Not many wedding venues in the West Midlands give a bridal party the intimacy and flexibility as Wethele Manor in Warwickshire. This was such a special wedding to play the harp for, and so much fun!
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The delicate structure of the harp requires extra time before a performance to acclimate to the venue’s temperature and get the strings tuned, hence the reason I arrive an hour before playtime to each performance.
When a loved one passes away there are so many details to arrange, often the last thing you want to worry about is sorting the ceremony music. I work with several funeral directors in the West Midlands to ensure the music is appropriate, and special.
I have been told the bridal music consultation service I provide to all of my brides and grooms – the opportunity to sit with me at the harp and select their music – is unique and incredibly helpful when finalising wedding details.
Sunday, 23 February at 6pm Join renowned yoga teacher Janette Colbridge Vaze and harpist Michelle Dalton for a special, beautiful evening yoga class to harp music. Create a bit of special time for you before the start of the new week.
The West Midlands has a plethora of beautiful hotels and spas to while away the hours, especially during this dreary and exceptionally rainy winter. The Fairlawns Hotel in Walsall is hosting a special Valentine get-away which includes dinner by candlelight with romantic harpist Michelle Dalton and the hotel’s resident pianist.
I was beginning to think bridal fairs were a thing of the past, an old-fashioned way to gather information about wedding suppliers and get inspiration for your big day. And maybe they are, but clearly brides with an affinity for designer and vintage ideas are still firm believers in the Fair concept.
Wow-ee! I’ve just been booked to play for Plastered 2013 taking place on 11 May 2013 at the Edgbaston Cricket Grounds. I’ll be welcoming guests to the event, which has a theme of “Partners in Crime”. Now I just need an appropriate play list, any suggestions?
What better way to add some elegance to a cocktail reception?
I was invited to play for an afternoon cocktail reception held in a lovely lady’s home while she entertained approximately 15 guests. This is when the harp really comes into its own, as the only brief I was given was to play “lovely, soothing harp music”.
There are several things in my life I’m passionate about: living in England, my hubby and kids, playing the harp, and wine. So imagine my excitement when the event manager of the Birmingham Hotel du Vin asked us to play for their exclusive wedding fayre! As a regular in the HdV Bistro, and Champagne Bar, I’ve seen wedding parties through the hotel, but have never had the thrill of playing one there.
I have played nearly 100 weddings in my “harping” career, but rarely have I felt the level of energy and excitement at a wedding like the Stockton/Wroe wedding at Rowton Castle.
The Gothic-style ruins of the Melrose Abbey, in Melrose, Scotland, set the scene for the beautiful Easton/Tubby wedding ceremony. The mid-afternoon sun took away a bit of the chill from the outdoor ceremony, and despite the lack of roof or enclosing structure, the sound of the harp carried throughout the abbey.
The Windweaver Flute and Harp Duo in Anchorage, Alaska was created by flutist Barbara Eberhart and harpist Michelle (Sloan) Dalton. As professional musicians, we came together to explore the beauty of these two instruments together.
Some days it’s difficult to get stuck into the repetition of practicing, yet lately I’ve been so excited with the new music I’m working on that I am stopping at the harp multiple times throughout the day to rehearse a couple of measures or phrases. That’s in addition to a regular practice session, which seems to keep getting longer and longer (thank goodness my day job is flexible!).