Quartet Wedding Ceremony Music in Aspen, Colorado

This past weekend in early March, I played flute as part of a quartet for a wedding ceremony and cocktail hour in Aspen, Colorado. It was a beautiful spring-like day when we headed up to Aspen and when we arrived there were many people skiing on the slopes enjoying the warm weather. We took the Silver Queen Gondola up to the sundeck on the top of Aspen Mountain where the wedding ceremony would take place.

The bride chose to get married at sunset. It was chilly, sunny and windy on top of the mountain and the red and orange sunset was spectacular. When dusk fell it became very cold but the bride kept warm in an elegant fur capelet, and hand warmers were passed out to the guests. Our quartet was organized by A Touch of Class Music and it was made up of a flute, violin, cello and guitar. We played classical prelude music before the ceremony began. After the ceremony, everyone moved inside near the large fireplace where they warmed up and enjoyed drinks. We entertained the guests with a selection of jazz tunes.

Sample Prelude Music: Sheep May Safely Graze (Bach), Giga (Handel), Andante Op. 29 (Schubert), Minuet (Beethoven), Allegro and Bourree from Water Music (Handel)

Wedding Ceremony Music: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (Bach) ~ Last Prelude Song Largo from Winter (Vivaldi) ~ Parents Air from Suite No. 3 (Bach) ~ Processional Canon in D (Pachelbel) ~ Bride You've Got a Friend in Me (Randy Newman) ~ Recessional

Sample Cocktail Hour Music: Fly Me to the Moon, Autumn Leaves, Don't Get Around Much Anymore, Satin Doll

Wedding Ceremony Vendors: Wedding Planner ~ Nicole from Ashley Nicole Events Ceremony and Cocktail Hour Musicians ~ A Touch of Class Music Venue ~ The Little Nell (Sundeck Patio and Benedict's)

Flute and Guitar Duo Birthday Party Music at Beaver Creek, Colorado

Colorado Event and Party Music by Christen Stephens

Our flute and guitar duo had a cool and rainy drive up from Denver to Beaver Creek, Colorado on our way to play for an August birthday celebration. By the time that we arrived at the elegant private residence, the rain had stopped and the sun came out and it felt wonderful and warm. It was the perfect evening for guests to mingle outdoors during the cocktail hour. Everyone enjoyed the magnificent sunset accompanied by our music - an fun mix of classical, contemporary, and jazz tunes. After the cocktail hour, everyone moved indoors for dinner and toasts. During dinner, we played a selection of classical and soft contemporary music, and after toasts, we jazzed it up with upbeat jazz and contemporary music.

Sample Cocktail Hour Music:
Pastorale (Vivaldi), Moderato from Sonata in G (Beethoven), Everything I Do (I Do it For You), Long ago (And Far Away (Gershwin), Tango (Albeniz), Largo from Xerxes, The Ludlows from Legends of the Fall, My Way (Sinatra), Some Enchanted Evening from South Pacific

Sample Dinner and After Dinner Music:
Afternoon in Paris (John Lewis), Annie's Song (John Denver), Cheek to Cheek (Sinatra), How High the Moon (Ella Fitzgerald), Smoke Gets in Your Eyes (The Platters), What a Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong), You Are the Sunshine of My Life (Stevie Wonder), Take the "A" Train (Duke Ellington), Don't Get Around Much Anymore (Duke Ellington), Fly Me to the Moon (Sinatra)

Flute and Guitar Wedding Ceremony Music at the River Bend in Lyons, Colorado

Colorado Wedding Ceremony Music by Christen Stephens

In late June, our flute and guitar duo played for a wedding ceremony at the River Bend in Lyons, Colorado. The setting at the River Bend was perfect for this outdoorsy adventure loving couple. It was idyllic with mature trees, a lush lawn, and a river curving in front of high rock walls. The guests enjoyed drinks, socializing, and playing corn-hole by the river before the wedding. Our flute and guitar duo played a mix of classical, popular and jazz tunes for the wedding ceremony and cocktail hour, and then we played another hour for the dinner reception.

From the bride: "Christen Stephens was a wonderful addition to our wedding - very professional, timely, and easy to communicate with to figure out details for the wedding. Music was beautiful and just what we were looking for. Highly recommended."

Colorado Wedding Ceremony Music by Christen Stephens

Sample Prelude Music: Invention No. 10 (Bach), Have I Told You Lately (Van Morrison), Autumn Leaves, Everything I Do (I Do it For You), Annie's Song, The Days of Wine and Roses, Berceuse, Op. 16 (Faure), Arioso (Bach)

Wedding Ceremony Music:
Canon in D ~ Bridesmaids, Groomsmen, Flower Girl
The Ludlows ~ Bride's Processional
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 ~ Recessional

Sample Cocktail Hour and Dinner Music:
Cheek to Cheek, All My Loving, Fly Me to the Moon, Entr'acte (Bizet), Try to Remember, Tango (Albeniz), Gavotte (Handel), To Make You Feel My Love (Adele), Giuliani Sonatas (selections), When I Fall in Love, Misty, Pastorale (Vivaldi), Unforgettable

Wedding Ceremony Vendors:
Venue - River Bend
Wedding Coordinator - Purple Summer Events
Photographer - Nine Photography
Ceremony and Reception Music - Flute and Strings by Christen Stephens -  Flute and Guitar Duo

Colorado Wedding Ceremony Music by Christen Stephens

Flute and Cello Wedding Ceremony Music at The Lodge at Breckenridge

Our flute and cello duo had an unusually warm and sunny day to play for this scenic outdoor October wedding ceremony in Breckenridge, Colorado. The bride chose all of her wedding prelude, ceremony and cocktail hour music and made two special song requests. Her first request was for me to arrange "On Eagles Wings" to be played as she and her fiancee exchanged private vows. The second song was "Sweet Child O' Mine" by Gun's N' Roses, which I arranged as a special surprise for the groom. I based my arrangement on an arrangement from a YouTube video that the groom really enjoyed. We played "Sweet Child O' Mine" during the receiving line after the ceremony. During the cocktail hour we played a mix of classical, jazz, ragtime, and popular music.

Sample Prelude Music:
Handel's Water Music (selections), Air on the G String (Bach), Rondeau (Mouret), The Wedding from Legends of the Fall

Wedding Ceremony Music:
All I Ask of You ~ Moms, Bridesmaids and Groomsmen, Ringbearer and dog
Canon in D ~ Bride
On Eagle's Wings ~ Private Vow Exchange
The Sound of Music ~ Recessional
Sweet Child of Mine ~ Receiving Line (special surprise for groom)

Sample Cocktail Hour Music:
All of Me, Can't Help Falling in Love (Elvis), A Whole New World from Aladdin, Blackbird (Beatles), Maple Leaf Rag (Joplin), My Funny Valentine, Rondo Alla Turca (Mozart), Meditation from Thais (Massenet)

Wedding Ceremony Vendors:
Venue: The Lodge at Breckenridge
Photographer: Studio Kiva
Ceremony and Cocktail Hour Music: Flute and Strings by Christen Stephens - Flute and Cello Duo

Flute Quartet Wedding Ceremony Music at Ten Mile Station

Our flute quartet recently played at Ten Mile Station, a mountainside wedding venue in Breckenridge, Colorado. As the guests arrived on buses from the bottom of the mountain, we entertained them with an upbeat selection of classical music. The beautiful bride walked down the aisle accompanied by "The Wedding Song" by Peter, Paul, and Mary. This was a special request by the mother of the bride, and was the same song that she walked down the aisle to when she married. After the wedding, we moved inside where we played popular, rock, and jazz music for another half hour during cocktails.
 

Sample Prelude Music:
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (Bach), Sheep May Safely Graze (Bach), Trumpet Tune (Clarke), Trumpet Voluntary (Purcell), Simple Gifts (Traditional), Handel's Water Music, Ave Maria (Schubert)

Selected Cocktail Hour Music:
Clocks (Coldplay), It Had to Be You, Such Great Heights (Postal Service), A Thousand Years (Christina Perri), Don't Stop Believing (Journey)

Wedding Ceremony Vendors:
Venue: Ten Mile Station
Photographer: Danica Larsen Photography
Wedding Ceremony Musicians - Flute and Strings by Christen Stephens - Flute Quartet (flute, violin, viola, cello)

Flute and Cello Duo Wedding Ceremony Music at the Donovan Pavilion in Vail

Playing flute for Erin and Erik's wedding ceremony and cocktail hour was one of the highlights of my summer. I loved getting to know the bride and groom during our music consultation because they were so warm, full of joy, and immersed in the present moment. They selected a few traditional pieces and some unique pieces of music for their processional, and I also made a special arrangement of Tom Petty's "Wildflowers" for the recessional. The weather at Donovan Pavilion on the day of the wedding was just perfect and the beauty of nature surrounded us. Our flute and cello duo began playing a prelude of classical music to entertain the the guests as they arrived. The recessional was like a huge celebration as we played Tom Petty's "Wildflowers" and the guests cheered for the happy couple.

Our flute and cello duo played 90 minutes for the cocktail hour. We began with upbeat classical music and transitioned to popular, rock, and jazz. While we were playing for the cocktail hour, one of the guests asked if we could play "A Whole New World" - they had been singing that song earlier in the day. We played their request and all the guests around us began singing with us and more people joined in until we were surrounded by singing. It was like that moment at the end of a movie when everything works out and everyone is celebrating.

Erin and Erik - I wish you much joy in your marriage together! You are an amazing couple!

Sample Prelude Music:
Sheep May Safely Graze (Bach), Clair De Lune (Debussy), Morning Prayer (Tchaikovsky), Air from Suite #3 (Bach), To A Wild Rose (MacDowell), Ave Maria (Schubert)

Wedding Ceremony Music:
Officiant, Groom, Parents ~ The Ludlows From Legends of the Fall
Bridesmaids, Groomsmen, Ringbearer, Flower Girl ~ Canon in D
Bride ~ Can't Help Falling in Love (Elvis)
Recessional ~ Wildflowers (Tom Petty)

Selected Cocktail Hour Music:
Roses from the South, (Strauss), Fugue in B minor (Handel), Minuet in G (Bach), Burlesca (W.F. Bach), Spring (Vivaldi), Allegro (Handel), Blue Spanish Eyes, Can You Feel the Love Tonight?, You Raise Me Up, I Want to Hold Your Hand (Beatles), A Whole New World (Aladdin)

Wedding Ceremony Vendors:
Venue ~ Donovan Pavilion
Photographer ~ Audry Hannah Photo
Wedding Ceremony and Cocktail Music - Flute and Strings by Christen Stephens - Flute and Cello Duo

Solo Flute Wedding Ceremony Music in Vail

I traveled up to Vail on this hot summer day to play solo flute for a wedding ceremony on the beautiful Vail Wedding Deck. The hot sun shone down on me and I wished I brought sunscreen, but there was nice cool breeze. The guests began to arrive 45 minutes before the ceremony, and since I was set up already, I began playing early to give them lovely music to walk in to. The bride requested that I play jazz and popular music so I put together a song list that I thought the guests would enjoy.

Sample Prelude Music:
Annie's Song (John Denver), Don't Stop Belivin' (Journey), Longer (Dan Fogelberg), Can't Help Falling in Love (Elvis), Blackbird (Beatles), Autumn Leaves

Processional Music:
Wedding Party ~ Entr'acte (Bizet)
Bride ~ Canon in D (Pachelbel)
Recessional ~ Prelude from Te Deum (Charpentier)
Postlude ~ Hornpipe (Purcell)

Flute Trio Wedding Ceremony Music at the Cordillera Lodge in Vail

Our flute trio (flute, viola, cello) played for this elegant wedding ceremony at Cordillera Lodge in Edwards, Colorado recently. The weather turned out perfectly with lots of lovely sunshine and a cool breeze that felt wonderful. The bride chose contemporary and popular music for her prelude, and I arranged "Reign of Love" for our trio to play as she walked down the aisle. The young flower girl was brought down in a flower covered wagon which was a brilliant idea and very sweet.

Prelude Music:
Make You Feel My Love (Bob Dylan), At Last (Etta James), Over the Rainbow, Romantic Flight from How to Train Your Dragon, Such Great Heights (Postal Service)

Ceremony Music:
Processional ~ A Thousand Years (Christina Perri)
Bride ~ Reign of Love (Coldplay)
Recessional ~ Yellow (Coldplay)

Solo Flute Wedding Ceremony Music and Dinner Music in Denver

This hot day began with a beautiful cool morning, perfect for an intimate wedding ceremony at the War Memorial Rose Garden in Littleton, Colorado. This picturesque gem is located near downtown Littleton and across the street from beautiful Sterne Park. The roses were just beginning to reach peak bloom and their scent filled the air with a sweet, nostalgic perfume. As a former music major, the groom had many ideas for his music selections and I incorporated them into the prelude, postlude, and dinner music. As guests began to arrive, I played a prelude of classical and traditional Irish music on solo flute. The wedding ceremony was very simple with only immediate family and friends attending. After the wedding ceremony, I played for fifteen more minutes as the wedding party and family were photographed.

Selected Wedding Prelude Music:
Aylesford Gavotte (Handel), Pastorale (Vivaldi), Star of the County Down (traditional Irish), Banish Misfortune (traditional Irish), Shebeg and Sheemore (traditional Irish), Berceuse (Faure), The Butterfly (traditional Irish), Largo from the New World Symphony, Theme from Scheherazade (Rimsky-Korsakov), Waltz (Brahms)

Dinner was held at Maggiano's which is the couple's favorite restaurant. I began by playing some classical and Irish tunes and then switched to show, jazz, movie, and popular music. The groom made a special request that my last song be "Feeling Good", and I really enjoyed learning that wonderful classic song. The guests enjoyed drinks and appetizers while I played and when I finished, dinner was served. I was invited to join everyone for dinner and particularly enjoyed the pork and mashed potatoes and one of the best cheesecakes I've ever had.

Wedding Ceremony Music:
Wedding Party and Bride ~ Chorale from Cantata No. 140 (JS Bach) Recessional ~ Prelude from Te Deum (Marc-Antoine Charpentier)

Selected Dinner Music:
Salut D' Amour (Elgar), Vocalise (Rachmaninoff), Irish Traditional music, Entr'acte from Carmen (Bizet), The Ludlows from Legends of the Fall, What a Wonderful World, Isn't it Romantic?, Some Enchanted Evening from South Pacific, (Everything I Do), I Do it For You from Robin Hood, The Way You Look Tonight, As Time Goes By from Casablanca, Cheek to Cheek, Feeling Good from The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd

Wedding Vendors:
Wedding Venue: War Memorial Rose Garden in Littleton
Dinner Venue: Maggiano's in Englewood
Wedding Ceremony and Reception Musician: Flute and Strings by Christen Stephens - Solo Flute

Announcing New Flute Quartet Wedding Ceremony Music Samples

Our flute quartet recently recorded a number of new music samples. You can listen to the the music samples online here: Flute Quartet Music Samples. Our flute quartet consists of a flute, violin, viola, and cello and the tone of the flute wonderfully compliments the sound of the strings to create a full and rich sound. I am very excited about these recordings because after a lot of time and work, I have now completed making recordings of all ten of my music ensembles! Photo courtesy of Kern Photo

Music Ideas for a Small Wedding Ceremony

When planning a small wedding ceremony, it's important that the music you choose will reflect the intimate feel of the gathering of your closest family and friends. A soloist is perfect for a very small wedding ceremony, and a duo or trio works well with a slightly larger ceremony. A general rule of thumb is to hire at least one musician per 50 guests. If you are having a very small wedding ceremony, you may want to hire a soloist. My specialty is the flute, and I often play solo flute for wedding ceremonies and cocktail hours. Solo flute, along with other single-note instruments, sounds great playing classical music but can also play any genre of music as long as the songs have a distinct melody. The sweet and rich sound of solo flute carries well and is easily heard outdoors, but is especially full and resonant in indoor spaces such as inside a church sanctuary. When I play solo flute for wedding ceremonies, I will often play classical music for the ceremony and then transition to more contemporary and jazz selections for the cocktail hour or reception.

If you are planning to invite more than 50 guests or if the guests will be spread apart over a large area outdoors, I recommend hiring a duo or trio. Both our flute and violin duo and our flute and cello duo give a personal and intimate feel to a small wedding ceremony and have a fuller sound than a soloist. Both of these duos sound wonderful with classical music but many contemporary songs can also be arranged to be performed by these duos.

If you want to hear mostly contemporary music at your wedding, a flute and guitar duo is the perfect choice. This duo retains a feeling of simplicity both visually and tonally, but has the most full sound of the three duos because the guitar can play several notes at once. This duo is very versatile and sounds great playing classical, popular, rock and jazz music. We often amplify this ensemble so that the guitar can be heard well.

A trio is also a great option for a small wedding ceremony. Trios sound much fuller than duos, but still provide an intimate feel. Take a look at the flute trio that we offer.

Whatever music you choose for your small wedding ceremony, the most important thing is to be true to yourself and your vision. If you don't know what ensemble to choose, communicate your thoughts to your local wedding music professional and they will help you choose the perfect ensemble to meet your needs.

Photos Courtesy of Grace Combs Photography

Solo Flute Memorial Reception Music in Cherry Hills Village

This past week I had the pleasure of playing solo flute for a memorial reception in Cherry Hills Village. The service was held at a beautiful private residence, and the high ceilings and openness of the house had wonderful acoustics for my flute. I played a mix of classical, jazz, and popular music and was also asked to add in a number of traditional Hawaiian tunes to honor the deceased's love of all things Hawaiian. I played about 60 different songs over the course of about three hours and it was wonderful way to spend the afternoon.

Some of the pieces I played included Romanza from Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (Mozart), Waltz Op. 69 #2 (Chopin), Adagio from the Flute Quartet in D Major (Mozart), One the Wings of Song (Mendelssohn), Moon River, As Time Goes By, Fly Me to the Moon, (Everything I Do) I Do it For You, Misty, and What a Wonderful World. The Hawaiian selections included Dear Old Honolulu, Aloha 'Oe (Farewell to Thee), My Waikiki Mermaid, Halona (Beautiful Mountain), and Kawaihau (Hawaiian Rag-time).