nashvillesilverstrings

Meanwhile on 12/12/15, the busiest day at Opryland, others of us were fighting traffic around the Opryland Hotel to get to the wedding of Sergi to Alisha on time.  A little schmoozing at the valet parking area didn’t hurt.  We made it to the Crystal Gazebo (the big fountain in the Conservatory) with plenty of time to spare.

Sergi is a rock musician himself so the music for prelude and processionals reflected just that.  For prelude we included Coldplay, Beatles, “Latch” by Sam Smith, “Say Yes” by Elliot Smith.  Now for the processionals…the mothers were seated to “Home” by Ed Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes while the bridesmaids entered to “Use Somebody” by Kings of Leon.  Alisha chose “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac for her entrance.  I enjoyed listening to the incomparable Stevie Nicks as I devised and arrangement of the request.  The newly married couple went back up the aisle to the strains of “Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon.

Congratulations to Sergi and Alisha!  We wish them many happy years together.

It was my delight to assist Elder in preparing the music for his marriage to his sweetheart, Jocelyn, on December 12, 2015.  He wanted to sing a love song to his bride accompanying himself on the piano with a violin obligato during the ceremony.  I transcribed what he wanted the violin to play in certain places but left most of the piece to violinist, Jocelyn Sprouse (not the bride), to fill in the spaces with beautiful improvisation.  If that doesn’t melt a person’s heart he must be made of stone.  Elder’s only other request was for the quartet to play “When God Made You” during prelude.

The couple and their guests were mostly Hispanic but the bride wanted a traditional “American” wedding so Jocelyn and the quartet played the traditional classics for prelude.  The bridal processional, however, wasn’t quite traditional in that the bride came down the aisle to the Mendelsshohn “Wedding March” which is usually used as the recessional in American weddings.  Then the newly married couple recessed to the Wagner “Wedding March” which is normally used as the bridal processional in American ceremonies.

Congratulations to the newlyweds and their families!

As usual I’m behind in my reporting.  Halloween evening found us in our formal tuxes for the wedding of Ericka to Charles at Wightman Chapel on the Scarritt campus.  Ericka selected some really lovely pieces for the prelude including Debussy’s “Reverie”, “Maestro” from The Holiday and “Ladies in Lavender” (the bridesmaid dresses happened to be a color similar to lavender).  The processionals were traditional including “Air from the Suite in D” for the mothers and “Canon in D” for the attendants.  Ericka, however, chose Eric Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight” for her processional to which she arrived at the altar on her mother’s arm.

Later at the reception that took place at Union Station the quartet played “Ho, Hey” by The Lumineers as the newlyweds entered the cocktail area.  I have yet to get a bride and groom allow us to get the guests to shout “ho” and “hey” in all the right places.

Congratulations to Ericka and Charles and a thousand wishes for a long and happy life together.