Frequently asked questions

A most significant question! Each event is entirely unique and for this reason I don’t offer packages which steer you down a pre-determined path! Factors that determine the price are how long you would like me to play for, the nature of your event (for example, charity events are discounted), travelling distance etc. Do contact me for a bespoke quote to suit your unique musical needs.  

Any supplier, particularly in the wedding industry needs to have Public Liability Insurance and indeed, some National Heritage venues won’t allow a supplier that can’t show their PLI certificate. I’m happy to confirm that I have insurance coverage up to £5m. 

Only once in my career have I had to turn down a song request, and that was prior to the incredible tools and gadgets we now have at our disposal to help create bespoke tracks! As long as a recorded track exists and there is a melody that my violin can play and I have a little notice, I’m pretty confident that I can source or create your special track for you. The price of one special commission is included in each booking. 

Of course! I’m happy to speak either via telephone or video call at a mutually convenient time! Getting a feel for your suppliers is an absolute priority. Get in touch via the Contact Me page and let me know when is best for us to speak! 

Of course! We can discuss your musical tastes, likes and preferences and together we can help find the perfect song choices or styles to compliment your event. 

Of course! I have several recordings loaded up on my ‘listen…’ page – you should always feel happy and confident with the quality of your suppliers’ work before you book!  

That’s a great question – and completely dependent on your needs. Churches tend to have incredible acoustics, so if I am playing for a church service then I will often bring my acoustic violin. Wedding venues, or if you would like me to play outside tend to require more volume adjustability than an acoustic violin has, or levels of amplification, in which case I would bring my electric violin which I can plug into my amplifier. This sound would carry much further and is more suitable for a louder environment such as a wedding reception or function. 

Absolutely! However, stringed instruments and my electrical equipment are vulnerable to the weather conditions, so I request that if playing outside, I am placed either under the shelter of a tree or an awning, gazebo or arbour in order to protect me from overheating and any unscheduled rain showers! 

I have a very streamlined, completely battery operated system, so I can be placed anywhere you like (within reason) with no limitation of power sources. I use a professional standard amplifier which has a running time of 8 hours and always carry at least 3 complete sets of batteries! My violin plugs into this amp, as does my IPad which provides the backing tracks. Besides my amp and my violin, I also have a music stand.

From arrival at a venue, I can be set up and ready to go within 15 minutes. However, I always aim to arrive at least 1 hour before my scheduled start time so that I can get a feel for acoustics and adjust my volume levels to suit the space perfectly. 

My set up is incredibly streamlined and simple – I take up roughly 1.5m square.  

The only things I ask of the venue are a chair and a glass of water! If you are booking me for several hours we can discuss refreshments but I am happy to be very self sufficient during my work! 

I have been performing since I was 5 years old – so over 30 years! I get excited to share music with others rather than nervous. I have spent decades honing my craft and I know with certainty that the level of performance you get on your special day will be of the highest standard. 

The short answer is yes – however I have spent many hours practising in order to perform for you at the highest, professional level on your event. I am always happy to collaborate with others, but will need to arrange rehearsal time in order to ensure that the performance on the day is of a similarly high level. This rehearsal time will need to be factored into the quote I give you including any required travel. 

I always check your colour theme and whether you would like me to coordinate or not. I have a selection of long, formal dresses as well as less formal tea-length dresses which befit a variety of occasion without drawing focus from the most important people on the day! Think elegant rather than showy. This is always discussed and agreed before the event! 

I have a good level of stamina for performing and am happy playing up to 2 hours in one stretch. We can discuss your requirements and come up with a schedule of playing that perfectly suits your needs. 

This is a really important one to consider. In my decades of performing, I have had to navigate very few emergencies because I plan and double check things as thoroughly as I can! In all my performing years, I have never had to cancel a booking due to illness. However, should this happen, I have an extensive network of musicians which I can ask to step in at the last moment to ensure that your musical needs are met regardless of my personal circumstances. 

Equipment failure has never happened – I carry extra cables and batteries to ensure that should I get a fault, I can rectify this on the go. I have never had strings break during a performance,, but even these can be replaced very quickly and dealt with quietly and efficiently with minimal disruption to your event.