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Date sent: Wed, 5 Jan 2000 14:30:29 EST
Subject: Re: Wedding Repertoire & wedding gigs
To: vocalist
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

Hi Jessica;

I'm not a wedding singer myself, so I don't know how valuable this info will
be.
However, my dearest friend spent over 20 years as organist/musical
director/director of liturgy/choral director etc. for various churches
here---so I've gotten to know a whole mess of church musicians (some better
than I wanted to). It's like a club.

Carl was always leery of the bride's "Aunt Myrna," "Cousin Fred" or - God
forbid - the best friend who sings really well with the radio in her
car---who were going to sing for a wedding----he much preferred working with
professionals or semi-professionals who actually prepared for wedding work.

With this in mind, perhaps your friend could call around to churches in her
area, and see if the musicians there will talk to her, give her suggestions,
tell her what things they frequently use. (Carl had a particular psalm
response that he used for nearly every wedding) Some of them may not be open
to a discussion, but I'm guessing that at least a few will--especially if she
has training. Plus, once she has gotten some repertoire from them, and
they've heard her, they will use her. (and these organists ALL know each
other & will refer between churches)

One other thing about the organists----they usually do not care to 'rehearse'
with the singer for each wedding. Their thinking is that the singer should
learn their music on their own, and come in prepared (except for a run
through, perhaps). At least, this is what I get from the AGO (American Guild
of Organists) guys in the Milwaukee area. I can't imagine that it's too
different elsewhere, they do have a national convention every year, and from
the stories I've heard, they've all got alot in common.

Also, many music stores will have a section on wedding music. She could just
pick up one or two anthologies. As for guessing which pop song will be the
hottest wedding tune--that changes with the wind. She'll probably have to
learn those as they come up. (Imagine my lyric baritone buddy trying to sing
Luther Vandross--yech)

The wedding fairs are a wonderful idea----there are several coming up in
Milwaukee too, so this must be the time of year. Even if she's not quite
ready to put her name out there, it would be a great idea to see what's going
on at the fairs.

Best of luck to her! If you get a good wedding reputation going, it can be
rather lucrative.

Tami
Milwaukee