What would you like to hear awfully bad or in the worst way?
Being a strolling violinist involves memorizing hundreds (or for Chicago’s favorite strolling violinist…1,000’s!) of songs. Being a professional strolling violinist also involves knowing the type and style of music by “reading” the audience. There isn’t any magic involved with doing so – but is there?
At a recent wedding reception tasting event at the the beautiful Morton Arboretum, the audience was mostly brides and grooms with their parents, and the music was geared to promote bookings for their upcoming nuptials and/or other events. The musical ensemble consisted of harp and violin, so of course the music was gorgeous! Because the audience was under pressure to select from many culinary choices, it was decided they had enough on their “plate” to ask for any musical requests. Having the experience of knowing some of the most popular song selections, that music was played first.
Toward the end of the evening, the ensemble started playing their own requests – either particular favorites or just random selections. It was at this time that not once, not twice, but three times that members of the audience twirled around in excitement, started smiling and whipped out their cellphones to capture the performance on video of their favorite music! This is what is called “psychic requests” – musicians who not only read music…they read minds!
And visit www.stringsofsilkmusic.com for beautiful music for beautiful occasions!