Music Management was thrilled to partner with Save Venice for their Capriccio Veneziano Masked Ball at the Boston Public Library. DJ Rich DiMare, Anima and Accordionist Roberto Cassan (pictured) will be entertaining guests.
Jewish Family & Children’s Services Gala – AE Events
Thank you to AE Events for asking us to join their team for the Jewish Family and Children’s Services Gala on May 21st. Anima was happy to provide the music. We were so proud to be a part of this gala.
For more information on JFCS, please click here.
To book Anima for your event, click here.
NECN Sits Down with Music Management
Music Management’s Stu Camiel and Vanessa Holroyd recently sat down with NECN’s Billy Costa to discuss the 4th Annual Platinum Plate Gala happening on November 13th. Music Management is providing 20 musicians for the event, including The Hip Pocket Orchestra, the Anima Chamber Ensemble, the Andrew Stern Jazz Quartet and DJ Denise Lacarubba.
For a link to the video, click here.
What does a freelance musician do anyway?
Many of our staff members at Music Management are professional freelance musicians in addition to working as sales associates in our office, but what does this mean? I thought I would give our blog-readers a glimpse into the life of a freelancer as I am in the midst of a very eclectic but typical series of engagements.
As in other freelance fields, a freelance musician does not have a steady performance contract with one ensemble. Members of the Boston Symphony, for example, are not freelancers since they are paid an annual salary. Freelance musicians are paid per service.
For me these past few weeks, this has meant playing with the Portland Symphony Orchestra in April for their spring pops concert featuring music of the ‘70’s. That’s right, two and a half hours of disco and funk music with a full orchestra and the local band “Motor Booty Affair.” Basic black tuxedos were put aside and all the musicians donned their best platform shoes and polyester cocktail frocks.
The following engagement had me commuting back and forth to Falmouth, MA to perform as a soloist for Vivaldi’s “Il Cardillino” Concerto. Concertos are usually performed without looking at the sheet music, so I used the commute to do all of my mental preparation and memorization!
On May 8, I played with the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra to close their concert season with a performance of Dvorak’s New World Symphony.
Finally, the next weekend I had the pleasure of playing Bach’s magnificent “b minor Mass” with the Back Bay Choral Society in Sanders Theater, Cambridge.
Now, keep in mind that these are just the performances, so the weeks leading up to each performance typically included three or four evening rehearsals. After a full day in the office, a 7-10 rehearsal can be a challenge, especially when you consider the 6:00 AM wake-up call from my daughter and the necessity of fitting in a few hours of practice each day to actually prepare all the music.
So why do we all do this crazy freelance thing? Well, everyone has a different reason. For me, it is because of the chance to play many styles of music with many different types of ensembles. I play because I love performing and will do whatever it takes to have as many opportunities as possible to make music.
Vanessa Holroyd is a flutist and has been a member of the Music Management team since 1998. In addition to being an active freelance musician, she also founded and directs the classical ensemble, Anima, that performs for over sixty private and corporate events per year.
Tips for outdoor wedding ceremonies
Many brides dream of having a romantic outdoor wedding. While outdoor gardens, views of the water and beautiful sunsets do create a very special ambience, the surroundings are not always hospitable to musicians’ delicate instruments. The sun can be damaging to a stringed instrument’s fine finish, for example, or the ground conditions can put a harp in jeopardy. The wind can be a potential problem for music stands and the sounds of the ocean can hamper the sound of the music.
Here are some guidelines that we offer for outdoor wedding ceremonies:
There can be no rain, mist or drizzle.
Musicians cannot perform in temperatures lower than 60 degrees.
Musicians must be out for direct sunlight.
Harps must be placed on a dry, level surface that is clear of debris.
When close to the ocean, a tent for the musicians is desirable.
If you have any questions, you can always call our office at 617-489-7600 and speak to one of our knowledgeable salespeople. We always try to accommodate your wishes.
Our picks for artists with many years of ceremony experience both indoors and out: