August 21, 2010 - The Vail Chapel Back Lawn Area

This weekend we had the opportunity to play in a completely new venue. While we've played at the Vail Interfaith Chapel numerous times, this was the first time we'd ever played on the lawn behind the chapel next to the ministry house. It was a lovely location, especially with the river (which is fairly low at this time of the year) running right behind the wedding party providing a contrast to the backdrop. It was a beautiful day and venue for a great wedding.

 

We performed for this wedding as a trio consisting of two violins and a cello. This was an almost strictly classical event with the exception of "Bygone Days" the first piece we played. Following "Bygone Days", we played Bach's "Sheep May Safely Graze", Vivaldi's "Spring", Bach's "Arioso", Mozart's "Eine Kleine", Schubert's "Andante", Franck's "Panis Angelicus", Schumann's "Liebstraum", Delibes' "Flower Song", Handel's "Largo", followed by Handel's "Water Music".

The wedding party entered to Pachebel's "Canon" and the bride to Vivaldi's "Winter" from the Four Seasons.

During the ceremony we played Puccini's "O Mio Babbino Caro" for the lighting of the unity candle.

We played Handel's "La Rejouissance" for the recessional, followed by "Entrance of the Queen of Sheba", and finally "Hornpipe".

Here's a view from the parking area as the guests crossed the back lawn of the chapel.

 

I was amazed at how many chairs they were actually able to get into the area!

 

August 14, 2010 The Westin Riverfront

 

Another gorgeous Colorado day! We had the opportunity to play once again for a wedding at the Westin Riverfront in Avon this past weekend. As always, everything was beautiful and flowed so well thanks to the excellent staff at the Westin.

We started our prelude with Vivaldi's "Winter", Bach's "Sheep May Safely Graze", Cohen/Bckley's "Hallelujah", Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring", Handel's Largo, Denver's "Annie's Song", Handel's "Entrance of the Queen of Sheba", Elvis' "Can't Help Falling in Love", Bach's "Air", and finished the prelude with Webber's "All I Ask of You".

We played Ivers/Keane's "Bygone Days" for the processional as the family members and bridemaids entered, followed by Pachebel's "Canon" as the bride was escorted in by her parents.

As the ceremony finished the couple's recessional was a recorded piece played by the DJ which worked out great as they segued into the cocktail hour.

August 13, 2010 - Relay For Life, Brush Creek Pavilion Park

For the past several years, The Vail Valley String Quartet & Trio has had an opportunity to participate in a very special community event/fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. Each year a "Relay for Life" walk is conducted and we've been able to offer our music as part of this special evening for the Luminary Ceremony as candles are lit in memory of those who have fallen victim to the ugly disease of cancer and as survivors are named.

This year's Relay for Life was held at the Brush Creek Park in Eagle.

 

As we arrived, it was dusk and we began to play as the sun was setting. Due to some complications, they started late and asked us just to play whatever we could while some bugs were worked out. We were happy to do so as our playlist was comprised of mostly solemn pieces, and so we paged through our folders and picked out some of our favorites which weren't very sedate. We played Denver's "Annie's Song", the Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun", Buckley/Cohen's "Hallelujah", Delibe's "Flower Song", and Puccini's "O Mio Babbino Caro".

As they began the Luminary Ceremony, we went back to our playlist and began with Mozart's "Ave Verum Corpus", Vivaldi's "Winter" from the Four Seasons, Bach's "Sheep May Safely Graze" and "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring", Handel's "Largo" and Ivers/Keane's "Bygone Days".

As we finished, the DJ requested that we play Vivaldi's "Spring" from the Four Seasons as he lined up the music for the rest of the evening.

It was our honor to be asked once again to play for such a special evening.

July 31, 2010 - Allie's Cabin

Our second wedding for the day was also in Beaver Creek, but at a new venue for us. Located just 10 minutes up the Beaver Creek Mountain lies Allie's Cabin - a picturesque cabin in the woods with incredible panoramic vistas of the valley.

 

It was a perfect venue for a summer day wedding and it was our pleasure to play there.

 

 

We began our prelude with Bach's "Sheep May Safely Graze" and "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring", Tartini's "Cantabile", Delibes' "Flower Song", Handel's "Largo", Bach's "My Heart Ever Faithful", Handel's "Andante", "Allegro", and "Air", Bach's "Air", Mozart's "Menuetto" from the Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Bach's "Arioso", Telemann's "Presto", Puccini's "O mio Babbino Caro", Vivaldi's "Winter" from the Four Seasons, and finally the "Feather Theme" from Forrest Gump - a special request by the bride and groom.

As the ceremony started, the groom, groomsmen and the bridesmaids entered in to Pachebel's "Canon", followed by the bride who entered to Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Edelweiss".

For the recessional, we played "Viva La Vida" by Coldplay, and then the chairs were all cleared away on the deck and we began to play the cocktail music.

Following are the pieces we played for the cocktail music, as photos were taken and guests mingled.
Denver's "Annie's Song", The Beatle's "Here Comes the Sun", Groban's "You Raise Me Up", Elvis' "Can't Help Falling in Love", Handel's "La Rejouissance", Handel's "Entrance of the Queen of Sheba", Webber's "All I Ask of YOu", Santori's "Time to Say Goodbye", Vivaldi's "Spring", Enya's "Only Time", Bucklye/Cohen's "Hallelujah", Ivers/Kean's "Bygone Days" and Ungar's "Ashokan Farewell".

July 31st The Beaver Creek Chapel

 

July 31st was a gorgeously perfect Colorado summer day, and we had the opportunity to play for two separate weddings that day.

The first wedding of the day was at the Beaver Creek Chapel which is always a great venue.

Our prelude included the following pieces:
Bach's "Sheep May Safely Graze", "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring", "My Heart Ever Faithful", "Air", and "Arioso", Tartini's "Cantabile", Delibes' "Flower Song", Handel's "Largo", "Andante" and "Allegro".

The parents of the bride and groom and honored family members entered to Handel's "Air" from the Water Music, followed by the bridal attendants entering to Handel's "Entrance of the Queen of Sheba", followed by a beautiful bride who entered to Pachebel's "Canon".

After a great ceremony, the couple exited back down the aisle while we played Vivaldi's "Spring" from the Four Seasons as their recessional.

We followed the recessional with Handel's "Hornpipe" and "La Rejouissance".