Event Pianist
Event Pianist
I provide background piano music for all sorts of occasions – wedding receptions, special events, such as birthday parties, more intimate dinner parties and wakes.
I have an extensive repertoire of hundreds of popular songs from the 1960’s onwards, plus swing standards, film theme tunes, hits from the musicals, and many more – to suit any event.
Testimonials
Brittany Hatting (Wedding)
Rating: 10/10
"Paul was absolutely amazing. He's a very talented pianist and had a wide variety of songs to play. He played on the house piano at the estate where we had the wedding. As importantly he was very flexible as on the night of the wedding we were running behind and he was very accommodating. We would highly recommend him!"
Joyce & Dominic Campbell (Wedding)
Rating: 10/10
"We have no words for how beautiful our wedding ceremony was with Paul playing the piano. We got married at the Carlyon Bay Hotel in Cornwall, outside with the beautiful sea in the background. Paul playing to our favourite songs made the atmosphere even more magical and special. We also loved that we gave Paul our song choices and he knew them so well and was able to adapt them to us walking down the aisle/signing the register etc. All of our guests absolutely loved the live music and agreed it was so much better than music playing from our phones! Thank you Paul for making our ceremony so memorable and exceeding all our expectations!"
Ellen Brien (Wedding)
Rating: 10/10
"We hired Paul after seeing him at the wedding Fayre at Highcliffe Castle and he did not disappoint on our special day! Paul did an amazing job of playing the tunes selected at the right time. He also played during our canapes and was great at reading the room with the music he played. Totally recommend him as he is an excellent pianist and the communication beforehand was great, putting you at ease for your special day."
Becky Watton (Wedding)
Rating: 10/10
"Paul played at our wedding at Highcliffe Castle and at our reception at The lord Bute and really made our day.
He played everything we asked for perfectly and was wonderful with our guests. Having a pianist at your wedding really makes a difference and I would definitely recommend Paul to everyone."
Charlotte Clayton (Wedding)
Rating: 10/10
"Paul was absolutely incredible! We were blown away at how skilled, professional & attentive Paul was. He ensured the music at our wedding was everything with dreamed of, taking the time to get to know us and what we wanted, ensuring our wedding was everything we dreamed of. The music at our wedding ceremony and drinks reception was so important to me and my husband and Paul ensured it was absolutely perfect. Please consider Paul for your wedding or any other celebration, he's such a talented musician and we couldn't have been happier."
Sally-J Nicholes (Birthday party)
Rating: 10/10
"I have no hesitation at all in recommending Paul. It was very simple to make the necessary practical arrangements, our a last minute change of time was no problem for Paul. He arrived in good time. We found him to be good humored and easy to get on with. He played beautifully throughout the event. He has a vast play list and he played the music the audience liked, accommodating some requests and facilitating a rousing chorus of Happy Birthday. It was just the right volume; it lifted the atmosphere and kept the party going very well. Paul's input was a wonderful and very important ingredient of a successful event and we are very grateful to him."
Emma (80th Birthday Gathering)
"We hired Paul to play background music at an 80th birthday gathering in a hotel. Paul was great to deal with really quick to respond to queries. On the day Paul arrived on time and was very engaging, we all thoroughly enjoyed his wide repertoire of music. I would highly recommend Paul for any special event."
Denise (60th birthday party )
"Paul played background piano at my 60th birthday party, covering a wide range of music , from contemporary songs through to musicals, jazz, swing, soul. He was excellent. He played for three hours with hardly a break, and wasn’t at all phased that it was a busy event with over 70 noisy guests! He adapted his play list to suit the theme of the party, and also ably accompanied an impromptu singer. He has a calm, professional manner and is a talented pianist. I would highly recommend based on my experience."
John Grant (Party )
"Paul played piano for my mother’s birthday party. Paul agreed to head it up with a musical quiz which went down extremely well. There was probably 50 people there of all ages. As well as the quiz, Paul played contemporary pop and classical music. It was a wonderful and memorable family event which the music played a big part in. A few years years later my mother sadly passed away and my family asked Paul to come back to play at a funeral wake in a more formal setting in a hotel. There were about 100 people present. Again, Paul’s musical ability again played a key part in making this a special family occasion with music lifting people’s spirits on an otherwise sad occasion. So, thank you Paul for your musical skill and abilities in making these family times special."
Cathy Sinclair (Birthday party)
"Paul played the keyboard at my joint 50th birthday party. His performance was wonderful and made the party extra special. His preparation is second to none. He ensured he took our different musical tastes into account and made some really helpful suggestions. Everyone present really enjoyed listening to him play. Furthermore, he is a thoroughly reliable, very pleasant man and I would not hesitate to recommend him to others. I just can't wait to book him for the next big event."
Watch some popular medleys
Prices
Prices
DINNER PARTIES
& SMALL EVENTS
For more intimate social occasions, dinner parties in your home, with less than 10 people within the Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch area:
£95.00 for the first hour set of playing to cover travel and set-up and time, then £50.00 per 45-minute set after the first hour of playing, to a maximum of 3 hours. A 15- minute break will be taken between sets.
Please note: Outside this area, but within Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire, an additional charge of £50.00 will apply to the above rates.
Prices
WEDDINGS &
LARGER EVENTS
Background music for wedding receptions, parties and other occasions for groups of more than 10 people within the Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch area:
£195.00 for the first hour set of playing to cover travel and set-up and time. Then a further £50.00 per 45-minute set, to a maximum of 3 hours. A 10 to 15- minute break will be taken between sets.
Please note: Outside this area, but within Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire, an additional charge of £50.00 will apply to the above rates.
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What equipment do you need?I have a high quality digital piano and amplifier, so I am very flexible regarding venues and occasions. All that is needed is a mains power source nearby. Or, if your own piano is already available, I am happy to play this instead. If the event is outside, playing will be unable to continue in the event of rain!
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What about insurance?I have full indemnity insurance, all equipment is P.A.T. tested equipment and I am DBS checked.
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How do we pay?A £50.00 deposit is required at the time of booking, which will be deducted from the final amount. The full balance should be paid no later than 7 days before the event bank transfer to: Account no. 06688583 Sort code 09-01-34 Please name the payment as “Event Fee” Note: should your event be cancelled for any reason, the balance will be refunded. Please fill out the inquiry form for a quotation and to check availability.
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Do you teach the traditional graded music exam syllabus?Yes, I can provide traditional piano lessons for classical piano, working through the graded exam levels up to grade 8 practical and grade 5 theory.
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Do I need a real piano to learn?Not at all – but you will need a touch-sensitive keyboard/digital piano with a minimum of 5 octaves (60 keys) and an input for a sustain pedal. If you have built-in speakers, even better.
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Are you DBS checked?Absolutely! And I have full indemnity insurance.
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When are you likely to be available for lessons?Please send me an email or complete the contact form, giving details of the type of lessons required, giving the current standard of playing and your objective, your preferred day and time and I will get back to you as soon as possible with my availability. tardifpaul@gmail.com