• Where does the Pennsylvania String Ensemble perform?
• Does the Pennsylvania String Ensemble take special musical requests?
• Can the Pennsylvania String Ensemble perform with additional musicians?
• Why does the Pennsylvania String Ensemble take a deposit?
• Can Penn Strings perform live music for an outdoor event?
Where does the Pennsylvania String Ensemble perform?
The musicians of the Pennsylvania String Ensemble will gladly travel to a wide range of locations throughout northeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. We are happy to perform for weddings and events in:
• The Lehigh Valley and the Saucon Valley, including Allentown, Bath, Bethlehem, Easton, Emmaus, Fogelsville, Hellertown, Kutztown, Macungie, Nazareth, Northampton, and Whitehall, PA;
• The Pocono Mountains and the surrounding region, including Bangor, Blakeslee, Brodheadsville, Canadensis, Delaware Water Gap, Jim Thorpe, Mountainhome, Mt. Pocono, Palmerton, Pen Argyl, Pocono Summit, S. Sterling, Stroudsburg, Tannersville, Tobyhanna, and Wind Gap, PA;
• Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, the Wyoming Valley, including Clarks Summit, Hazleton, Kingston, Moosic, Pittston, and Tamaqua, PA;
• Bucks County and the Greater Philadelphia area, including Doylestown, King of Prussia, Lansdale, Montgomeryville, Morristown, New Hope, Perkasie, Quakertown, Warminster, and Willow Grove, PA.
• Western New Jersey, including Belvidere, Blairstown, Hardwick, Hopatcong, Milford, Oxford, Parsippany, Phillipsburg, and Washington, NJ.
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Does the Pennsylvania String Ensemble take special musical requests?
The musicians of Penn Strings will be happy to acquire new music to fulfill your requests or write special arrangements to include one of your favorite songs or pieces in our playlist. Violinist Christopher Souza and cellist Agnieszka Rybska have both worked on original string arrangements for the ensemble. All we need is access to audio recordings of the selection and ample time to write out the music (a week or two). Examples of arrangements we have written and performed include melodies and standards from Broadway, classical operatic arias, string quartet music reductions, light piano works, and popular ballads.
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Can the Pennsylvania String Ensemble perform with additional musicians?
Although the Pennsylavania String Ensemble primarily performs as a violin and cello duet, the ensemble’s personnel may be expanded in order to perform a special musical request. For example, we can include a trumpet, a pianist, or additional string players in order to present larger chamber works such as string quartets or light jazz standards.
The Pennsylvania String Ensemble can also accompany live vocalists during your wedding ceremony. We charge an additional rehearsal fee for this service in order to acquire and rehearse any special pieces with the singers.
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Why does the Pennsylvania String Ensemble take a deposit?
We require a minimum $100 deposit in order to save your special event in our calendar. Your willingness to make a downpayment indicates a commitment to hiring the ensemble to perform for your wedding or function. The deposit is refundable for thirty days.
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Can Penn Strings perform live music for an outdoor event?
Yes. The Pennsylvania String Ensemble has sound equipment and amplification systems necessary for producing a full, rich sound in outdoor settings. The musicians of Penn Strings are happy to perform for your outdoor wedding or event given that the following conditions are met:
• String instruments, such as violins and cellos, are particularly susceptible to damage in extreme outdoor weather. The instrument varnish and glue can melt and the wood can crack if exposed to the elements. Our instruments cannot be performed in direct sunlight when temperatures exceed 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Low temperatures can also be very damaging to the wood. Given the sensitive nature of the strings and their tuning, a temperature below 55 degrees is too low for a quality performance.
• In order to insure the safety of the instruments, the Pennsylvania String Ensemble will need a covered performance location that protects the instruments from occasional rain droplets and direct sun. Tents, gazebos, or shady spots with rain cover are sufficient.
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