The Irish Fireside Podcast, Episodes #60 and 61

My music is featured in not one but two episodes of the Irish Fireside Podcast, the ultimate place where you can get the inside scoop on Irish travel and culture. Hosts Corey and Liam are your tour guides in this popular podcast.

In Episode #60—The Giveaway, posted December 14, 2008, my music is played during the details of their 2008 Holiday Giveaway and Irish gift suggestions.

You’ll also want to catch Podcast #61—Merry Christmas, Armagh, Down & the Cooley Peninsula posted December 25, 2008. You can hear “I am a Maid That Sleeps in Love” from my CD Mermaids & Mariners album as Corey reads an excerpt from “Tales from an Irish Hermitage”, a book written by a Sister of Grace with tales of her life living as a solitary nun in Ireland. This episode also includes a fascinating interview that Liam conducted with Michael Carr, former mayor of Newry and Mourne (regions between Belfast and Dublin).

Here are details of the tunes you’ll hear in these two episodes:

Episode #60—The Giveaway
“The Bold Princess Royal/The Princess Royal” from Mermaids & Mariners “Star of the County Down (Waltz Version)” from Haste to the Wedding And “Considine’s Grove” from A Light in the Forest


Episode #61—Merry Christmas, Armagh, Down & the Cooley Peninsula “I’ll Cross the Stormy Sea” from Mermaids & Mariners And “Star of the County Down (Waltz Version)” from Haste to the Wedding

Live Elevator Music and Led Zeppelin on a Harp!

You may have heard that I play “Stairway to Heaven” on a harp. Now, my performance has been caught on TV. I also played holiday tunes inside an elevator--“Live Elevator Music” so to speak.

Watch clips of these unbelievable feats from my December 13, 2008, live appearance on Good Day Sacramento, on Sacramento’s KMAX-TV, CW Channel 31. Hosts Cody Stark and Kelly Chapman interview Anne on this entertaining morning show. Here are those three video clips:

My Elevator Interview (The Metallica song was not caught on camera)

My Performance of “Let It Snow”, Live Elevator Music!

And

My Rendition of Led Zeppelin played on the Celtic Harp—Yes, it can be done!

Special thanks to the entire crew of Good Day Sacramento.

Anne’s CDs Recommended in Popular Irish Holiday Gift Guide

Corey and Liam are the hosts of the Irish Fireside website and podcast, your virtual tour of Ireland and all things Irish. And they have just posted their Annual Holiday Gift Guide 2008! They have made a special effort to feature items from passionate artists, crasftspeople and entrepreneurs.

My albums made it near the top of their list, and here is their review:

“When you give one of Anne Roos’ CDs, you are sharing more than the gift of enchanting music. Each disc of Celtic harp music is accompanied by a book with beautiful words and images to support the wondrous journeys you will take with each of her three CDs.”

Enter online to win one of Anne’s CDs, along with other fun Irish gift ideas from the Irish Fireside Annual Holiday Gift Guide 2008.

Look for my CDs on the Cambria Master Recordings label. They are available for purchase online at Amazon.com, CDBaby.com, and elsewhere on the Internet. They are also available at retail outlets such as Barnes & Noble and Borders stores. Autographed copies can be purchased at www.celticharpmusic.com, where speedy holiday shipping is available.

A Final Word About MySpace (Not Just a Blog Entry for Musicians)

When I first included entries about MySpace on this blog, I
mentioned to never ever use MySpace (or profiles on any other
social networking sites) as your "official" website. Always buy your
own domain name and use that for your website and email. Why?
Because you don't own MySpace, you haven't paid any money for
your profile there, and MySpace could disappear tomorrow and owe
you nothing.

In his latest podcast, my good friend, David Jackson, talks about a
very disturbing instance where MySpace removed a page. This
happened to a band, but let it be a warning to all business owners
that if you don't own your own domain and depend upon a social
networking profile as your website, your fan list, your calendar, and
your presence on the Internet can vanish into thin air. All those
applications you've used on that profile will be gone.

The wise way to use your social network profiles is to make them
blatant advertisements for your official website at your official
domain.

Get the whole story by visiting David Jackson's Musician's Cooler
Podcast #222, called "MySpace - I TOLD YOU SO!".

Do you have your own final thoughts about using your MySpace
page or other social networking profiles for advertising and
promotion? Please share them as a comment below.

Cheers, Anne Roos
Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos
http://www.celticharpmusic.com

Advertising Tips for Using MySpace, Part 3 (Not Just a Blog Entry for Musicians)

This is the third and last part of my three-part blog post about using MySpace effectively in business...The following tips, and much more, are just part of my contribution to Joan Stewart's new e-book, "How to be A Kick-Butt Publicity Hound".

Managing Your Page Once It Is Set Up

"Friends" are really "fans". They are not necessarily anyone that you know or have met personally, but they want to get to know you. Fans want a personal connection, and if they think you are a nice person, they will buy from you, join your mailing list, and support you.

MySpace isn't about the quantity of Friends you have amassed-It is about the quality of fans you have attracted. Just like any famous actor is careful to avoid stalkers and loonies, you also need to do this on MySpace. Here's how to do it....

You MUST reply to every single message and friend request, and comment personally. Yes, I hear you saying, "Aaargh! I don't have the time". Well, make the time or your page on MySpace is totally wasted.

1. When you receive a friend request, check out that person's page.
Find out who they are. If their page is offensive to you in any way, deny the friend request. Otherwise, answer them by saying, "Thank you for contacting me and asking me to add you as a friend. I'll be happy to do so! I'm curious. Please tell me a bit about yourself and what attracted you to my MySpace page..." and then go into a little sales pitch about what might interest them on your website. Free offers available on your official website is a great pitch that gets them
over there. But make the entire message sound like you are so very glad to meet them.

2. If the friend request is from someone who has their profile set to "Private", this means that you cannot view their profile unless you accept them as a friend.
If this is not comfortable for you, then send them a message that you that because their profile is set to "private" you would like to learn more about them before adding them to your friend list. You don't need to add anyone as a Friend if you don't want to.

3. Respond to any comments by writing a friendly comment on that person's page. Always include information about your official website in your comment on their page. Advertise, advertise, advertise.

4. Do not allow comments from friends that contain HTML code or graphics.
Only allow comments from friends that glow about your services or your products. Many people will simply send you comments that say, "Have a nice weekend." Don't post these, because they waste space that could be used for advertising purposes on your MySpace page. But do send a nice comment back to them.

5. Post as many Top Friends as possible on your page, and rotate them from time to time.
Let those people know you have posted them as Top Friends, and they may return the favor on their page. The more exposure you get, the better. Post Top Friends that are colleagues of yours with whom you cross-market, post Friends who are actually associations in which you belong, and post your top "fans". Make those Top Friends those who sing your praises on their MySpace pages.

6. Check your MySpace page at least three times a week.
People think you don't exist if you are not answering their messages in a timely fashion-Just like people think you aren't in business if you don't respond to email regularly.

7. Keep in touch with your "Friends" with a birthday message.
In your profile, you can view upcoming birthdays for the week. Send each of these people a short message that you are just dropping by to wish them a Happy Birthday. You could even send them a special offer. They will thank you, revisit your MySpace page, and perhaps bring you more business.

8. Keep templates of different types of messages you've sent and comments you've posted in a separate word doc.
Simply copy and paste as the occasion arises, substituting the Friend's name in the template. This will greatly cut down on your time spent keeping up with MySpace.

9. If you have an upcoming event that you want to invite Friends to, alas, you cannot broadcast your event in one message to all your Friends.
The interface only allows you to send invitations to individual Friends, which is very time-consuming indeed. It's better to try to get your Friends to visit your official website to sign up for your email newsletter instead. (You can send bulletins to all your Friends at once, but I think most bulletins are ignored).

Simply keep in mind that MySpace is an additional business tool that you can use to reach people who haven't found you elsewhere on the Internet.

Are you a wedding musician or interested in performing at weddings? I also cover the topic of marketing yourself on MySpace in my book "The Musician's Guide to Brides" You can find this book at Amazon.com , SheetMusicPlus.com, and wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold. You can also view pages from the book and purchase it directly from my website at Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos

Musicians who are in a band or who tour regularly might also like to check out Bob Baker's book, "MySpace Music Marketing", available at Amazon.com

Have additional ideas about successfully managing a MySpace page? Please share them as a comment below.

Cheers,
Anne Roos

Advertising Tips for Using MySpace, Part 2 (Not Just a Blog Entry for Musicians)

Here's a continuation of my last blog post...The following tips, and much more, are just part of my contribution to Joan Stewart's new e-book, "How to Be A Kick-Butt Publicity Hound". To order please visit http://tinyurl.com/5zbjbj

8 Tips to Getting Started:

1. If you are a musician or entertainer, sign up for an Artist Account, which is set up to aid you in reaching your target audience.
Be very specific about the genre of music you play and what you sound like, because people who want to find you will be able to find you. If you say you sound like The Rolling Stones, anyone doing a search for The Rolling Stones on MySpace will also find your page. Similarly, if you are an author, be specific about other authors who write comparable material. If you state that your influence is Stephen King, anyone searching for Stephen King pages on MySpace will find you.

2. Select a name for your MySpace page account that reflects your business name. Keep your exposure on MySpace business-like at all times.

3. Select a photo for your profile that will draw people who are interested in your business to your MySpace page.
I have a creative studio shot instead of a headshot. I can't tell you how many times people have told me that they checked out my MySpace page just because they liked my profile photo. You'll want your photo to stand out when someone runs a search.

4. Security is a major issue to consider when setting up a MySpace page.
You may have heard that there are crazy people roaming around on MySpace. Well, there are crazies roaming around the entire Internet, too. Unlike your official website where your webmaster sets up a force field of security around your site, this is simply not the case on MySpace.

This is one of the reasons why you should avoid including personal information on your page. But you should also take measures to make your page secure. When you set up your page, there are a number of security options you can use for your page. In the Account Settings, you can block certain users that bother you, and you can make custom Spam Presets and Communication Settings.

5. The following are necessary to your sanity on MySpace:

A. Require that you approve all comments before they are posted.

B. Do not allow any comments to contain HTML-otherwise, you will receive all kinds of graphics in the comments that will slow down the download speed of your MySpace page.

C. Don't allow just anyone to send you invitations, or you'll spend a lot of time deleting a bunch of junk.

D. Don't set your page to "Private", otherwise, only your friends will be able view your page. If you are using MySpace as a billboard for your business, why make your advertisement private?

E. Never set an "Away Message". People cannot send you messages or comments if you are in "Away" mode. It's like shutting down your website when you are gone out of town. Who does that?

6. You'll need to know some HTML code to set up your page.
You don't need to take a college extension class to learn this language. I suggest purchasing the book, "MySpace Maxed Out", published by Bottletree Books. It is written primarily for rock bands, but it offers an understandable tutorial for setting up a profile.

7. Use the "skin" that comes with the MySpace page.
It may look plain, but it downloads the quickest. Enhance your page by attaching players from YouTube, links to your products on sale on Amazon.com, CDBaby.com, and elsewhere. And advertise your official website all over your page. Utilize the applications that come with the page set up: Add photos, a blog, a calendar, but like Facebook, avoid the silly additional applications that you can download and send to Friends. The MySpace page is a business advertisement.

8. MySpace is available around the world, so you may receive messages in languages other than your own.
Download an application on your computer that translates verbiage into your language of use. If you have a Mac, download a translator widget. This will allow you to communicate with all your fans, and people in other countries will appreciate it if they don't have to fumble about in your language.

Next time, I'll offer some tips on how to manage your MySpace page once it is up and running.

Are you a wedding musician or interested in performing at weddings? I also cover the topic of marketing yourself on MySpace in my book "The Musician's Guide to Brides" You can find this book at Amazon.com , SheetMusicPlus.com , and wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold. You can also view pages from the book and purchase it directly from my website at Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos.

Have additional ideas about successfully marketing yourself on MySpace? Please share them as a comment below.

Cheers,
Anne Roos
Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos
http://www.celticharpmusic.com

Advertising Tips for Using MySpace (Not Just a Blog Entry for Musicians)

MySpace can be an excellent advertising tool. I have successfully referred MySpace user to my website, iTunes, Amazon.com, and CDBaby.com, where they can buy my Cd's, digital downloads, and my book, "The Musician's Guide to Brides". I have seen a marked increase in sales revenue from My Space users. I've also successfully used MySpace to increase my fan base and
network with others in the music business. Does it work for folks who are not in the entertainment business? No reason why it can't.

The following tips, and much more, are just part of my contribution to Joan Stewart's new e-book, "How to Be A Kick-Butt Publicity Hound".

In the meantime, here are some tips to guide you with
MySpace for commercial use:

1. Consider creating your MySpace page as a billboard
for your services.
The sole purpose of your page is to convince visitors to purchase your products and services and to visit your official website. Resist the temptation to post anything of any personal nature on your MySpace page. You can set up your Ping and Twitter accounts to post on MySpace, but that is about all the personal information you'll want to include.

2. If you are short of cash and are just beginning to
establish an online presence, never ever use MySpace
(or pages on any other social networking sites) as your
"official" web page.
Buy your own domain name," as my good friend David Jackson says, who hosts the podcast, "The Musician's Cooler-Where Musicians Go to Trade Advice" He goes on to say, "Your MySpace page is a great additional tool for your website, but don't use it as your sole website. You don't own MySpace, they can change it at any time, and you can do nothing about it. You could lose your page on MySpace tomorrow."

3. Consider MySpace as a way to reach customers who may not be
using Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
So, it's okay to allow your MySpace page to mirror your business pages on other social networking sites. MySpace was originally set up by a bandleader, so its interface is best used for musicians and entertainers. But increasingly, politicians, authors, and anyone who has videos
or audios to share are creating pages.

4. Search around on MySpace before signing up for an account.
Check out how your competition uses MySpace. If you are a musician or entertainer, look up similar acts. If you are an author, look up other authors. You can easily do a search without setting up an account.

5. Make a list of the pages you like and why.
Are they using media players to load audio or video on their pages? Which players? Do they play easily without a long wait for downloading?

6. In your quick research, you'll soon discover that pages with
"skins" and lots of flashing doodads take forever to download.
Just like when building a website, strange fonts and graphics make your information difficult to read. And on MySpace, this stuff greatly increases download time for any visitor to your page.

These tips are just a start. In a future blog entry, I'll include some simple idea for getting started with MySpace.

And by the way, for musicians interested in performing at weddings, I also cover the topic of marketing yourself on MySpace in my book "The Musician's Guide to Brides" You can find this
book at Amazon.com , SheetMusicPlus.com and wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold. You can also view pages from the book and purchase it directly from my website at www.celticharpmusic.com.

Have additional ideas about successfully marketing yourself on MySpace? Please add them as a comment below.

My best to you, Anne Roos Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos http://www.celticharpmusic.com/

The FREE STUFF List Just Keeps Growing

Corey and Liam, the great folks at the Irish Fireside travel podcast and the Irish Fireside website included my CDs in their great gift ideas for their Irish Fireside Holiday
Gift Guide. The suggestions just keep coming in. Better yet,
there's been a steady stream of samples getting sent their way, and
they're giving them ALL away to folks like you!

To enter their holiday drawing, you'll need to sign up at
www.irishfireside.wordpress.com/free-stuff. Winners will be
choosen at various times in December...just in time for the
Holidays.

Here's a list of FREEBIES that have arrived so far:

My CDs:

Mermaids & Mariners CD & Book from Celtic Harpist Anne Roos
www.celticharpmusic.com

Haste to the Wedding CD & Book from Celtic Harpist Anne Roos
www.celticharpmusic.com

A Light in the Forest CD & Book from Celtic Harpist Anne Roos
www.celticharpmusic.com

Plus more Irish and Celtic goodies:

Irish Shard Jewelry from Lamplighter Studio
www.LamplighterStudio.com

Irish Stout T-Shirt from Boulevard Brewing Company
www.blvdbeer.com

Abramo's Gift novel from Donald Greco
www.bookpros.com

Irish Turf Incense and Burner from The Gifted Hand
www.turfpeat.com

Black Coffee CD from Anne Davis
www.annedavisjazz.com

Irish and Celtic Notecards from Custom Silhouettes
www.customsilhouettes.com

Ultimate Ireland Vacation Kit from IrelandYes
www.IrelandYes.com

Burren Smokehouse Giftbox from County Clare's Burren Smokehouse
www.burrensmokehouse

SIGN UP TO WIN FREE STUFF HERE

And give my regards to Corey and Liam at the Irish Fireside!

Celtic Myth Podshow Episode 19

My music is featured once again on the Celtic Myth Podshow!

in the October 25, 2008 episode, Episode 19: You’ll hear “Bridget Cruise” from my album Haste to the Wedding, “The Seas Are Deep” from my album Mermaids & Mariners, and “The Golden Castle” from my album A Light in the Forest. More details about me and my albums can be found on my Contributor Page.

The Celtic Myth Podshow tells of ancient tales and legends of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, Brittany and the Isle of Mann, bringing you the bravery of heroes and heroines, the magnificent pantheon of gods and goddesses and the magic and wonder of druids, faeries and folklore. It weaves together the high, beautiful tapestry of mythological history, battles and sagas of the Celts. Join Gary and Ruth and their friends as they tell you the great stories from Celtic legend.

Episode 019 - The Hawk of Achill

In this story, which is part 2 of the 2 part story of Fintan, we hear how the oldest and greatest Seanachi or Story-teller of Ireland, Fintan meets his end. Before he does however, he meets the world's oldest Hawk, an old friend never before seen, and they share their life histories.

Budget-Busting Tips for Creating a Dream Wedding without Breaking the Bank

One in three couples will pay the cost of their wedding entirely out of their own pocket – and most will go over budget in doing so. At a time when we're all looking for ways to cut back on the cost of everything from gas to groceries, the average expense of $28,000 to get hitched is probably tough to justify. But before you let the economic crisis ruin your plans, author and professional wedding musician Anne Roos has some budget-busting tips for creating a dream wedding without breaking the bank.

This is an excerpt from a radio interview that was conducted by an Ohio radio station, WFIN am 1330, on October 29th, 2008.

To listen to this interview just go to http://www.wfin.com/morning/audio/1028-7a.mp3

A 5+ Star Rating for Anne Roos' Surround Sound Album

I can't help myself, I just need to share this great review with you.

“Celtic Radio gives Anne Roos’ A Light in the Forest a 5+ star
rating for truly a masterpiece production of sound and music.”
Read the entire review, as it appears on the CelticRadio.net
website:

“Anne Roos' CD – A Light in the Forest - is a masterpiece of
music and sounds that will gently take you away to a world of
ancient melodies, majestic forests, fairies, castles and witches.
This musical creation includes Anne on the Celtic Harp along with
musicians playing flutes, recorders, whistles, percussions,
viola, guitars and fiddles. Beautifully organized and arranged,
A Light in the Forest is a splendid way to spend an autumn
evening listening to the sounds of the season.

The CD comes in a gorgeous hardcover mini-book with 32 pages of
full color pictures and commentary as well as historical
background on each song. This production is very unique and top
quality with the CD produced in super audio. It will definitely
have a special place in your Celtic music collection. And if you
love A Light in the Forest, we are certain you will love Anne's
other 2 similar productions; Haste to the Wedding and Mermaids &
Mariners - also in the same format with hardcover mini-book
included.

Celtic Radio gives Anne Roos' A Light in the Forest a 5+ star
rating for truly a masterpiece production of sound and music.
The included CD mini-book is certainly the best and most unique
production that we have seen in our 7 years of operation and
makes this a very compelling package to add to your Celtic music
CD collection or as a gift to that someone special!”

This review appears on the CelticRadio.net October 2008
Newsletter. Celtic Radio is the home of Highlander Radio, Celtic
Moon, Celt-Rock-Radio and BlueGrass Hills. They are an award-
winning Internet radio station broadcasting a wide range of
Celtic music 24 hours a day. They play Scottish, Irish and
Celtic music from musicians across the world.

A Light in the Forest is on the Cambria Master Recordings label.
This and other albums by me are available for purchase
online at Amazon.com, CDBaby.com, and other online stores. It is
also available for purchase at retail outlets such as Barnes &
Noble and Borders stores. Autographed copies can be purchased at
www.celticharpmusic.com.

Celtic Myth Podshow Episode 18

My music is featured in the October 11, 2008 episode, Episode 18: You’ll hear “My Lagan Love” from my album Haste to the Wedding, “High Barbary” from my album Mermaids & Mariners, and “Craigieburn Wood” from my album A Light in the Forest. More details about me and my albums can be found on my Contributor Page.

The Celtic Myth Podshow tells of ancient tales and legends of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, Brittany and the Isle of Mann, bringing you the bravery of heroes and heroines, the magnificent pantheon of gods and goddesses and the magic and wonder of druids, faeries and folklore. It weaves together the high, beautiful tapestry of mythological history, battles and sagas of the Celts. Join Gary and Ruth and their friends as they tell you the great stories from Celtic legend.

Episode 018 – The Judgement of Fintan

In this story, which is part 1 of a 2-part story, we hear the
tale of the oldest and greatest Seanachi or storyteller of
Ireland, Fintan. It was the job of the Shannachie to travel the
land of Erin and collect stories from far-flung corners, and this
tale tells of his long life and his place in the history of the
magical Isle of Erin.

A Lovely Comment From a True Fan

I recently received this comment from a new friend on MySpace and I wanted to share it.

"Dear Anne!

I find your playing absolutely excellent and I am looking forward to buying your cds in the near future. I also appreciate very much the Celtic Club membership and the opportunity to download new tunes every once in a while. Very fine, too, that you are supplying interesting background information as well.

Thank you for presenting the Celtic harp music in such a lovely and competent way!

Best regards, Mats"

To see my full MySpace profile please visit me at http://www.myspace.com/celticharpmusic

Use Twitter To Drive Sales

Twitter, the hottest marketing tool on the planet, can be frustrating, confusing and a huge time-waster if you don't know what you're doing.

But used correctly, it can drive traffic to your website and even generate sales, sometimes in a matter of just a few seconds.

My friend, Joan Stewart, The Publicity Hound, is hosting a teleseminar series Oct. 13 and 14 called "How to to Use Twitter to Amass an Army of Followers, Customers & Valuable Contacts-- and Promote."

On Day 1, you'll learn the basics of Twitter and time-saving tips. On Day 2, you'll learn specific strategies on to promote any product, service, cause or issue.

If you have a time conflict, register anyway because you'll get a copy of the MP3 audios and the electronic transcripts to review at your leisure.

Seating is limited to 100 people, so register today at http://tinyurl.com/4dokv9

Live TV Appearance on News Channel 10 featuring Anne Roos

Are you located in the greater Sacramento area, including Stockton, Modesto, the Sierra foothills, and even North Lake Tahoe? Catch my live on-air performance and interview on the Sacramento & Co. Show, with hosts Kristen Simoes and Guy Farris. Video may be available on their website after the show airs.

DATE: Monday, October 20, 2008
TIME: 9-10 am
TUNE IN TO: KXTV News Channel 10, Sacramento ABC affiliate
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Check out the Sacramento & Co.Show at www.sacandco.net

Stay current on all of my upcoming concerts--Visit my Public Performance Schedule

Are You New to Performing At Weddings?

Here Are Some Wedding Favorites to Get You Started

Do what you do best, and you’ll love what you do. The music you
play that resonates within you carries your own fingerprints.
Even if other musicians can play the same songs as you do, what
you bring to these songs is uniquely your own.

To get you started, this is a list of some wedding music
standards that you might want to consider including in your
repertoire:

Wedding Ceremony Music—The Common Requests

The Top Ten Classical Music Requests (in order by composer):

1. “Air in G” from Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D (J.S. Bach)

2. “Ode to Joy” from Symphony No. 9(Beethoven)

3. “Trumpet Voluntary” or “Prince of Denmark’s March” (J.
Clarke)

4. “Clair de Lune” (C. Debussy)

5. “Hornpipe” from Water Music Suite (G.F. Handel)

6. “Wedding March” from A Midsummer Night’s Dream (F.
Mendelssohn)

7. “Canon in D” (J. Pachelbel)

9. “Allegro From Spring”, first movement theme from The Four
Seasons (A. Vivaldi)

10. “Bridal March” from the opera Lohengrin or “Here Comes the
Bride” (R. Wagner)

Wedding Ceremony Music Alternatives (Because Not Every Bride
Wants to Enter to “Here Comes the Bride”):

Favorite choices for Christian weddings:

1. “Amazing Grace” (American Folk Melody)

2. “Ave Maria” (F. Schubert)

3. “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” (J. S. Bach)

4. “The Lord’s Prayer” (A.H. Malotte)

5. “Simple Gifts” (Elder Joseph)

Favorite choices for Jewish weddings:

1. “Dodi Li” (N. Chen)

2. “Erev Ba” (O. Avissar & A. Levanon)

3. “Siman Tov” (traditional Israeli song)

4. “Sunrise Sunset” from the musical “Fiddler on the Roof”

Favorite choices for Celtic weddings:

1. “Mairi’s Wedding”

2. “Star of the County Down”

3. “When Irish Eyes are Smiling”

4. “Skye Boat Song”

5. “My Wild Irish Rose”

This is a short excerpt from my new book, “The Musician’s Guide
to Brides: How to Make Money Playing Weddings” published
by Hal Leonard Books. I’m sure you can think of more tunes to
add to these lists. Add them in your comments below and help out
other musicians to get a good start playing at weddings. Next
time in this blog, we’ll tackle timeless reception favorites.

View Anne’s new book--see some individual sample pages.



The book is available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers (including barnesandnoble.com, sheetmusicplus.com , and amazon.com.
I may sound like I'm shamelessly promoting it here, but I really would like to have some constructive feedback about it. I fully intend to write future editions, so your feedback would be of great help to me. Please feel free to respond with your kind constructive comments, and certainly, respond with wedding favorites that you would like to add to the above lists.


My best to you,
Anne Roos
Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos

It's Not Too Early to Hire Your Musicians

Thinking About Holiday Entertainment?

If you are just getting your party plans together, start shopping
for your holiday entertainment early. Even at the end of
September, musicians begin to get booked for holiday events. If
your party budget needs to go through a committee for approval,
now is the time to start that process.

Thinking About Wedding Music?

Even if you are getting married next year, musicians are booking
for weddings now. You are actually ahead of the game if you hire
your musicians, and all of your wedding services, prior to the
holiday season.

Here is why: Statistically, most people get engaged over the
holidays and then start looking for their wedding services in
January. If you wait until then, you may discover that the
musicians you had your heart set upon are no longer available.

If you are getting married in 2010 or beyond, it's still a good
idea to begin your search for wedding music. Touring bands and
musicians will book concerts at least a year out, and they may
very well be reserving wedding dates far in advance, too.

I hope this information helps you land the perfect musicians for
your event.

My Best to you, Anne Roos Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos
http://www.celticharpmusic.com Visit my website for booking
information

A Wonderful Review from a Wonderful Friend

I was very excited and happy when my very good friend Kris of
Hanai Music sent me this review she had written on my book
"A Musicians Guide to Brides".

I would like to share it with you as well. Here it is as follows:

Dear Anne:

First of all, I've got to say WOW! What a GREAT job you did.

This is one of the most comprehensive guides to making money with
music that I've ever read. It's amazing that you put all of this
together. It shows your attention to details, organization and
planning skills are second to none.

Although I too make a living with music, the scope of your Guide
to Brides goes far beyond other volumes that proclaim to be the
'magic key' to making money with music. Weddings, receptions and
rehearsals require a much more professional approach by the
musician, which is explained and detailed in your book.

There are many excellent points, ideas and tips that should be
mentioned;

1. ) Your real-life stories are funny and clearly illustrate
your point. You always learn more when you laugh. You're not
afraid to share your embarrassing moments if it can help others
learn from it.

2. ) I love that each section is clearly numbered and indexed.
Too many authors just jot down a running commentary which is
poorly laid out for studying.

3. ) Every chapter can be utilized separately such as "Setting
Your Fees" or "Writing an Agreement". When taken as a whole, the
entire book is a superb guide for weddings, but almost every
chapter can be used OUTSIDE of the wedding format.

4. ) Your forms are wonderful. You've made this truly
interactive for the reader to clarify THEIR goals, equipment,
advertising and promotion ideas, while pointing them in the most
effective direction to accomplish them.

5. ) Best of all, you help eliminate the guesswork of what to
expect, how to communicate and exactly what to bring to cover all
contingencies.

At first I was excited about a possibility for another source of
income, but I realized after finishing that I should probably
AVOID accepting weddings, because of some of MY limitations
musically. But the lists, questionnaires, goals, and ideas I got
from it will MORE than pay for the modest cost of the book. In
fact, I think it was one of my most valuable investments I have
made for my business.

I could go on and on, but you get the point. This will be a
future reference book for me and I'll recommend it to any
musicians who book weddings. I'm so proud to know you...

Although we're 4000 miles apart, I feel like you're as
close as my phone. And who knows, I'm still up in the air about
my location. You and Tahoe are a VERY strong draw.

Kris Lee-Scott
www.HanaiMusic.com
"Beautiful Healing Music by Hanai"

Are You New to Performing At Weddings? Here Are Some Wedding Favorites to Get You Started

Do what you do best, and you’ll love what you do. The music you
play that resonates within you carries your own fingerprints.
Even if other musicians can play the same songs as you do, what
you bring to these songs is uniquely your own.

To get you started, this is a list of some wedding music
standards that you might want to consider including in your
repertoire:

Wedding Ceremony Music—The Common Requests

The Top Ten Classical Music Requests (in order by composer):

1. “Air in G” from Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D (J.S. Bach)

2. “Ode to Joy” from Symphony No. 9(Beethoven)

3. “Trumpet Voluntary” or “Prince of Denmark’s March” (J.
Clarke)

4. “Clair de Lune” (C. Debussy)

5. “Hornpipe” from Water Music Suite (G.F. Handel)

6. “Wedding March” from A Midsummer Night’s Dream (F.
Mendelssohn)

7. “Canon in D” (J. Pachelbel)

9. “Allegro From Spring”, first movement theme from The Four
Seasons (A. Vivaldi)

10. “Bridal March” from the opera Lohengrin or “Here Comes the
Bride” (R. Wagner)

Wedding Ceremony Music Alternatives (Because Not Every Bride
Wants to Enter to “Here Comes the Bride”):

Favorite choices for Christian weddings:

1. “Amazing Grace” (American Folk Melody)

2. “Ave Maria” (F. Schubert)

3. “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” (J. S. Bach)

4. “The Lord’s Prayer” (A.H. Malotte)

5. “Simple Gifts” (Elder Joseph)

Favorite choices for Jewish weddings:

1. “Dodi Li” (N. Chen)

2. “Erev Ba” (O. Avissar & A. Levanon)

3. “Siman Tov” (traditional Israeli song)

4. “Sunrise Sunset” from the musical “Fiddler on the Roof”

Favorite choices for Celtic weddings:

1. “Mairi’s Wedding”

2. “Star of the County Down”

3. “When Irish Eyes are Smiling”

4. “Skye Boat Song”

5. “My Wild Irish Rose”

This is a short excerpt from my new book, “The Musician’s Guide to Brides: How to Make Money Playing Weddings" published by Hal Leonard Books. I’m sure you can think of more tunes to add to these lists. Add them in your comments below and help out other musicians to get a good start playing at weddings. Next time in this blog, we’ll tackle timeless reception favorites.

View Anne’s new book--see some individual sample page

The book is available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers (including Barnesandnoble.com, Sheetmusicplus.com , and Amazon.com). I may sound like I'm shamelessly promoting it here, but I really would like to have some constructive feedback about it. I fully intend to write future editions, so your feedback would be of great help to me. Please feel free to respond with your kind constructive comments, and certainly, respond with wedding favorites that you would like to add to the above lists.

My best to you,
Anne Roos
Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos

The Musicians Cooler Podcast

The Musicians Cooler Podcast is a weekly podcast to help musicians get more gigs, more fans, and more music sales by harnessing the power of the Internet through relentless marketing, efficient use of music promotion tools, and a driving desire to spread their music to the world.


The Musicians Cooler Concept is simply stated as this:

When you go to a party, there will be that group of musicians in the corner trading advice, stories, and insights into their bands. That group is the Musicians Cooler, and now we have taken that concept of "Trading Advice" to a global level.

Jammin Dave Jackson, a dynamic personality with interesting questions and anecdotes, hosts the podcast. Here’s the info about my interview with Dave, from the Musicians Cooler website:

Show #208: Getting More Wedding Gigs
Posted August 26, 2008

Today I talk with Anne Roos, who is the author of the book The Musician’s Guide to Brides: How to Make Money Playing Weddings and has a huge amount of experience playing weddings. There are some great tips in the book (and this interview). If you’ve been afraid to play a wedding, this book walks you through the whole process. The tips in the book are great for the music business in general (so if you’re playing clubs, the marketing tips will work for club bookers as much as brides).

Some great points include:

“Showing up late with a great excuse does not equal “on time.”
“It’s all about the bride.”
“Coming up with the right price.”

She has had some fun experiences such as the time someone wanted to hear Chuck Berry’s “My Ding a Ling.” Keep in mind Anne plays the harp.

There are some strange issues with the audio where Anne occasionally drops out. This was a Skype satellite phone issue, but these weren’t anything that stopped us from understanding her main point.

Special thanks to Bob Baker at http://www.thebuzzfactor.com for introducing Anne and Dave.

Concert and Fundraiser with Celtic Harp Musician Anne Roos

Please join me for the 9th Annual Sunset Gala By the Lake Performance being held in Lake Tahoe, NV. This is a concert and a fundraiser being held on Sept 6th from 5:30-8:3opm.

I will be performing Classical, Broadway, and movie music favorites at this yearly fundraiser for the South Lake Tahoe Women's Center. Fine wine and elegant hors d'oeuvres will be served during a silent auction at a private estate overlooking beautiful Lake Tahoe.

For more information come visit me at http://tinyurl.com/69u57l or call 530-542-7633

An Amazing Album from An Amazing Harpist-Anne Roos' Latest Review

I just have to share this amazing review from my album,
" A Light in the Forest".

“Anne Roos is an amazing harpist, and this CD showcases her
talents beautifully,” says Catherine L. Tully about Anne Roos’
performance on her most recent album release, A Light in the
Forest. She adds, “Roos’ harp music is effortless. Gliding and
sliding over notes, she shows her skill time and again...”

Here is Ms. Tully’s entire review, as it appears on the Celtic
MP3s Music Magazine website:

“Anne Roos is an amazing harpist and this CD showcases her
talents beautifully. A small musical group joins her on this
effort, which highlights songs about woodland creatures such as
fairies, nymphs and trolls. A 31 page hardcover book comes with
the CD and it talks about various folk history and legends--a
nice touch to a well thought out musical effort.

The group provides a lovely sound. Cds that are put forth only
showcasing harp music can be nice, but it is equally wonderful to
have some additional accompaniment; and it expands the amount of
people that it will appeal to as well.

Roos' harp music is effortless. Gliding and sliding over notes,
she shows her skill time and again, but this isn't "gaudy" music.
It's simple, pretty fare. At 18 tracks, there are quite a few
songs to enjoy here, each offering its own mood and feel. The
gentleness of the harp is underscored in some pieces, the
yearning almost palpable. If you love the instrument, you have
to listen to this and see what can be done with the various
arrangements. If you aren't a huge fan of the harp, there are
still plenty of tracks here that you can enjoy.”

The author of this review, Catherine L. Tully, is a freelance
writer and photographer. She specializes in the arts. She has
written for American Style and Classical Singer, among other
magazines, and reviews music for Marc Gunn's Celtic MP3s Music
Magazine. You can reach her through her website at
CatherineLTully.com.

This article appears on The Celtic MP3s Music Magazine--a free
monthly online Celtic music magazine featuring free music
downloads of Celtic, Scottish, Irish music from around the world.
The website is hosted by Marc Gunn. He also hosts five podcasts,
including the Renaissance Festival Podcast and the highly
celebrated Irish & Celtic Music Podcast, which is one of the most
popular music podcasts on iTunes.

Valuable Tips on How to Select a Musician-Part 2

Here is a continuation of the tips from last week posting.

1. Give the musicians your musical requests.
If you have a particular selection or selections you want
included be sure to discuss this in advance with the musicians so
they have time to get the music and rehearse.

2. Discuss your expectations.
Musicians should dress and present themselves according to the
theme of your event. Be very clear on what duties you expect of
the musician, such as when to play a certain selection. Be as
detailed as possible. Don't leave anything to chance.

3. Amplification is important.
Ask if the musicians are providing their own sound system and be
sure it is electrically compatible with the venue, or is battery
powered.

4. Look for a harmonious working relationship.
If the musician is not responsive to your needs during
consultation, look elsewhere.Give the musicians your musical requests.

If you have a particular selection or selections you want
included be sure to discuss this in advance with the musicians so
they have time to get the music and rehearse.

5. Discuss your expectations.
Musicians should dress and present themselves according to the
theme of your event. Be very clear on what duties you expect of
the musician, such as when to play a certain selection. Be as
detailed as possible. Don't leave anything to chance.

6. Amplification is important.
Ask if the musicians are providing their own sound system and be
sure it is electrically compatible with the venue, or is battery
powered.

7. Look for a harmonious working relationship.
If the musician is not responsive to your needs during
consultation, look elsewhere.

I hope you enjoyed these few tips so far as there are more to come. For more information come see me at
Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos

Valuable Tips on How to Select a Musician

Whether hiring a musician for a wedding ceremony, reception, business or social event, it is wise to start your search as soon as your date is set. Professional musicians, orchestras, bands and soloists may be booked a year in advance. Here are some guidelines to use when making a decision about the type of music you want:

1. Choose the type of musicians & instruments
   Take into consideration the size of the venue and the acoustics. The music should be a compliment to the event, not too overpowering
   
   
2. Get references
   Chances are that if other people have been pleased with the musician you will be too. Don't be afraid to ask for and check references of the performer you are considering.

3. Audition whenever possible
   This will give you an overall feel for the musicians’ style of music and "stage" presence. Auditions can be in person, over the phone, by tape or video. Audio CDs let you sample the style and expertise of the musician. Video and DVDs additionally allows you to see the appearance of the performer. Make sure you like the quality of the music and that it is appropriate for the event.
   
   I hope you enjoyed these few tips so far as there are more to come. For more information come see me at http://www.celticharpmusic.com/UserPages/Home.aspx
   

CD Baby Musician Podcast with Anne Roos

The CD Baby DIY Musician Podcast (brain child of Kevin Breuner) is just another way for like minded musicians to reach out and share their experiences, tips, know-how, mishaps and mistakes with a global community that is no longer limited by time and place, age or experience. iTunes voted the CD Baby DIY Musician Podcast the best of 2007 podcasts.

Kevin interviewed me in an episode that aired on August 1, 2008. Here is the show info:

Episode 030 : Anne Roos - How to Make Money Playing Weddings

New Downloads at Celtic Harp Music

A New Free Download Awaits..
Login and Join My Celtic Club to Receive Free mp3s!

I've posted a new complimentary download of a romantic solo Celtic Harp tune for your enjoyment on my website at www.celticharpmusic.com. I won't give you any hints about the new tune here. You'll just have to login to find out!

You'll find this tune in the download section on my website called the Celtic Club. If you are already a member, go to the login page, enter your email address and password, and enjoy! (if you cannot remember your password, send me an email).

If you are not yet a member, there is no cost or obligation to receiving this download. When you sign up, you'll continue to receive mp3s for your own use throughout the year. A new tune will be posted every other month or so, along with interesting background information about the tune. Go to www.celticharpmusic to receive your first download. I'll notify you each time a new tune is posted.

How You Can Afford Live Music for Your Wedding!

There is nothing more special than having musicians present to
perform for your wedding and reception. Hiring musicians is not
just about having wonderful music to accompany your wedding
activities-it's also about having a performance to watch. Your
guests will certainly enjoy watching a musician performing rather
than watching someone pushing the play button on an iPod stereo.

Conventional thought is that musicians will charge more than DJs.
This is not necessarily the case. Here are some ways to get your
musical talent for less:

• Invite musicians to play for several wedding elements
  When you hire musicians to play for multiple hours, they may give you a price break for performing additional hours. Invite them to play for the ceremony AND the photo session afterwards. Or invite them to continue through cocktail hour. Or have your reception band play through dinner and then kick it up for dancing.
  

• Shave off some time
  Your reception hall may want you to be finished by a certain time so that the staff can get in and clean up. Therefore, don't instruct your reception band play until the very last guest leaves-Instead, tell them to end a half hour before everyone needs to vacate the site. Bringing the music to an early close will give guests the signal that the party is at a close and it is time to throw the rice.
  

• Go with a smaller group
  Obviously, if you hire a trio instead of a six-piece band, you'll be saving some money.
  

• Hire musicians who can fit into your budget
  Professional wedding musicians have large repertoires and know the elements of a wedding. They may also be familiar with the staff of your service providers that you have hired (such as your celebrant and your wedding coordinator).
  
  If you don't have the budget for a professional, turn to student musicians. You won't have as many musical choices to choose from, but you'll save money. Find student musicians at local colleges and universities, or simply ask music teachers at your local full-service music store for recommendations.

• Be careful inviting friends and family members to perform for you
  It's absolutely wonderful when your professional musician friend volunteers to perform at your wedding as a gift to you. You won't have to pay for the musician's services, and the musician will welcome being a part of your special party.
  
  It is an entirely different story if you ask an amateur musician friend or a close family member to perform at your wedding. You are putting that loved one on the spot-If they don't want to perform, then they may feel they'll risk hurting your feelings by turning you down. The solution: Invite amateur musician friends and loved ones to play a special song during the reception, while you give your reception band a break. At the reception, people are partying and your friends will feel more relaxed performing. Save performances during the formal wedding ceremony for professionals or experienced musician friends who volunteer to perform for you.
  

• Provide amplification or nix it altogether
  Some musicians and bands may offer you a discount if you provide the amplification, or house sound, for them. To make this happen, you will need to have on hand an experienced sound tech to take care of the musicians' amplification needs. Here's an advantage to hiring a sound tech: they can also mike your celebrant during the wedding service.
  
  Or, trim your guest list so that amplification is not necessary. Some musicians will charge less if they don't need to haul sound equipment to your wedding.
  

• Hire musicians in your geographical area
  Travel is expensive, and importing musicians from many miles away is, too. They will pass along the price of their gas, lodging, and meals to you. When you hire local musicians, you won't be paying that surcharge, and they are more likely to be familiar with your wedding venue.
  

• Change your date
  Saturday evenings are prime time for weddings, and in many regions, June is the prime wedding month. To receive possible discounts on all your wedding services, including live music, plan a wedding that is off-season (during November or January, for instance) or select a weekday wedding date.

Having live music at your wedding can be affordable! If you have further ideas, be sure to let me know, so that I can pass them along to my wedding clients.

How to Make Money Playing Weddings

For Musicians Only

Within my new book, “The Musician’s Guide to Brides: How to Make Money Playing Weddings”, I introduce many ways to make wedding gigs successful gigs for all musicians. Since I fully intend to write future editions, I wanted a forum to find out what works for you at weddings. Perhaps you’ll have some additional ideas that I did not come across during the writing of my book.

So, let’s start with the first topic…From the first chapter of my book, I spell out 10 personality and skills that a musician needs to be successful at playing weddings. They are:

1. Be content with taking directions from the bride and those she appoints to oversee her wedding, no matter how strange you think her expectations of you may be.

2. Educate the bride about the services you have to offer.

3. Politely stand your own ground when necessary.

4. Possess a willingness to offer helpful suggestions about how to select wedding or reception music, without actually making up the bride’s mind for her.

5. Accept the fact that you will be performing background music while people are talking and mingling.

6. Perform smoothly and with confidence.

7. Look good. No, look GREAT!

8. Realize that you can learn from bridezilla stories, those horrible nightmares about crazy brides that you, other musicians, and wedding vendors experience from time to time.

9. Know that a positive attitude makes you a magnet for enjoyable, high-paying wedding gigs.

And

10. Love what you do and success will come.


My best,
Anne Roos
Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos
http://www.celticharpmusic.com

And if you would like to purchase my new book, “The Musician’s Guide to Brides: How to Make Money Playing Weddings”, with 324 pages of helpful wedding gig info, you can order it from all retailers that carry Hal Leonard Books, including Barnes & Noble, Borders Stores, and Amazon.com.

An Introduction

Hi, I'm Anne Roos, Celtic Harp Musician and author.
As an introduction to myself, I am including a video that was taken of me in different settings. I hope you enjoy it.


Thank you,
Anne Roos
Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos

http://www.celticharpmusic.com

e-mail: anne@celticharpmusic.com

"Beautiful music!"--United Airlines Inflight Music Service