Frequently Asked Questions
How do you pronounce the name Breve Duo, and does it have a meaning? Breve is pronounced "BREV-vay" and it is the Italian term for the modern notation of a double whole note. A double whole note is the note with the longest duration in Western music, twice that of a whole note.
How much does it cost to hire you? Our price for events and wedding ceremonies varies due to many factors such as location, travel distances required, and the length of ceremony or event. Please contact us with information about your ceremony or event (including the date, location, time, etc.) and one of us will be happy to discuss our availability and give you a specific price quote. For a general idea about cost, please see our Pricing page for ceremony and hourly rates.
Will you attend the wedding rehearsal? We usually do not attend the wedding rehearsal, since the rehearsal is usually on a different day than the ceremony. However, for an additional fee and if schedules allow, arrangements may be made to attend the rehearsal if the client desires our presence - especially in the case of elaborate weddings with lots of music and many musicians where rehearsal is necessary.
Will you play for my wedding or event if it is outdoors? Playing instruments outdoors rapidly adds to the wear and tear on the instrument as well as maintenance and repair costs. Extreme temperatures and humidity levels are not great conditions for either of our instruments, and in some cases the weather can adversely affect the quality of the performance. We do not usually perform outdoors in the winter months (November through February). Our rates for outdoor events include an additional fee, and we have a few special provisions for outdoor events including a large level surface to position the harp on, out of direct sunlight, and preferably under some type of shelter. Under no circumstances will we perform outdoors in inclement weather. For example, if it starts to rain you will see us immediately pack-up our instruments and move them into the nearest shelter, no matter what else is going on at the time. All outdoor gigs are required to provide an alternate inclement weather site.
How does a client secure your services and reserve the date? Serious inquiries are handled on a first come, first serve basis. The date is reserved in the calendar only once we receive payment of the deposit. The date and our services are legally reserved only once we receive payment of the deposit and a returned signed contract. The deposit is due at the time of the consultation in the case of wedding ceremonies. We do not require payment of the deposit before a wedding consultation, though in some cases it is good idea to pay the deposit earlier. Should a second inquiry for the same date occur prior to our having a wedding consultation with or receiving a deposit from the first client, the second client may choose to be put on a waiting list pending the outcome of the first client's decision about our services. All parties involved will be notified of the situation.How far will you travel for gigs? We regularly travel to locations and venues throughout Texas for gigs. The cost of travel is included in our usual fees for locations in Travis, Hays, Williamson, and Bastrop counties. Travel to locations in counties other than those previously listed will involve an additional mileage fee.
What will you do should something (i.e. an emergency) prevent you from performing for a gig? We sincerely hope that nothing prevents us from performing at your wedding or event. In unlikely event that an extremely urgent situation (such as an accident, death in the family, extreme sickness, etc.) prevents us from performing, we will arrange for a suitable and similar instrumentation replacement based on availability. We know many other professional harpists and flutist in the Austin and throughout Texas, as well as numerous other professional musicians. We will do everything we can to find replacement musicians. Should no other musicians be available on extreme short notice (i.e. car trouble en route), we will of course refund your money.
Copyright © 2004-2008 Karmen Suter and Kela Walton. All photography courtesy M. Huebsch unless otherwise credited. All rights reserved.
