding music and Christian hymns. Here’s what I played (for more information on these songs, check out my repertoire list.

Pre-ceremony seating music:
1. “Everything I Do I Do It For You”
2. “Can You Feel the Love Tonight”
3. “Unchained Melody”
4. “When I Fall In Love”
5. “Take My Breath Away”
6. “When You Believe”

Mother’s Lighting the Unity Candle: “Blest Are They”
Wedding Party of 1 Bridesmaid, 1 Flower Girl, and 1 Ring Bearer: “Canon in D”
Bride’s Entrance: “Here Comes the Bride”
After Angel’s father’s prayer: “Here I Am Lord”
Played softly behind vows: “All I Ask of You”
While Angel and Jerry light their Unity Candle: Kenny G’s “Wedding Song”
During Communion: “The Love I Found in You”
Recessional: Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March”

Post ceremony music, while people exited for photos outside:
1. “I Will Always Love You”
2. “From This Moment On”

The look was classic, with Angel’s color selection of silver, light blue, and black (I wore silver silk and black velvet to match the wedding party).

A lovely, one-hour chapel ceremony can be beautiful, affordable, and personalized, right down to the choice of music, vows, and colors.

Tips to Brides:

June is the most popular wedding month, and in many locations, summer is the biggest wedding season. Save money by choosing an off-season wedding date. Even consider a weekday over a weekend date. You’ll have an open choice of available wedding vendors, and you might even receive discounts.

Tips to Musicians:

Only the Pre-Ceremony and Post-Ceremony tunes listed above were played in their entirety. The others were shortened. I needed to watch when the mothers were lighting the candles and wind down “Blest Are They” when they went to their seats. I needed to see when the last attendant in the wedding party arrived at the altar so that I knew when to wind down “Canon in D” and start playing “Here Comes the Bride”. Using your eyes, as well as your ears, is an important skill to develop when performing at weddings. Look up from your sheet music from time to time so that you don’t miss all the action.

Many more tips are available from my book “The Musician’s Guide to Brides” available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including SheetMusicPlus.com, Amazon.com, and of course, at my website at Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos.

Jump in and add your comments. Please share your stories and feedback...I’ll continue this blog with another event story next week.

Cheers,
Anne :-)