Below is general booking information. You may also like to look at these pages on specific occasions:

Weddings
Christmas Music
Harp and Guitar

Booking information is divided into the following sections:

What to Expect
Things to Consider
How Much Does it Cost
What Happens Next

What to Expect

Beautiful music performed by an experienced and professional musician. Harp music adds enchantment and elegance to all occasions.

Typically, Liath will need to arrive an hour beforehand to set up. She will need to get the harp in position, get changed, tune up and soundcheck. After the event, it takes her around thirty minutes to pack away.

If you've asked Liath to play for more than one hour, she will need to take short breaks - around five minutes for every forty minutes of playing. Non alcoholic refreshments are always very welcome.

You are welcome to make an appointment to visit Liath and hear the harp either before or after making a booking. This is free regardless of what you decide. It's a great way of hearing some music selections and making sure that you get exactly what you need from your booking. You can also read some testemonials here.

Things to Consider Before Booking

Space
There needs to be enough room for the harp and harpist to sit comfortably and safely. This means at least six square feet of space.

Location
Harps are heavy and unwieldy. If your venue has steep stairs, or a long walk from available parking, please mention this in advance so that arrangements can be made for the transportation of the harp.

Volume
The harp is a relatively loud instrument, but for medium to large sized events or restaurant bookings, Liath will bring amplification, which keeps the harp audible for gatherings of up to 250 people. She needs a normal plug socket for her amp. Depending on the light levels, she may also need to bring a small lamp. All equipment is PAT tested.

British Weather
If your event is outside, you will need to provide a sheltered and level position for the harp. Harps are sensitive instruments and can be damaged by strong sunlight or rain - and if using amplification, the harpist could be electrocuted if the equipment gets wet! Positioning the harp inside a marquee or gazebo is ideal. If the ground is not hardstanding, and a piece of carpet or groundsheet will stop the harp and harpist sinking into the ground.

Planning in Advance
Bookings are made on a first come, first served basis. Desirable dates and times over festive, holiday and wedding seasons can get filled up quickly, so booking well in advance helps avoid disappointment. You can check Liath's current availability on the calendar. If you want Liath to learn something specifically for your event, or if you have commissioned a piece, she will need at least eight weeks notice.

How Much Does it Cost?

The events Liath is hired for are varied, thus prices are quoted individually for each booking. As a guide, a local (Nottingham) wedding ceremony would be around £190, or a drinks reception would cost around £170. Things that affect the price are:

Time
The longer Liath plays, the more it costs. However, after the first hour of playing, the price per hour drops. You only pay for the playing time, not setting up / taking down. However, the timing of some events, such as wedding ceremonies, can be hard to predict and so Liath charges a flat fee for these.

Location
Liath takes bookings in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, along with some areas of Staffordshire and Yorkshire. Although she has played as far afield as the New Forest and the Scottish Highlands, greater distances mean higher costs, not only in terms of petrol, but also to compensate for hours spent travelling.

Special requests and commissions
Behind each hour of performance lies hundreds of rehearsal hours. If you have requested that Liath learn, compose or arrange something especially for your event, that may push up the price as she will have to buy sheet music and spend time practicing the piece to performance standard.

What Happens Next?

If you'd like to make an enquiry, you are welcome to email or telephone Liath for a quote, or to arrange a time to visit and hear the harp. Looking on the calendar to check on availability can save you time, as popular dates can get booked up quickly.

Assuming that you want to go ahead, Liath will then send you a booking form which you need to send back with a £50 deposit to secure your booking. You will also need to sign a copy of Liath's terms and conditions. You can download these forms (as Word files) by clicking the links, or alternatively, Liath can send them to you by email or post.

The balance of the fee is then due seven days before the event. Liath will get in touch around a week before your event to reassure you that everything is going to plan, and to discuss any last minute arrangements.

 

To contact Liath, click to email or telephone 0115 925 3737 / 0783 183 3310