Francis A. Varrichio Orchestras | Consider Age & Culture
Consider The Age & Culture of Your Guests
“A wedding is a life-transforming event,” says Frank Varrichio. “You’re creating a whole new way of life and a new family.”
Musical Spirit
“At a wedding, the love between the bride and groom creates a genuine feeling in the air, a special magic. The musicians can sense it, and the music becomes part of the spirit of what’s happening.”
Music is a very powerful language, perhaps the most emotional way to communicate. “When you have the opportunity to play as a musician at this quintessential moment, it becomes much more important.”
In your initial meetings, Frank plays different types of music for you, and in the process gets to know who you are.
Classical, Jazz, & Dance
“Often couples present themselves as very refined,” says Frank. “They want something that’s not loud and ostentatious. For them, we will have a classical presentation. We’ll blend that with a jazz idiom to energize the room with some dance music.
“It’s sophisticated music with great subtlety that slowly draws people out onto the dance floor, and that choice is based on the feeling of the couple.”
Other couples want loud, fast music. “They want to dance. We tend to play swing, bebop, and the big band tunes for them.”
In choosing the music for your wedding, Frank encourages you to think about the music you listen to on a regular basis. “I ask, ‘When you’re relaxing after work, what music do you like?’ I also find out about the age of your guests at the wedding, and what backgrounds and cultures are involved.”
An Acoustic Jazz Band
Francis A. Varrichio Ensembles is an acoustic jazz band. “We have amplification, but we rely on the acoustics of our instruments. The saxophone is loud because the guy can blow it loud, not because we have a gigantic amplifier.
“Since we’re playing together as a dynamic band — with no one mixing us together on a mixing board — we are listening to each other. So we come together as one instrument, many parts playing together.”
Frank’s musicians are accomplished New York session players who record albums, perform at Radio City, and play at various Broadway shows and jazz festivals. “Out of 250 performances a year, they may do only 30 weddings.
“These are the guys at the big festivals. Many of them played with Sinatra. They can play anything. We have a very non-commercial approach, tailored to what you want. There is no pre-determined package.”
For Frank, the most exciting part of the wedding is the first dance, the couple’s first act as husband and wife. “Everyone knows what’s going to happen. There’s so much excitement and joy.”
Francis A. Varrichio Orchestras
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