Playing the Party

Advice to Solo Pianists/Keyboard Players for Playing at Special Events

By Lou Walinsky
Philadelphia, PA
February, 2011

What is involved for a solo pianist/keyboard player to play for special events like  birthday parties, weddings, anniversaries, corporate receptions, or holiday parties?  Of course, as musicians, we must have all the basics in place:  a varied and engaging repertoire of songs, competency on the piano and/or keyboard, and a high quality, good sounding instrument. (For pianists, this entails making certain that such an instrument will be provided.) 

Beyond these fundamentals, it is essential for the performer to be in tune with the mood of the occasion and to reflect that mood in the choice of music and in the way it is played.  The pianist or keyboard player must sense when it is appropriate to play upbeat or laid back music, ballads or swing tunes, contemporary or older songs.   He or she must choose appropriate music - from jazz, Latin, blues, classical, oldies, soft rock, standards, Broadway, ragtime, etc. -  to provide just the right ambiance in the room.  Here is a clue to assess whether the music is hitting its mark: When you see guests snapping their fingers and tapping their toes in the midst of conversations, you are probably on the right track!

There are sometimes occasions in which the person hiring the musician wants only one particular type of music, in which case the musician’s job is clear cut.  An evening of ragtime, Chopin, jazz standards, or 50’s music has its own built in guidelines.  But most people don’t hire a pianist or keyboard player with that kind of specificity; they leave it up to the musician’s sound judgment.  So, as musicians, we must do our best to make our judgment sound.