• Recent Events: Back from Australia and Ready for Easter and Mother's Day!/Elizabeth House Concert
• Tips & Tricks: 5 Things to Think About When Planning Your Wedding • About Us: What We Can Do for You
• Holiday Ideas: Ambient Music for Easter and Mother's Day Brunches
• Featured Artists: Performers for Easter and Mother's Day
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  Back from Australia and Ready for Easter and Mother's Day!
Carolyn Sykes, owner of Music for Events, is just back from Australia - after spending time in the land down under to celebrate her mother's 80th birthday, things are back in full swing here at Music for Events, and we are gearing up for Easter(April 8th) and Mother's Day(May 13th) celebrations! Though they may seem far away, they're only a a month of two in the future - leaving only a few weeks to book your musicians! These holidays always fill up fast, and you don't want to get stuck waiting until the last minute to find someone. Musicians are especially popular this time of year for those famous Easter and Mother's Day brunches - so to all of our clients who are country club or restaurant planners, let us know what you'd like and we'll get you all set up right away!
Winter's Thaw Concert March 11th Benefitting Elizabeth House
We'd also like to share an upcoming event that is open to the public - this coming Sunday, we are proud to be a part of a wonderful concert benefitting a wonderful organization. "Winter's Thaw" is an inspiring musical, literary and visual journey from the icy shroud of winter to the warm rebirth of spring – with soloists, choir, instrumentalists, poetry and imagery. This very special concert will feature the world premiere of three commissioned compositions by local composers, and there will be a reception with the artists immediately following. All proceeds from the concert will go to Elizabeth House, a Pasadena-based charitable organization that provides shelter, hope and support to homeless pregnant women and their children.
Tickets at the Door: $20
When: Sunday, March 11th
Where: 7:00 pm at Westminster Presbyterian Church 1757 N. Lake Avenue, Pasadena 91104
Contact: 626-296-9843 | performancesalacarte@gmail.com
 As wedding-planning season approaches once again, we'd like to reshare an important article about what to think about when organizing your special day. It's easy to get caught up, but if you remember these important focal points, you'll breeze on through. 5 Most Important Things to Think About When Planning Your Special Day
 1. Have the wedding that you want to have. . . You and your fiancé should be the two most influential people planning your wedding. Mom, Dad and the future In-laws will all want to play a part in this special day, but ultimately it is your wedding and your memory. If you and your fiancé have a definite vision for time of year, venue or theme, then by all means follow your hearts.
2. The early bird gets the worm. . . This one is easy, the earlier you begin the planning process, the more likely you are to secure your preferred vendors. Katie, a June bride, warns of the dangers of not starting early enough, "My sister got married in October and didn't start planning until late July, early August, and she was fine. However, I waited until around February…I had a lot of problems with booking the florist and photographer that I wanted. I also ended up spending a lot more than what I was planning on spending." After I had spoken with Katie for this article, her wedding had to be postponed indefinitely, due to not being able to secure appropriate venues in time for her big day. She now has to kiss thousands of dollars in non-refundable deposits goodbye! It is not unusual for photographers, reception venues and churches to book clients up to two years in advance. So if you have always dreamed of getting married at Heinz Chapel, you had better be the early bird, or you may be disappointed.
 3. Organize, organize, organize. . . Keeping yourself organized while planning your wedding is one of the easiest things that you can do to keep your sanity! Make detailed notes on all conversations that you have with vendors. Have a binder or individual folders to keep all important documentation together in one place, such as signed contracts and informational paperwork.
4. Outsource when you can. . .Try not to do it all yourself. Will you really have time, three days before the wedding, to make forty, fresh flower centerpieces? Or bake and decorate you own wedding cake the day before the ceremony? Please, who would want to! With the costs of a wedding increasing, the Do-It-Yourself bride is here to stay. But be reasonable about what you can and cannot do on your own. If there are D.I Y. projects that can be done today…do them today! The more projects you can complete far in advance of the big day, the better.
5. Be done by the big day. . . Many brides try to cram in last minute wedding chores the day of the event. This is not the time to be printing seating charts or running to the store for a shiny hair accent. If you can, try to leave this day as open as possible. "Our wedding went really well but I think that it was because I was very well organized." says Darlene, a recent newlywed. "This way I could go to bed the night before and sleep, rather than lay awake thinking about what I needed to do. I did as much as I could on Wednesday and Thursday because Friday and Saturday were busy…I was relatively stress free on my wedding day." Aaaahhh, stress free, that is the goal. Having things wrapped up by the day of the event will allow you to indulge a bit, if your budget allows. Have your hair and makeup done professionally. Get together for a light breakfast with your bridesmaids. You will want to be relaxed, enjoy everyone's company and experience all of the wonderful emotions of the day. If there are last minute snafus that need handling, designate a go-to person. They will be able to help Aunt Lois scuff the soles of her new shoes, or run back to the house for the missing ring pillow, without bothering you. Your wedding day, and the days leading up to it, should be some of the happiest of your life. Things may go wrong, people may disappoint you and everything may not be perfect, but that is OK. Recently, I was collecting wedding photos of my parents and grandparents. When I asked my mother for a wedding picture of her parents, she said that there weren't any. My grandparents had gotten married during the Depression, and no one could afford the luxury of a camera. There was not a single picture to commemorate the backyard event. As I watch brides fuss and fret over the planning of their weddings, I think of my grandparents' decades long marriage and happy life together. Even though there was not one photograph of the bride and groom, it all turned out more than fine in the end.
*Many thanks to Pamela Jeschonek at http://www.pittsburghwedding.com/planning/articles/1249/5/Ten-Things-You-Need-to-Know-When-Planning-Your-Wedding/Page5.html
What We Can Do for You
 Music for Events owner Carolyn Sykes began her journey in the music industry as a harpist, performing in Australia, Asia, Europe and the United States. She came to Los Angeles where she was highly successful in establishing her own private teaching and performing studio Pacific Harps, teaching, supplying harps and performing in orchestras, on concert stages and for special events, both locally and abroad. Carolyn still performs at events, solo as well as with other instruments such as flute, bass, violin and string ensembles and vocalists, but has most recently decided to take her expertise in performing and her expansive knowledge of music and musicians to a higher level, launching Music for Events. Music for Events is unique in that it is a boutique-style agency that works with our clients every step of the way to ensure that their event fits their vision. We have over a hundred hand-picked musicians and vendors in our roster, and specialize in providing excellent musicians of every genre, as well as other services such as event planning, photography, floral, and much more. With over 30 years in the event industry, our goal is our client's peace of mind. We make the process of choosing your music and planning your event easy so you can focus on what matters most - your occasion.
Visit our website at www.music-for-events.com to see videos of our artists, browse our music and schedule a consultation!
 
Ambient Music for Easter and Mother's Day Brunches
 As always, Easter and Mother's Day brunches are renowned for filling up fast - with reservations for restaurants and country clubs, and also for musicians! Ambient music (live music played softly to accompany dinner, brunch, or other parties) is hugely popular for both holidays. Classical musicians are always a great choice for this type of event, and provide an upscale atmosphere while giving your patrons something pleasant to listen to as they dine.
Artist ID 70749: David Wilson Violinist and pianist David Wilson first honed his artistry by performing for entertainers in the Hollywood community. Enchanted with David’s effortless, extemporaneous approach, he quickly became a world-class musician, touring with the likes of Henry Mancini, performing for eight years as the solo violinist for Il Cielo in Beverly Hills, and two years as the pianist at Grantita in Malibu. As solo violinist, he is self contained with prerecorded accompaniments, and has a custom sound support system which brings the listening level to ideal proportions. On piano, David mixes an appealing combination of standards, Latin, European waltzes, Italian songs, and film themes. Using his unique sound to create a series of insinuating, bittersweet, and anti-sentimental moods that magically find the emotional center of each tune, David’s music works with all extremes of emotional moods. From jazz to pop to rock to dance to hip-hop to standards, David Wilson’s music is perfect for parties to get people up and moving, or for the intimacy of candlelit dinners and romance. Artist ID 70738: Worldwide Strings With musicians from the best American and European conservatories, Worldwide Strings has performed at more than 1500 events over the course of ten years. Their repertoire, which spans over 400 songs, includes a multitude of styles including classical, jazz, world music and custom arrangements of pop/rock songs from The Beatles to Coldplay and more. Worldwide Strings also offers a variety of instrument arrangements and can accommodate both background and dance music, providing duos, trios, and quartets as well as other sounds such as trumpet, flute, piano, clarinet, vocals and more. Artist ID 70745: Lisa Ado As a Liberace protégé, Lisa Ado’s first performance at age nine was alongside him at Radio City Music Hall. Breaking every attendance record ever set, she has since played in major venues and resorts around the world from The Polo Lounge in the Beverly Hills Hotel to The Peninsula, The Phoenician, The Montage, The Ritz-Carlton and The Four Seasons, and has toured Sweden four different times. She has performed in movies with Lauren Bacall, Dan Aykrod, James Garner, Jack Lemmon and Wilford Brimley, and performed for royalty, celebrities, international dignitaries and Fortune 200 corporations across the United States as well as made regular appearances on shows such as ‘Seinfeld’ and ‘Ellen.’ Known for her musical diversity, class, and innate ability to read her audience, Lisa’s piano and vocal repertoire ranges from buttery-smooth instrumentals to timeless standards and jazz to R&B and contemporary music. Artist ID 70730: Carolyn Sykes Award-winning Australian harpist Carolyn Sykes has been providing high class entertainment at weddings, funerals, celebrations, ceremonies and corporate functions in Los Angeles and around the world for over 30 years. With an MFA in Harp Performance, she has toured performing on cruise ships for Royal Viking Line and Crystal Cruises as well as appeared at the Soka International Harp Festival and Nippon Harp Competition in Soka City, Japan. With skills ranging from pop to jazz and latin music, her extensive repertoire and planning experience will enable you to create the special atmosphere you desire.
@ Copyright Pacific Harps
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Whew! What a rush of business we had over the holidays! We are happy and excited to have made it through our first very successful holiday season, and wanted to highlight some of our performers that recently entertained in December. Our clients (and us too, as always!) loved working with our very talented rock/dance music and tribute band Republic of Music, as well as our hypnotist Twy and magician Matt - while Santa Claus in his turbo sleigh was of course very busy visiting all the little boys and girls in Cerritos. Thank you to all our wonderful performers and fabulous clients who made our holiday season bright!
Venice Valentine's Scavenger Hunt
If you do decide to have that timeless romantic dinner that we mentioned earlier, make Valentine's this year one that you will never forget - with a solo musician as the perfect addition to that intimate ambiance. A single violinist, flutist, cellist, pianist or harpist can play quietly in the room or garden while you dine together under candlelight, providing a gentle, beautiful touch to the perfect night with the one you love. 
