Secrets for a successful quintet?

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Do you play in a brass quintet or quartet?

Yes
45
63%
No
5
7%
Not now, but I used to
22
31%
 
Total votes: 72

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Daryl Fletcher
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Secrets for a successful quintet?

Post by Daryl Fletcher »

What is most practical way to promote a quintet for wedding gigs, etc? If you wouldn't mind sharing, what kinds of things have you tried that have either worked very well or not worked at all?

Have you ever tried renting a booth at a wedding show? Do direct mail or phone calls work, assuming that you have a list to work from? What about running an advertisement in a newspaper or magazine? Or, is it best to simply rely on word of mouth?

Thanks.
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Mudman
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Post by Mudman »

Most of the wedding gigs I have played were a result of networking. The contractor (usually one of the trumpet players) used connections to set up gigs.

Some ideas:

1. set up a professional looking website with sound clips
2. business cards--at the gig have cards sitting out on a stand
3. if you are really serious about making a full-time gig out of weddings (requires investment), create demo CD's and pass them out freely.
4. talk to local symphony musicians to network (including string players--violin and harp players do tons of wedding gigs and may be able to give you some ideas)
5. learn to self promote. Do a web-search on trumpet players who do weddings. I know of a few who make a good living playing only weddings. Their strategy seems to be shameless self promotion. If you find yourself looking at the website and saying "man, what a cheesy egotistical cockass . . ." then they probably have the right idea to make money.
6. call some wedding planners and send your materials
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JCradler
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Post by JCradler »

A quintet that I perform with is occasionally used for weddings and other functions by a local music productions contractor. These folks work with event coordinators that organize sites, caterers, music, florists and other logistics. We are one piece of the puzzle, often times there may be a string quartet in another room, or at a different time of the event. Any poblems that the client may have are adressed by the music production contractor and we are there just to perform- much less stress than chasing down the mother of the bride for your check, etc. One drawback is that we really can't(and shouldn't) self promote during the gig. We are employees at that point.
One of the guys I work with observed that in almost all cases, people spend more on flowers than they do on music- sad commentary indeed. We played a wedding once where one of the caterers(these are folks that are good to know and network with) commented that the bill for "decor" was $30,000. I assure you the musicians made MUCH less than that!
Never known anyone that rented a booth at a bridal show, possibly because of cost. Knowing wedding planners, event producers, and church organists seems to be the standard in-road that I have observed. Also, networking with string players and singers can be of benefit; when they are asked by a client for brass music, they know who to call, YOU!

Hope this helps, YMMV
JC
John Cradler
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CJ Krause
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Last edited by CJ Krause on Tue Sep 27, 2005 1:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
TTkatz
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Post by TTkatz »

I would suggest finding out if there are any local brass quintets or college faculty quintets in the area--let them know that you play in a quintet and also are available to sub. In my quintet if we have more than two subs we turn down the gig--and often pass it along to another quintet. it seems like we're always playing with a sub at a low-key gig like a wedding.

you might also want to contact music stores. from working in a piano/guitar/sheet music store, lots of brides come in and pick through the books looking for wedding music, and often might not even know about the availability of a quintet---therefore if the store employees know about it, they can pass it along.

sometimes those signs with the phone numbers you can rip off the bottom work--they'd espeically work at places like tux and bridal gown rental places, catering places, party supply stores...etc.

its worth a shot ?

-Christian Carichner
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