This place has just moved up on our list of “Pittsburgh jems”. I was in absolute awe of the beauty that I saw in the Chapel of this artistically hidden school in Coraopolis.  The preserved architecture, wood work on the inside, the feel of the histrory back to the 1930′s is incredible! The outdoor surroundings are straight out of utopian perfect world! The people we worked with fit right in with their kindness and appreciation for our music. 

Once again, police forces and classical musicians come together.  Our Pittsburgh string quartet performed at the Embassy Suites of Pittsburgh for the Allegheny County Police 80th Anniversary Banquet.  It was a big event with many active and retired police officers in attendance, as well as some political figures of our state.  

Unlike for weddings, string quartet musicians for this gala put together a music program that somewhat strayed away from classical music, leaning towards a different genre – oldies and pop style music.  The musicians played selections from Beatles, Volare, In a Sentimental Mood, On Top of the World..

As far as the place itself – a hidden paradise in Pittsburgh! Who would have thought of having a fish pond in the lobby of a hotel and surround it with a picturesque jungle, adding quite a bit of magic to the place?!  The staff working with the musicians and the police was amazing, accommodating any need, however small it was. What a fantastic place and a crew of workers!

Two of our string musicians have performed her for a musical “The Christmas Post”, not the most known and yet one of the best musicals! It was a week long production with several rehearsals and three shows.  We worked with very talented cast members, orchestra musicians and a dedicated conductor.  All of the three shows were full of audience. It was a very rewarding experience for us on a musical level, and we learned a musical that we have never heard of before! 

This is probably the most beautiful church our musicians have performed at, and it is even more spectacular during Christmas.  Our string quartet performed in here for a Sunday service. It also has a tallest Christmas tree I’ve ever seen!

After years of  performing as musicians in many different places in Pittsburgh and around it, I think this place has just won an award in our opinion for its’ acoustical gem! I had never suspected that this small, simple, and yet elegant chapel would have such an incredible sound. It was only two of our musicians, cellist and a violist playing for the wedding ceremony, and yet, according to many guest, we sounds as if there were ten of us in the room. It was a pleasant surprise for our musical ears…

A fairly easy to get to hotel in Greensburg, off the PA turnpike. It does have many conference rooms which is where the wedding our musicians played at took place. It looks like a convenient place for guests who travel to weddings from out of town. Plus, the wedding and the receptions were next door to each other. It might not be the most enchanting place, but it is very practical.

Although it is pretty far from Pittsburgh – almost two hours, this place has a great ambiance form 1800′s, a hidden jem in Pennsylvania hills.  The wedding coordinator was probably the best I have ever dealt with.  He was on top of things, had everything set up for the musicians, knew every step of the ceremony and when to cue us – it was fantastic! It always makes our job easier when people such as him are involved. The fountain was also gorgeous, a beautiful spot for a wedding ceremony!

This was a nice place for a wedding, with a beautiful fountain in the background. In fact, as our musicians were setting up to play, there were at least three or four wedding parties that drove up to the fountains for the wedding photos. The only downside is absence of shade. We got lucky since the wedding we played at took place at four in the afternoon, and we found a shady place for the instruments. The wedding couple did try to put up a tent for us, but it was put upside down and kept falling down – so we decided against it! There are a few pine trees where we could have been seated, but the sap and bugs were not conducive to playing! Another good thing – plenty of free parking!

Another nice place in the Pittsburgh area for wedding and banquets. A slight negative is parking is your event is during the day. After six in the evening, though – it is free.

I have to say that this is probably the most beautiful place our string quartet have performed at – and we have played at hundreds of places over the years! The gardens were gorgeous with blooming roses, the view of a glacier lake is breathtaking! No wonder  I counted at least five different weddings going on at the same time there, as well as many visitors. Yet another hidden treasure in Ohio. I hope we get to play there again so I can come early and explore the area more…