Versatile musicians with a wealth of
experience and success in providing the perfect musical
enhancement to your wedding day.
Traditional music
for the ceremony, music to entertain your guests during
the photographs and classical and contemporary styles to
suit all tastes for the reception, all superbly played.
Recent venues
include Woburn Abbey, Pembroke Lodge in Richmond Park,
Knebworth, Syon Park, The Wallace Collection Gallery, The
Ritz Hotel, the Natural History Museum and Nonsuch
Mansion.
Outside
the quartet genre they have between them played for
Vanessa Mae, Shirley Bassey, Jools Holland and various
orchestras domestically and abroad including Primavera Ensemble
and the Irish Symphony Orchestra.
A
demonstration tape is available which contains a sample
of music available. When you are ready we can send you a
detailed repertoire list for you to choose your unique
programme.
Alternatively you can leave the music to us where we will
use our experience and judgement to ensure the quartet is
the perfect complement to your wedding.
Claire Foster
Chameleon
String Quartet is a popular choice for providing music at civil
and church wedding ceremonies and also for the celebrations
afterwards. The quartet can be booked for any combination of
ceremony, drinks reception and wedding breakfast.
A
typical booking period is three hours though longer bookings are
possible. In good weather the musicians can perform outdoors
during the photographs and while the cocktail reception is taking
place. Most weddings involve moving outdoors, to different rooms
and sometimes to different venues and the quartet are used to
setting up in more than one place at an event. The quartet
regularly play during the wedding breakfast, providing background
music to the diners. Many people like the music to continue up
until the beginning of the speeches after which the evening
entertainment may start with a change of style such as a jazz or
pop band, disco or barn dance.
Ceremonies: The rules surrounding civil weddings state that music and
readings must not have a religious context. This means the
quartet cannot play any hymns or pieces that might have sacred
words. If your wedding is to be in a church there are no musical
restrictions though the nature of the setting might suggest the
music is traditional. Humanist weddings have no musical
restrictions.
The quartet usually plays 15 - 30 minutes before the ceremony is
due to start, to entertain guests as they arrive. Some people
choose to have no music at all until the entrance of the bride
which can have a dramatic effect. The music played is generally
of a subtle, classical nature. The quartet then play for the
entrance of the bride, during the signing of the register and for
the exit of the newlyweds. Most people like to choose pieces for
during the ceremony and the quartet are happy to make
recommendations based on their experience over the years. Some
people have asked for a musical interlude during the ceremony for
example to follow a reading. It is also possible for the quartet
to accompany a singer for one or two pieces. A few popular
choices are shown below:
Processional:
Clarke
Trumpet Voluntary
Handel
Hornpipe from Water Music
Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
Mendelssohn
Wedding March
Pachelbel
Canon
Purcell
Trumpet Tune
Wagner
Bridal March
Register:
Bach
4 pieces from D major Suite (including
Air)
Boccherini
Minuet
Delibes
Flower Duet from Lakmé (British
Airways Advert)
Elgar
Chanson de Matin
Salut d'amour
Fauré
Pavane
Handel
Air from Water Music
Mozart
Three Divertimenti
Massenet
Meditation from Thais
Pachelbel
Canon
Recessional:
Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3
Handel
Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
Hornpipe from Water Music
Mozart
Overture from The Marriage of
Figaro
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Reception: During the celebrations after the ceremony the
quartet has a comprehensive repertoire that accommodates most
tastes. The extensive list enables them to honour requests such
as "only classical" or "only light". A list
can be sent out for clients to indicate their requests - special
arrangements of a favourite piece can also be made for a small
fee and with a months notice. Dress:
The quartet take great care in their presentation and can wear
all black to be neutral or their own colours. Space:
The average amount of space required is 2m x 2.5m (7' x 8.5')
although the quartet is able to squeeze into slightly smaller
spaces for a short amount of time! If you are worried about space
you could check with your venue if a string quartet has played
there before. Breaks:
The quartet always plans in advance with clients the best time to
take breaks to fit in with your plans. The quartet generally need
a short break of approximately 10 - 15 minutes after 75 minutes
performance.
Recent
Corporate Clients:
Gardner Merchant:
Evening charity dinner
Global Event Solutions:
End of conference meal, Queens
College, Cambridge
Westhill College, Birmingham:
Graduation meal
Engish Partnerships:
Cocktail reception
Nichollson International:
Christmas Lunch
British Academy of Aesthetic Dentistry:
End of exhibition dinner
Edmundson Electrical:
End of conference meal, Brighton (Grand
Hotel)
End of conference meal, Newport
Chameleon
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DETAILS CONTACT
. . Selwyn DorfmanGershGang@aol.com
