PERFORMANCE

Solo or Duo available
Music for Weddings, Functions, and other Special Events.

This page is about events where
entertainment is the main aim: my/our function is to add to the atmosphere, but not primarily to educate people.

There's often still interaction: people at theme weddings still often come up & ask about the instruments - that's fine!

Please see Interpretation for events where education/interaction/getting people involved are the main aims.

I offer solo work,
or duo with my wife Elizabeth York.

What can I/we offer?
Where have I/we worked?
Why have solo or Duo
Host of Harps presentation.

Email following the wedding where this picture was taken:
"You will be pleased to know that your performances at the wedding were a topic of conversation with many guests. Feedback was 100% positive and you were enjoyed by all."

..."the superb entertainment… at our banquet" ...
"your skills and choice of music - which were beautifully matched to the surroundings and to the splendour of the occasion"...
"any number of people have thanked [us] for a wonderful evening and its success is in no small measure down to your contribution".
Following an event at Coventry's medieval guildhall,for the Guild of the Freemen of the City of London, from letter of thanks, quoted by permission.

What can I/we offer?

period costumed musician(s) playing period style instruments for
- theme weddings, - medieval, Tudor, 17th Century, Victorian, etc.
- dinners,
- theme events - Medieval feasts etc.
- historical theme entertainments/events at heritage sites
Musician(s) in modern clothes for
- museum lunchtime concerts, and similar;
- weddings, dinners, other functions
Please also see Elizabeth York's own website for more details of harps for weddings, funerals, and other functions.
Traditional music on a variety of instruments:
- (Richard)
  melodeon, piano accordian, anglo & english concertinas, hammer dulcimer, whistle/low whistle, hurdy gurdy, Northumbrian smallpipes, bodhran.
- (Elizabeth)
  celtic harp, english concertina, voice
- a variety of English, Scots, Irish, Welsh, French,
& own compositions

We also bring
A professional and friendly approach
An unreasonably large collection of instruments, representing music across many periods,
- the ability to play music of the right period on all of them
- The historical ones are listed on my Interpretation page.
attractive arrangements of music we play
willingness to work with other performers and co-operate creatively with them
Professional accreditation by "Tabulae.org" [LINK]
Public liability cover both through Tabulae.org and the Incorporated Society of Musicians
A willingness to fit in with the aims of your event... where reasonable!

Who's employed me/us, or where?

Please see the list under Interpretation
In addition, for functions where the brief was purely entertainment:
The Freemen of the City of London
Kettering Museum & Art Gallery,
Deene Park Northamptonshire
Blakesley Hall Birmingham,
The Lunar Society
Wellingborough Freemasons,
Rothwell Holy Trinity Church
Wedding couples, and a host of others;

Lichfield Guildhall

Why have Solo or Duo?

Much as with our Interpretation work:

the duo is able to offer more variety of musical sounds and arrangements.
- I play many instruments, but Elizabeth adds more: she specialises in harps, ranging from tiny medieval to her 1833 pedal harp, and for non-period work, even a Camac electro-harp
- she also adds her singing voice, which is far better than mine!
You may have dancing for participants incorporated into the occasion, which is better with two of us
Cost may be a factor
Operating space may be a factor

Special Presentation: A Host of Harps

Meet and hear harps from replicas of tiny medieval instruments, via the rich and surprising sound of the bray harp, through to a restored period original of 1833, each playing music of their own period and style, to show the astonishingly varied history of this instrument.

Learn what the father of Galileo had to do with harp design, what the near-magical requirements for the ancient celtic harper were, what a top French concert harpist stole from his audience, and much more.

The programme is leavened by other instruments playing along with harps, from recorder to shawm, hurdy gurdy, bagpipes, and more.
Ideal for a pre-booked audience; there's also the possibility of a workshop session to link in.

This page refers to Richard York, Elizabeth York, Historical interpreters and historical musicians, performing in castles, historical buildings, functions, dinners, weddings, on bagpipes, harps, hurdy gurdies, recorders, organ, pipe and tabor, bass curtal, accordian, concertina, pedal harp, harmonium, celtic harp, A Host of Harps