Category Archives: Weddings

Weddings

Four down, one to go!

I can’t believe I’ve already played four weddings (well, technically three and a reception) this weekend.  I was totally exhausted last night–our first wedding was pretty tough. It was a difficult situation with the organist/music director at the church, where it seemed that he was very bitter that we were there at all. It was unfortunate for him, I think, because I think a surprise collaboration can be a wonderful thing, but not everyone is as open minded as I am (or eager to meet new people).

The second wedding was fun, except (as is all too common) they wanted to set us up in the sun. It seems no matter how many times you go over these things with people, they still can’t believe you won’t actually go against your contract and play in direct sunlight (it was 90 degrees without the sun). Even a bit of sun can really put the instruments out of whack (which we had already), and if we don’t get shade, basically the polish would buckle, the instrument would melt at the seams (glue), not to mention likely broken strings, etc. The people gave us a little attitude, and then complained that we were too far away (not loud enough) after they refused to let us set up where we suggested (much closer and more shaded). Any potential clients reading this: we are experienced at this and usually can figure out a good place to be that will meet our requirements, unless there are no trees at all, in which case, we do need a tent of sorts. It’s not a question of us personally not wanting to play in the sun, it’s that our instruments would be destroyed in potentially a very short period of time.

The last gig was a reception–it was great fun! We played for about 2 1/2 hours and I got to do some new arrangements of pieces that I hadn’t played before. The company was great, and the client were just wonderful.

After my wedding this afternoon, I get to go relax at Maya Cafe. Chris is playing Death and the Maiden with some of his colleagues, and then some of our friends/colleagues are playing Tangos and other Latin Music there. It should be a fun evening! My friend Lisa Chong is organizing “Maya Cafe Sundays” and the restaurant has a special menu for the evening (opens at 6:30 pm, music starts at 8 pm, no cover).

Food, Teaching, Weddings

Everybody’s working for the weekend?

Except me?  One wedding down,  four to go!  Tonight’s was a nice ceremony at the Piper Palm House in Tower Grove Park.  I’m looking forward to attending a wedding there in a little over a month, but it was a beautiful evening tonight.  Not too cold, not hot.

Tomorrow–two weddings and a reception, and Sunday another wedding.  Then Sunday night I look forward to seeing friends perform at Maya Cafe again–Chris is playing a quartet, and some of my friends are doing some tangos and such.  Should be fun, and they do have tasty margaritas there!

I went to have Nicaraguan food with a friend today.  We went to Fritanga, and I really enjoyed it.  It seems that plantains are the mainstay of Nicaraguan food (and I’m okay with that!).  I’ve been taking advantage of my newly found free time by meeting various friends for lunch or dinner, getting a pedicure, and catching up on all the things I was putting off.  It’s been a relaxing week, at least, though I’ve ended up being quite busy…odd combination.

It looks like next fall I might be much busier teaching.  I’m hoping so!  Busy is good, and I guess if I can’t do the performing I’d like to, I’ll teach more.

TGIF.

Weddings

Wedding Season!

As I wait at home to head off to my third wedding of the weekend, I would say that wedding season is in full swing. So far I’ve played with a duo, a quartet, and now a trio. Since it is also baseball season, I can’t help but make the correlation to hitting for the cycle–a single, double, triple, and home run all in one game. Perhaps playing a wedding “cycle” would be solo, duo, trio, and quartet, all in one weekend? Has anyone done that? I think it would be worthy of a trophy, or at least some sort of ribbon or homemade certificate or banner (perhaps a la print shop from the mid-80’s).

Performing, Weddings

Solo Violin for Weddings

A potential client asked me the other day if it was better to have more than one player for a wedding.  For instance, is a solo violin enough?  My answer is that it really depends on what you want.  I can play by myself and I’m sure it will be fantastic–I have certainly received many compliments on solo violin performances.  However, if your budget can manage, I think it’s better to have two or more players.  Think of it like this:  would you prefer solo singer, or a singer with guitar or piano?  Melodies are great, but melody with harmony is even better.  However, better to have that nice melody than nothing (or that “canned” sound from a recording;)  ).  So that’s my two cents.  In the next month, I have two solo weddings booked right now, so that certainly says something!  And yes, I can play pretty much anything on solo violin that a group can do, and if not, I’ll make it work.

Weddings

Candle thingys

I played a nice wedding over the weekend.  They had these cool flower/candle that looked like a lantern thingys on the end of each aisle. I loved that the wedding wasn’t overdone, and was just nice and tasteful.  It was just me and my friend Ranya, and I think we did a lovely job with the music as well 😉   I don’t usually notice decorations and stuff like that, so either the flowers were really cool or I’m getting to be in THAT way regarding weddings.  We won’t talk about that here right now.

Ice dancing is almost like ice skating…except just not as cool.  I wonder if it’s like playing violin but never learning how to shift past third position?  (insert viola joke here).  Less classical music as well, and I just don’t enjoy it as much.  Sorry!

This week is Mozart Requiem with the SLSO.  I’m planning to go.  It reminds me of the last time I played Mozart Requiem…ah…the Cayman Islands.  That was the luckiest gig of my life, I think.  I went there, played, had a fantastic time, and then the next year they asked different people to go and that sucked, but I guess, hey, at least I got one trip out of it!  I need to be more grateful about what I have and have had, rather than dwelling on things I wish I had.

Performing, Teaching, Weddings

I have confidence?

2 Comments

From the Post Dispatch review of Winter Opera St. Louis’s performance last weekend (of Massenet’s Werther):

In the pit, Scott Schoonover offered rather choppy conducting of the lush score, but the 22-piece orchestra did a good job, with some really lovely moments.

I’ll absolutely take credit for those “lovely moments” as concertmaster, though I really don’t see how the reviewer was able to notice “choppy” conducting when the orchestra didn’t reflect anything of the sort.  Either I’m just that good, or really, reviewers have very little idea of what they are talking about and need to fill a certain amount of room?  I do think I should have been mentioned by name for my “really lovely” solos though 😉

I’m trying to bring a certain amount of aggression and confidence into my teaching, playing, and life.  (I was testing it out in the previous paragraph!) My trainer is encouraging me to be more aggressive in my workouts, and I am trying to bring my workouts into my life.  I could probably use a bit more aggression, or at least a bit more confidence and assurance, in my life…I guess I’ll add that to the list of “tweaks” I am trying to make!  This whole adulthood thing just keeps getting more challenging.  Or I just need to remember, no one is really paying attention to me after all, so no need to worry what they think.  (But…are people reading my blog?  Then YOU are paying attention, right?).

Save the date:  February 28.  Quartet concert at St. Margaret of Scotland Church.  With members of the SLSO in addition to a couple of just awesome freelancers (including me).  Time TBA but afternoon (baby steps, I know!).