Meeting Mr. Jose Mari Chan yesterday at our client's surprise birthday party is a sure sign that we should already be preparing for Christmas! Are you running out of ideas for this year's Christmas party celebrations? We've gathered some ideas that could help: 1. Dress to your decadeThere are two ways to go about this:
2. White ChristmasDreaming of a white Christmas? (Cue Michael Buble's rendition of this classic) This is your chance to make your dreams come true! Dress up in all white and decorate the venue with elegant white elements and even fake snow which you can DIY or buy online in Lazada or Shopee. If you just have a small venue, you can do something like this indoor snowstorm. And of course, what better way to complement this holiday ambiance but by playing jazzy Christmas tunes. If you want, our jazz band can even play them for you live! 3. Celebrity NightTake your Christmas party to a whole new level by asking your guests to dress up as celebrities! It could be a famous actor or musician from past to present in the local or international scene. For fun, ask the guests to bring a photo of the celebrity they are copying. Then, at the end of the party, award one male & one female employee who look like the celebrities their copying the most! You can also showcase your guests' talents by having a contest like that of "Your Face Sounds Familiar" and have a live band accompany their performance! (We can help you out on this one too, just let us know! *wink wink*) For inquiries, feel free to message us at [email protected]. You may also browse through our site for the full list of our services, the past clients we've worked with, and more. What was the best Christmas party theme you've ever attended? Share them to us below! This article was written by March Vargas. She's a singer, speaker and entrepreneur. She co-founded Serenade Society as part of her advocacy to provide an avenue for musical artists to earn while sharing their God-given talents to the world.
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This question often leads to great debates between the bride and groom. If you’re still unsure, we have prepared an explainer for you about their differences, the type of music or mood that suit both instruments, and the variety of setups that put each instrument in the spotlight. What is the difference between saxophones and violins? First of all, these two come from two different “families” of instruments. The saxophone is a wind instrument. Though it is usually made of brass, it is categorized as a woodwind instrument because it produces sound with a vibrating reed. On the other hand, the violin is a string instrument that creates music when the strings vibrate. While it is difficult to compare the two instruments, one is not necessarily better than the other. It simply depends on what kind of music you want in your event and what genre your guests would enjoy.
For the younger crowd, it can also join in playing party music and pop songs. Just look at Bruno Mars, Beyonce, and Justin Timberlake who always use saxophones in their live performances! What are the suggested setups for the saxophone? Depending on the venue, your budget, and the mood you’re going after, you can either have an acoustic setup or a full band setup. Of course, an acoustic setup requires less installation and prep time for the musicians, compared to the full band setup. It can also be more mellow compared to the upbeat and commanding presence of a full band. Each has its own merits but it really depends on the mood or atmosphere you want in your celebration. There are four suggested acoustic setups. First one is the saxophone and piano. The second one is a trio consisting of the saxophone, piano or guitar, and a singer. The third one is a quartet of a saxophone, guitar, beatbox, and a singer. The last one is a quintet which includes saxophone, guitar, beatbox, singer, and bass. For the full band setup, there are four suggested combinations: 1) sax + drums + bass + piano (instrumental) 2) sax + drums + bass + piano + guitar (instrumental) 3) sax + basic full band set up* 4) sax + basic full band set up* + trumpet * basic full band set up = drums + bass + piano + guitar + singer
These types of music create a very relaxed atmosphere, perfect for conversations and catching up with old friends. So if you’re looking for a chill vibe in your reception, opt for a violin. What are the suggested setups for the violin? Similar to the saxophone, the violin can also be used for both the acoustic and full band setup. The suggested setups for acoustic can be more varied, including: 1) Duo: violin + piano or guitar (instrumental) 2) Trio: violin + piano or guitar + singer 3) Trio: violin + viola + piano or guitar (instrumental) 4) String Quartet: 2 violins + viola + cello (instrumental) 5) String Quartet with piano (instrumental) 6) Quartet: violin + guitar + beatbox + singer 7) Quintet: violin + guitar + beatbox + singer + bass While for the full band setup, it is recommended that you have either a basic full band set up* with violin or a basic full band set up* with violin and cello. * basic full band set up = drums + bass + piano + guitar + singer Do you want more pointers about the kind of setup you want for your event? Or maybe you've already figured out what you want and just want to know how much? Whatever that is, feel free to send us an email at [email protected] or comment below! We had a couple of inquiries asking if they can book an orchestra for their wedding. The first question that always pops into our head is, “Are you sure?” Clients are usually familiar with the elegant and classy sound of string instruments such as the violin and the cello. But that’s about it. So, we decided to compile quick and necessary info's about having an orchestra for your big day:
If you want a soothing, sweet sound but on a budget, other alternatives are string ensembles, string quartets and acoustic bands with violins and/or cellos. On a side note, please don't get us wrong. This is not to discourage you from booking an orchestra at all. It's just that for a normal wedding, we find it too extravagant to have one. However, if you have the means and the venue, why not? For sure, they can give you and your guests a superb musical experience. Do you have more questions about what kind of music to have for your event? Comment below and we'll help you answer them. This article is written by Tep Ligot. She is the Band Manager and Co-Founder of Serenade Society and owner of WAMES School of Music. She is also a songwriter and occasionally organizes gig productions. From being born with a silver spoon, Tep suddenly found herself as the bread winner of the family for almost 10 years now since her father passed away. Through faith and music, she rose above the challenges and has been handling their family's music school business ever since. Why did you start Serenade Society?
Since the teachers in our music school only teach a few days a week, I thought of providing another avenue for them to earn by performing at private events. I originally built WAMES Musicians, named after our music school, WAMES School of Music (WAMES is an acronym of our family's names). Months after running WAMES Musicians, I was approached by March of Event Singers PH and we decided to collaborate. After more than a year of working together, we decided to merge and form a unified group which we named Serenade Society. What instruments do you play? Mainly acoustic guitar. Other instruments are ukulele, piano, drums, violin and some Philippine ethnic instruments such as kulintang. Since when have you been performing? I started performing since first year high school. My band consistently plays at the school's band fest every year and we get invited to perform at different events and other schools and venues too. What is your most memorable gig? December 2017 wedding. I dropped my guitar a few minutes before the first dance of the couple at the reception. When I say dropped... my pick up, its battery, the screws completely fell off that it wouldn't sound at all!! There was literally a small commotion at our side and the sound system technician, one of the organizers and a few waiters helped me assemble the guitar as fast as we can! Thank God we survived and the guests didn't notice it. *pats on my back* Aside from being a hardworking and talented entrepreneur and musician, Tep is also a songwriter and occasionally organizes gig productions. To book Tep for your event, you may contact us here or via our facebook page. If you're interested to learn any musical instrument, check out her school here. What is your most memorable gig? A Valentine Gig with Michael Johnson. I even cried during the rehearsal because the experience was surreal. I never thought I would be able to perform with such a legend! What is music to you? Music is a way to celebrate the beauty of one's life. What are your ongoing/upcoming projects?
To book Jana for your event, you may contact us via [email protected] or www.facebook.com/serenadesocietyph |
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