Outdoor Weddings and Pianists

My very first gig in San Antonio turned out to be a wedding gig I got through PianoAccompanists.com – a handy site, I must say! It was to be a very simple venture: the singers wanted me to accompany one song, and also asked if I had my own equipment to bring to the event.  I responded that I had no equipment, unfortunately, but if they could somehow borrow an instrument, I’d be happy to do the event, plus a rehearsal scheduled earlier the same day, for $100*. 

They managed to borrow an instrument from the sound guy, and requested I contact him to ensure I could work with what he had on hand.  My requests:  a keyboard with over 4 octaves (his keyboard had 5), a keyboard stand, a music stand, a sustain pedal and a bench.  He okayed my list, and it was all set . . . I thought. 

The event turned out to be an outdoor wedding – and while it was a gorgeous day, it was windy enough to cause my music to whip around crazily, occasionally snatching up the sheets and whirling them around the courtyard with the energy of a manic toddler.  

The other issue was the sustain pedal, which apparently was not among the music swag that was borrowed.  Non-pianists never quite understand how hard it is to compensate musically without a pedal – and honestly, most pianists don’t know how much they rely on said pedal until it is unavailable.  Its only when one tries to finger pedal ‘Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring’ (with the rest of the flowing, legato wedding favorites) that it truly sinks in – that pedal is important.  

Luckily, I had solutions for both problems: a spare sustain pedal in the trunk of my car, as well as scotch tape and monster paper clips, which attached my music to a binder.  Fortunately, the clips eliminated the need for me to slap the music down continuously with one hand.  The only thing I was not prepared for were the unnaturally large and bloodthirsty mosquitos gnawing on my legs and feet.  I didn’t have anything in my car for them, sadly.

Taking this gig into account, and other experiences as well, I thought I'd put together a list for freelancers who want to anticipate any and all musical emergencies:

The Pianist Emergency Kit

3 ring binder

3 hole puncher

Large binder clips

Scotch tape

White-out pen

Music stand

Extra metronome

Adjustable piano bench
Sustain pedal (something along these lines)

Any list suggestions from other freelancers are welcome!

*I considered this somewhat of a lowball offer.  Usually my minimum for a wedding is a $125 flat fee, not including a rehearsal.  But for this case, it was one easy song, a nearby location, 2 hours of my time (plus I’m still not even sure what is normal in this area, blah blah blah)

Paranoid - or prepared?

Before leaving the apartment last Saturday, I stared at two items: an adjustable piano bench and a music stand. I debated the likelihood of using either [essential] items at my upcoming wedding gig, and ended up being partially lazy: I dragged the metal stand out to the car and left the bench. This partial foresight and the fact I was 30 minutes early was what saved me.

Upon arrival I was led to a keyboard and a keyboard stand [with a sustain pedal, as per my request]. There was NO visible music stand, though, and I was met with blank faces when I asked for one. Fortunately, the spare stand in my car made it so I didn't have to resort to reading-music-in-one's-lap or music-folder-held-by-stranger survival methods. The very low chair/bench created some challenges - and caused me to mentally curse my laziness* - but I made it work.

. . . on another day . . .

I played for a funeral. Unexpectedly, I was required to provide about 15 extra minutes of background music. Due to pure luck, I had included extra music in my folder. This meant I did not have to resort to poorly disguised Christmas carols or Disney tunes** in order to avoid repeated repertoire.

. . . then another time . . .

I had to play for three hour rehearsals, and with a [hard] wooden piano bench that was too low. Just in case, I had brought an adjustable, padded bench in my car - which saved my back AND my butt.

The moral: strive to have too much music and a car stuffed with extra stands and music benches -- plus at least one extra metronome (just because).


*On the other hand, parking was located two blocks away from the site. And it was hot. I was cranky enough discovering the lack of stand & trekking the subsequent round-the-block trip. A third lap would not have been the best idea.

**Am mostly kidding - I have other repertoire in my head and in my fingers. However, its amazing what tunes jump to mind when you are scrambling for an appropriate melody to fill the silence.