Review Centre: String Quartets

"How fortunate we were to have Caroline and the delightful ladies from Ariana String Quartet play at our wedding, each one of them possessing impressive musical prowess and with distinguished classical careers in highly reputed orchestras. The planning and coordination of pieces beforehand and on the day was seamless. So during the actual wedding, each previously chosen song was played as an accompaniment to significant moments: such as the entrance of the bride, the signing of the register, the bride and groom walking into the wedding breakfast room. Everything was timed perfectly. Ariana had also learnt a few of the pieces especially for our wedding. In fact their renditions of the contemporary music we had asked for were not only flawless, but fantastic musical pieces in their own right, as diverse as Arctic Monkeys ‘Mardy Bum’, ‘Concerning Hobbits’ from the Lord of the Rings and Bowie’s ‘Life on Mars’. Furthermore, they were easy to recognise and yet the original was transformed into a beautiful string version. Indeed everything they performed for us was unquestionably beautiful, dare-I-say-it, even better than the string renditions on Bridgerton! Classical musical connoisseurs present were mesmerised and intoxicated by every note. As I looked around the room, I witnessed every generation at the wedding enjoying Ariana’s performance. I heard so many positive comments from guests about them too. They delivered a simply captivating soundtrack to a joyous day for us. We cannot recommend them highly enough."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I wish to extend a huge thank you to you and the rest of the trio for the beautiful musical accompaniment to our wedding on 10th July. When I first heard you starting to play while I was getting ready upstairs it really moved me, but also put the biggest smile on my face. The Hoppipolla got me especially. Luke also had the same experience, he got particularly choked up when you played Tale as Old as Time. The playing was just stunning, you are all truly talented. You were very right that Luke and I got whisked away and sadly, this meant we didn't get to hear as much of your playing as we would have wished – do you do recordings at all? I am sorry that we did not get to come and speak to you for any length of time or thank you directly before you left, but please know that we enjoyed every minute we did hear and it really added a sense of emotion and romanticism to the event."

Reply by Surrey Strings
That's so kind thank you for letting us know. Best wishes Sarah

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Thank you so much for the 440 performance on Saturday it was absolutely brilliant. People came away from the concert buzzing with enthusiasm for the quality of your music making. The whole evening was a great success. The balance of the programme was exactly right for the audience. Thank you again for your performance and please pass on my thanks to your colleagues. I would like to wish you all every success in your careers and hope to see and hear you play in the future. Best wishes John "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Dear all of you insanely talented musicians! We just wanted to reach out and say a huge heartfelt from the two of us for your role in our utterly perfect wedding day on Friday. Hearing those first few notes as I walked down the aisle was more wonderful than I could have imagined and it was a true pleasure to hear so many of our favourite songs come to life in string form. Thank you so much for creating the perfect musical background on our special day. We will Never forget it!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We just want to say a massive Thank you for playing at our wedding. The day was everything we could have hoped for and you’re music was perfect. We lost count of how many people told us how much they loved you. Once again we can’t thank you or recommend you enough. Love Mr and Mrs Murray."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Anne Thanks for putting the orchestra togethre for Saturday it was a really wonderful experience for the choir ... Best wishes Mike"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Hello Anne Just to say a huge thank you to the quartet for the really wonderful music you provided for our big day at Coombe lodge. All our guests commented on how well it all sounded and how it went perfectly with our theme and made our big that bit more special Thank you from, Matthew & Zoe (Married at Coombe Lodge) "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Hi, Thank you so much, everyone commented how brilliantly you all played and the choice of music. Sorry i didn't get to speak to you. I would highly recommend you to family/friends. Thank you for being part of our special day. Love Mr & Mrs Walker. xx "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Hired Ebor Quartet for our wedding this year and highly recommend. Communication was great throughout and they played beautifully on the day. It was just what we wanted and lots of guests said how good they were. So glad we booked them."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Elysium Cello Duo played our wedding on Friday 23rd June and it was absolutely perfect, everything we had hoped for and more. Our guests absolutely loved them and the music they played. Thanks for being a part of our special day!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Thank you so much for being part of our special day. Your performance was absolutely first class and really added a touch of class to our wedding. We can't thank you enough. It was truly magical to hear some of our favourite music played so beautifully by the quartet. What a wonderful way to personalise our wedding day. Thank you for being so accommodating and efficient in the lead-up to the day as well - any bride-to-be will tell you what a blessing that is!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"The Grange Quartet made a very special day even more special. Thank you very much"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Such amazing players"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Thank you so much to the girls. They provided beautiful entertainment once again so thank you."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"The musician was really talented however did not play the music requested so killed the entire vibe of the party. It was a party and we requested upbeat music alongside DJ but she used her own speaker and mellowed tunes... everyone obviously left the dance floor at this point and had to remind her of the request. She struggled with our requirements despite us being very specific on booking and even noted specific times on contract booking, did not fulfil contract and waste of £550"

Reply by Bedfordshire Violinist
Dear Hayley Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback regarding your recent event. I take all reviews seriously, as they help me improve my services, and I appreciate the opportunity to address some inaccuracies in your comments. The full fee you paid was £459, I understand that you felt the music selection did not align with the upbeat atmosphere you envisioned. However, I want to clarify that I arrived well-prepared with a curated playlist that included the specific tracks you requested, such as "Rebel Music" and "Ibiza Classics." Additionally, during our initial conversation, I offered to incorporate lively pop songs like "Havana," "Rather Be," and "Cheerleader" to enhance the party vibe. I left out your request to play Andrew Lloyd Webber/Starlight Express as I felt it didn’t align with the style of your event. Regarding the DJ sound levels, these were extremely loud throughout. I strive to maintain an enjoyable volume throughout my performances. While you noted that the dance floor, it was empty upon my arrival and throughout the ibiza classics with DJ last 30 minute set. I appreciated the positive feedback from many guests which indicates we’re enjoying my performances. As the event progressed, I was attentive to your requests, including the unexpected addition of a dhol drummer for the second set. I performed the "Morni" provided the Bollywood track to the DJ and performed alongside the DJ and which successfully energised the dance floor. I also addressed the issue with my electric violin volume being turned down by DJ immediately after he received feedback from guest complaining he couldn’t hear it! The booking was to perform 3x 30 minute sets I stayed on the dance floor except two 15 minute breaks and performed throughout the 2 hour duration. I made repeated requests to the DJ to play "Ibiza Classics," in line with your preferences, and I took swift action to address all requests throughout the night. The DJ consistently played track’s that were impossible for a violinist to play over such as Milkshake by Kelis. My goal is always to create memorable experiences for my clients, and I have consistently received positive feedback for over 20 years !

Rating: 5 / 10 Share this review: