Making Your Event Magical

Magical Strings West  welcomes opportunities to make your special event magical. Hire our performance group to play at your wedding, birthday party, corporate event or any other event that marks life's milestones. To make the performance as enjoyable, magical, and positive an experience as possible, here are some guidelines and some information about our group for your consideration and to help with your planning.

Group Size

The size of the group varies from venue to venue. The minimum number of children playing is generally 12 for a smaller venue and up to 24 for a larger one. Due to the variances in age / size of the children and hence the varying sizes / volumes of the instruments, we need at least that number of violinists to produce a beautiful blended sound that can also be heard. 

Required Equipment

For larger outdoor venues we generally need to be amplified in order to be heard, regardless how large the group is. The children memorize all their pieces and stand while playing, so no chairs or music stands are needed. The group generally performs with piano accompaniment. Most repertory is written for violin AND piano, so the music is often lacking if the accompaniment is left out. We have a good quality transportable digital piano that we can bring as well as an amplification unit for outdoor or other larger venues. The amplification is more for the children than for the audience, making it easier for the children to hear the piano accompaniment.

Space, Environment and Accommodations

For a group of 12 performers, a space approximately 10’ width x 8’ depth would be adequate; a larger space would be necessary for a larger group. If we bring a piano, we’ll need an electrical outlet to one side of the performance area. For outdoor performances, besides access to an outlet for piano and amplification, please keep in mind that the children do well in moderate temperatures with no direct sun in their eyes. Upon arrival, we need a room to unpack and tune the violins as well as access to a bathroom. Please do not keep the group waiting beyond the agreed-upon start time. 

Musical Selection

Our musicians have a set list of repertory, mostly classical music, that they work on over the entire school year. If you have a special musical request, please submit the sheet music at least several months in advance. I will take a look and see if it is suitable for our children in terms of difficulty, and I will let you know right away whether or not we can add this piece to our allotted practice time to prepare for you. Otherwise, please understand that we generally do not have the time to add on additional pieces to our already extensive repertory.

Pricing

Donations to our group are tax-deductible, as we are a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. While we do not require a certain donation amount, here some examples of donations for past performances. We have to compensate our piano accompanist for rehearsal and performance time, generally between $100 and $200, depending on the length of the program.

30 – 45 minute performance: $300 -$500

45 – 60 minute performance: $500 – $700+

Reserve Your Performance

If you'd like to inquire and reserve our musicians for your special event, click here.

Thank you for considering Magical Strings West for a performance at your event!