What does it mean to be an Established Ensemble
Picture this:
You are planning your dream event (whether it’s a wedding, birthday party, corporate function etc.), and there is an amazing opportunity to have “The Beatles” perform for your event!!! (Yes… maybe this dream event was back in the 60s).
You can’t contain your excitement because you know what you are getting…or so you think…
Your event day arrives, and everything is going great! The Beatles arrive, and take the stage. However, there is something off:
Ringo Starr - starts playing the kazoo
John Lennon - takes up the saxophone
George Harrison - comes on stage with a violin
Singer, Paul McCartney…is actually not Paul McCartney, but his 2nd cousin’s boyfriend’s roommate: Pat McCarthy.
And…there is an extra person on stage, who you do not know (never even seen before), playing the harp.
You had also found out from your friend who has a different event on the same day/time as you, who has also hired “The Beatles”. How could this be??
Was this what you were expecting when you hired “The Beatles” for your dream event??
“The Beatles” are an established ensemble - what makes “The Beatles,” “The Beatles” is that it is THE 4 specific performers, performing together on the instruments they are trained on. They rehearse together constantly and they perform together. The moment that you add performers to their group, take away performers, or have them play instruments that they are not trained on, they are no longer “The Beatles.”
Their unique sound can only be created by their 4 distinct personalities and musicianship.
We created ourselves as an established duo, and we pride ourselves on that. We work together constantly to build our unique sound, and we believe that you should know exactly what you are getting when you hire us:
Violin and Viola Duo: Andy on Violin, Lilian on Viola. The instruments themselves are also different. They may look similar but they are not the same instrument! Therefore you will not get us performing each others instrument—Andy is not a Violist; Lilian is not a Violinist.
Our musical training
Our unique arrangements and original compositions
Personal connections with us: Andy and Lilian
An ensemble that rehearses together consistently
A guarantee that we will be the ones performing
Our identity
We are committed to being an established ensemble because we place a high importance on our sound. We are not hired just to look good in photos, (unfortunately, we are not super models 😔). We are not hired just because it looks “classy” for your guests to “see” string instruments. We are not hired just because of the romanticized idea of a violinist who plays while walking around a room. While these visuals may be inspiring for setting a scene as you dream up your event, none of them are about the meaning of music or the quality of sound being produced. We are hired because of the unique sound we create, and the music we make together.
It’s not about the instrument, it’s about the instrumentalist. Our musical backgrounds and technique on our instruments, as well as our personalities is what makes Duo Licht unique. Music is a form of communication and as an established duo we are building an artistic language. As a married couple and each others best friend we express musical interactions and communicate ideas that are unique and on the same page. To get a musical result that is unified and together beyond just getting the notes correct, the members of an ensemble need to be equally supporting common ideas in any given moment. This can only be achieved through time spent rehearsing together and discussing ideas together, collaborating to form one musical organism.
Collaborating to form one musical organism is not simply the result of a 30 minute, one hour or two hour rehearsal. Our performance for any event is built up from countless hours of practicing and discussing things such as bowings and phrasings together, as well as practicing individually to maintain and constantly explore our own technique.
Duo Licht is us and only us and we are committed to being an established ensemble.
Patterson Avenue, Winston-Salem (Not Abbey Road).
Photo by: Amber Renea Photography
Photo at the Matthew’s House in Cary NC
Photo by: Southern Belle Photography
A Duo performing together as one… literally
Photo by: Southern Belle Photography