March 20, 2010

 

(Photo 3/20/2010 3:00 pm)

This afternoon, we played for a beautiful wedding at the Beaver Creek Chapel coordinated by JoAnn Moore of Mountains and Meadows.

Our prelude consisted a a couple of contemporary pieces mixed in with several classical pieces. We started off with Beethoven's 'Ode To Joy' from his ninth symphony, followed by Cohen/Buckley's 'Hallelujah', Bach's 'Ave Verum Corpus' - a slow and beautifully melodic piece, Enya's 'Only Time', an old Irish traditional 'Danny Boy' or 'Londonderry Air', Bach's 'Sheep May Safely Graze', Bach's 'Air', and we finished the prelude music with Bach's 'Arioso'.

Just prior to the processional, fellow musician Pat Hamilton beautifully performed a vocal and guitar solo of John Denver's 'Annie's Song'. She also performed several of the hymns throughout the ceremony.

The clergy, family members, and attendants all entered to Bach's 'Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring', and then the bride entered to the old Elvis tune 'Can't Help Falling in Love With You'.

During the ceremony, as the bride and groom lit the unity candle, we quietly played Gounound's 'Ave Maria'.

As the couple were presented to their family and friends for the first time as a married couple, we performed 'Here Comes the Sun' a familiar Beatles tune for the recessional. We concluded with Handel's 'La Rejouissance', and finally Handel's 'Entrance of the Queen of Sheba'.

It was our pleasure to play for this wedding on a perfect Colorado March day!

March 6, 2010

We recently had the opportunity to play as a violin and cello duo for a beautifully intimate wedding at The Lodge at Vail.

The ceremony took place in the Wildflower Restaurant which was breathtaking with its natural light and simple elegance. This was the first time we've played in this venue, and we were thrilled at the perfect set-up. As we entered the dining room, we were ushered down some steps to an open area with hardwood floors and fantastic windows. We sat on a bench in the back of this area while the ceremony took place up in front of the windows.

We played a few prelude pieces including Handel's 'Bouree', Bach's 'Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring', and the 'Andante, and Allegro' from Handel's Water Music. We then played Pachebel's 'Canon' for the bridal procession. As the couple lit the unity candle and signed their marriage documents, we softly played Handel's 'Air' as the officiator read some beautiful verses.

As the ceremony concluded, we played Telemann's 'Presto', followed by Handel's 'La Rejouissance', and Bach's 'Gigue'.

We continued to play several pieces including, Bach's 'Arioso', Schubert's 'Andante', Bach's 'Sheep May Safely Graze', Handel's 'Largo', Beethoven's 'Minuet in G', Rhimsky-Korsakov's 'Scherazade', Telemann's 'Vivace', 'Simple Gifts', Bach's 'March in D', and Brahm's 'St. Anthony Chorale' as the cake was cut and during the toasts to the bride and groom's happy future together.

Ice Instruments

 

We had the chance to work today as a duo and try out the instruments in the Crystal Grotto in Beaver Creek. Tim Linhart has been the on-site ice scupltor for Beaver Creek since the late 1980's. He started to wonder about making instruments from ice and today we got to play them.

It was a trip! It took a LONG time to get the instruments tuned as we had to apply the tension very slowly, but it was such an interesting experience. The violins and violas are actually suspended from the ceiling due to their weight.

 

The cello is cemented to the floor (with ice of course) and doesn't move at all.

 

As we are preparing for an upcoming wedding tomorrow, we whipped out our music and rehearsed there.

Tim was thrilled to hear his instruments as this is the first time they've been played since he scuplted them as string players are so difficult to find in our area.

We were thrilled at the opportunity and experience. Really - who else can say they've played 'ice instruments?'