SPECIAL OFFERS - THIS WEEKEND ONLY!

Don't miss out on our ‪#‎BlackFriday‬ offers - the best deals of the year - now through Monday 11/30! 

1. $50 off any String Ensemble, Solo Musician or Strolling Performer.
2. $150 off any Violin & DJ Package (Steven Vance and Premium levels only)
3. 4 hours of Photo Booth fun for $899 - Regularly $1095
4. Combine 5 Hours of Photo Booth fun with full room Uplighting (12 lights) $1499 Regularly $1,845.
OUR BEST OFFER EVER !
5. All-in-One Package of 5 Hours of DJ Music with MC Services, 4 hours of Photo Booth fun AND the full-room Uplighting (12 lights) $1999 Regularly $2540 or more
--->Add a Premium Violinist for a Ceremony or Cocktails or Dinner $250 Normally $295.

*Offers may not be combined in any way but we would try to customize a package to your needs. More time for the DJ, Violinist and/or Photo Booth may be added at an additional charge. A travel charge may be added for locations outside of Allegheny County. Not valid on contracts already issued. Commitments must be made by 11:59 PM Eastern Time of Monday November 30, 2015. Other restrictions and charges may apply but will be outlined for your approval in advance.

9/24/15 View From My Gig Office

View from our gig on Thursday evening at Rolling Rock Club in Ligonier. Thanks to Megan Gilson at PNC for inviting my SkyView Jazz Trio to play. #CoolJazz #PopRockViolin

Another Cool Gig 9/17/15

View from my "office" really is an office-warming in BNY Mellon Tower. Thanks to Margie Stang from ISES Pittsburgh for hooking me up. #PopRockViolin.

Dîner En Blanc - Pittsburgh 2015

Update 10/02/15: The official Diner en Blanc Pittsburgh 2015 video is here thanks to Skinny Tie Media!

Cool concept. Cool location. Cool music.  Cool party. Yes, it was one of the coolest gigs ever.  The Dîner En Blanc - or Dinner In White - is a unique pop-up event where there is mystery and carefully set rules that make for a one-of-a-kind experience. On Friday night September 11 I was part of that "Wow" experience in Gateway Center Downtown Pittsburgh.  Started in Paris among friends this event has grown to be a work-wide phenomenon attract over 100,000 people over the years. The plan is simple. Guests gather at pre-set meeting points and then are brought to the mystery location which has been kept secret by those in-the-know.  I had to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement and was not told the location until days before.  Even my wife was kept in the dark until the party started. All attendees had to wear white - not cream or ivory - and bring their own white tables and chairs.  They had the choice of bringing their own food or pre-ordering a catered dinner from Bella Sera Catering in Canonsburg. Only white wine or champagne was allowed. 

So, at 6:30pm the group leaders led 1,000 guests into Gateway Center and instructed them where to set up. Men were placed on one side of the table and women on the other. During the first half hour I rocked out on the Electric Violin to Bruno Mars, Boston, Imagine Dragons, ELO and more. At 7:00 all the white napkins were waved to signal the beginning of the meal. That's when I switched to a more mellow set of Louis Armstrong, Sting, Train,and Alicia Keys. Once people started gathering near the white tent for dancing I cranked it up again with Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Tom Petty and finished by accompanying a dance company with a Hip-Hop track called "Gangster Life", "Only Time" by Enya and "Zum Astra" from the Cirque De Soleil show "Zumanity". From there DJ Nugget took over and the dance party hit high gear. Other than having to ask a few people to get out of the fountain, the guests enjoyed a very sophisticated but energetic evening. Hope they invite me back next year!

Want to read more about the first ever Dîner En Blanc in Pittsburgh? Here's some links to the local press:

http://www.post-gazette.com/life/seen/2015/09/14/Diner-en-Blanc/stories/201509120158

http://www.nextpittsburgh.com/current-features/diner-en-blanc-pittsburgh/

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2015/09/11/diner-en-blanc-pittsburgh/

https://instagram.com/p/7gpHZ0n3ON/

Great shot of me at the beginning of this KDKA News video!

#DEBPittsburgh2015 #DinerEnBlancPIT #DinerEnBlanc #PittsburghWeddingMusic

Pirates fantasy campers get together for warm-up to reunion game

Pirates fantasy campers get together for warm-up to reunion game



This was a great day of baseball and an excellent cause. Thanks to Kevin, Bill and the rest of the guys who make it happen.

Violin Performance Giveaway!

I'm giving away a FREE violin performance!

Win your choice of a FREE performance by a Solo Traditional Acoustic Violinist for a Wedding Ceremony (including Prelude, Processionals, a selection during the service and Recessional) OR a one hour traditional Strolling Violin performance for Cocktails, Dinner or Rehearsal Dinner!*

Details: 
Enter by posting a photo of yourself and your fiancé and tell us one song that you must hear on your wedding day - as part of the ceremony, dances or just from the DJ! Post your song title and photo any of three ways: post to our Facebook page, tweet us @StevenVance, or post on Instagram and tag @pittsburghweddingmusic. You must include the hashtag ‪#‎ViolinItToWinIt‬ to be officially entered! Winner chosen July 31st, 2015.

*Major holidays excluded. Travel charges may apply for locations outside of Allegheny County. Additional time may be added at the regular rates. No substitutions, please.

Put the DJ on the Dance Floor

Does this sound obvious?  

It might, but there has been recent trend toward moving the DJ - or the band - off into a corner of the reception room. For centuries every hotel, club and banquet venue had a stage and a built-in dance floor right in front of it because that is what was best for the dancers and the Band/DJ. My guess is that this new trend of moving the DJ is for the symmetry and look of the room, but here are a few reasons to reconsider:

1.  The dancing guests can hear and feel the music beat better if they are close to the sound source.  

2.  The band or DJ can get a better sense of what is moving people to dance.

3.  The music can be focused on the dance floor so it's not too loud for guests to talk in the rest of the room.

4.  You don't want your band or DJ to have to blow through 1 or 2 tables to get the sound to the dance floor.  It dampens the sound and volume of the music to the dancers and annoys the guests at those tables to the point where they often leave early.

5.  It creates a visual dynamic that encourages guests to get up and dance.

6.  It's easier for dancers and the DJ/Band to interact with requests, comments, encouragement, and fun.

7.  "That's the way we always do it" is not always the best way to do it.

8.   Ask the experts.  We have been doing it for awhile and can help you devise a room set-up that suits everyone's perspective.  With all due respect to other wedding pros, I've walked into rooms and been pointed to my table under an overhang in the corner 50-feet from the dance floor because "The florist thought that would be a good spot for you". Don't do it!

None of these reasons are to make the DJ the center of attention.  In fact, it's exactly the opposite.  We want you and your guests to be the center of attention. So consult your DJ or bandleader on the room set-up before it's set in stone.  We may have a suggestion for a small adjustment that will pay off - in fun! - for everyone. 

We'd love to be a part of your Wedding Day!