When Claudia decided to throw her sister a hen do, a romp in Bristol was not what she had in mind. Instead, she created an elegant twist on an English High Tea.
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What an honour to be asked to play for this sophisticated annual black-tie function at Birmingham’s renowned ICC, and the crowd did not disappoint!
Carol and Ray’s daughter-in-law booked me as a surprise entertainer for their 50th wedding anniversary party at the National Motorcycle Museum.
Helen and Kim are happily in love, and planning a beautiful wedding at a castle to tie the knot.
Thank you for your lovely harp music Michelle, it was beautiful and a special addition to our wedding. The processional song was perfect!
Love Lee and Celeste Slimm
A life full of love, laughter and music is celebrated with family, friends and a harpist.
One week before their wedding I received a call from the best man, “I’d like to hire you as a gift for my friends’ wedding.” And then the fun began!
The stunning Guildhall in Lichfield was the venue for the English-Italian wedding reception of Clover and Michel.
It was my first time being hired as a surprise gift – Claire and Carl’s wedding reception at Moor Hall Hotel in Sutton Coldfield.
Katy and Neal chose a song for their bridal processional that had a real connection to their family, and brought real meaning (and tears) at their gorgeous Studley Castle wedding.
Corporate Christmas parties can be difficult to organise, avoiding religion and drunkenness, so read about the advantages of adding beautiful harp music.
Cherry contacted me to play the harp for her wedding at Highbury Hall (Moseley), a darling pink event filled with love and beautiful music.
Kelly booked me to play her wedding reception nearly a year before the actual event; this is one girl who knows how to plan!
2015 has well and truly started – I am so excited to be returning to The Fairlawns Hotel and Spa for their annual Valentine by Candlelight dinner.
Little people just can’t stay away when they hear harp music; they are drawn to the sparkling gold and multi-coloured strings. And really, who can blame them?
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!
I am from Alaska so the sight of a pick-up truck piled high with hay bales doesn’t usually make me flinch, until it starts to become a common occurrence.
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.
Last week Radio 4 featured an exposé on audience etiquette following the scolding Neil Young gave his audience after they clapped along with one of his songs. He was performing in the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York City, but to be fair to the audience…it was Neil Young.
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.
“Not only was your harp playing beautiful, but the assistance in the selection of the music was worth your fee a hundredfold. We had no ideas what music we wanted. Your suggestions helped narrow it down, and the final choices created the exact ambiance we were after. Thank you.” L. Easton
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”.
Bathed in a sea of lavender and cream, the wedding suite at the Bromsgrove Hilton Hotel was transformed from a corporate events venue to the setting of the special and very personal exchange of wedding vows by Ms Sutcliffe and Mr Harrison, on 26th of October, 2012.
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!).
The long Thanksgiving weekend has always marked the beginning of the holiday performance season in America, and my 10+ years in the United Kingdom confirm it’s the same here (less the turkey-focussed, four-day weekend).
To some degree, every girl dreams about her wedding day. I most certainly did. But because I started playing the harp at weddings when I was 10 years old, I also kept a folder with ideas from each of the weddings I played (just a little insight into my methodical personality)!