Happy Monday Yall!
Today on the vendor feature is Mattie Carl-Riu. Mattie is an incredible musician and was part of a string quartet at one of my weddings, so I know first hand how beautifully she plays! There is just something about the beautiful sound of live instrumental music that sets the mood for an elegant wedding! Hope you enjoy reading about Mattie and her talent!
Meet Mattie!
Mattie Carl-Riu- violonist
Hi Mattie! I’m so excited you wanted to participate in our vendor feature! How long have you been involved with music?
Thank you, I’m excited to be one of your vendors! I have been playing the violin for 12 years now. When I was younger, I enjoyed taking private lessons, playing in local string competitions, going to string camps in the summer, and playing in the local Youth Symphony. Now I am a violin teacher myself but I still get the chance to play a lot at local churches and especially at weddings.
What made you decide to get involved with the wedding industry?
I started by just playing wedding music for friends and then a few people who were a friend of a friend asked me to play. Finally, after playing several weddings, I realized that I had a unique service to offer and started sending my name to wedding planners, leaving business cards at wedding venues, and posting ads on wedding web sites.
You have some other musicians you work with as well, what instruments do they play, and what is the most popular type of ensemble?
My favorite musicians to work with are people that I know and trust, because I know they have the ability to improvise and think on their feet if everything doesn’t go according to plan. Maybe there’s a really shy flower girl who doesn’t want to come down the aisle and we need to keep the music going until she gets down the aisle. Grace under pressure is something you have to learn when you when you play live music for wedding. My favorite fellow musicians have this wonderful quality and they make playing together a lot of fun. They are: Kathleen Odom- Cello, Andrew Segrest- Piano, and Raegan Grantham- Piano. Most commonly, we play a cello, violin, and piano trio at weddings. A trio still provides a full, rich sound, but it’s not as expensive or tricky to coordinate as a string quartet. Although string quartets still remain popular and are a lot of fun to play in!
What are the most popular songs you are asked to play?
The classics that everybody knows and loves! Jesu Joy of man’s Desiring by Bach, Ode to Joy by Beethoven, Canon in D by Pachebel, Ave Maria by Schubert, The Wedding march by Mendelsson and the Bridal Chorus by Wagner. I like to play old love songs too, like Love Me Tender or Can’t Help Falling in Love with You.
How can our readers contact you for inquiries on you playing at their wedding or event?
They can contact me through e-mailing: violet_violin@ymail.com or they can contact Kathleen by e-mailing: kathleenodom@hotmail.com. She is my partner in music and either one of us will be able answer questions about pricing, availability, and music.
Thank you so much Mattie for being a part of our feature this week! You are incredibly talented, and we wish you the best and hope to work with you again on many weddings to come! Please contact Mattie for your wedding, and let her know you heard about her from us!