Pianist

Richard Ellis Hawley Music

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About Richard

Timeless piano music, beautifully performed
Pianist
Houghton le Spring
Public liability insurance of £10 million

Professional Pianist Bio Richard Ellis Hawley is an experienced professional pianist with over twenty years of performance experience, providing elegant and expressive live piano music for weddings, private events, churches, and formal occasions throughout the UK. Known for his sensitive musicianship and refined style, Richard specialises in creating the right musical atmosphere for each individual event, whether the requirement is romantic and intimate, calm and reflective, or warm and celebratory. Richard offers a wide and carefully curated repertoire, encompassing classical favourites, traditional and modern wedding music, popular ballads, musical theatre selections, jazz standards, and contemporary piano arrangements. This versatility allows him to adapt seamlessly to a variety of settings, from wedding ceremonies and drinks receptions to formal dinners, memorial services, and corporate events. His playing is always tasteful and unobtrusive, enhancing the occasion without overpowering conversation or proceedings. A key strength of Richard’s approach is his ability to tailor each performance to the needs of the client. He is happy to accommodate special requests and can prepare meaningful pieces in advance, ensuring that important moments are marked with music that holds personal significance. Clients frequently value his thoughtful preparation, attention to detail, and calm, professional manner. Richard regularly performs in a wide range of venues, including churches, historic buildings, hotels, and private residences. He is comfortable working with venue staff, officiants, and event coordinators, ensuring smooth communication and a well-organised musical contribution. When an acoustic piano is available, Richard is equally at home performing on it; alternatively, he can provide a high-quality digital piano and amplification where required, always maintaining a polished and professional sound. Reliability and professionalism are central to Richard’s work. He understands the importance of punctuality, appropriate presentation, and flexibility on the day of an event. His experience allows him to respond calmly to last-minute changes, timing adjustments, or unexpected requirements, providing reassurance to clients during what can often be a busy and emotional occasion. Above all, Richard believes that piano music has the power to enhance atmosphere, support meaningful moments, and create lasting memories. His aim is always to deliver a performance that feels personal, respectful, and musically engaging, contributing positively to the overall success of the event. Richard is available for wedding ceremonies, drinks receptions, background music, church services, memorials, and private functions, and welcomes enquiries to discuss individual requirements.

Richard
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5 out of 5
4 verified reviews

Richard's Reviews

From customers:

MM
Maria M
1 month ago, for a Wedding in Tynemouth
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5 out of 5

We were absolutely thrilled to have Richard perform at our wedding! His music created such a wonderful atmosphere, and the Tarantella — such an important part of my Italian culture — was brought beautifully to life. Our guests loved it, and it made the day even more special. We couldn’t have asked for a better musician. Highly recommended!

AT
Audrey L
1 year ago, for a Virtual event in Online
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5 out of 5

I haven't heard the special opportunity to hear him play in person, I live in the States... but listening to him on Facebook and on YouTube has be an uplifting and cherished event in and of itself. I would recommend him for any event, with he'd travel across the pond.. it would be such an experience. Recommended him very highly, professional competent, and an expert musician, and a beautiful person. Any event, any time, with any amount. Thank you Reviewed by: Audrey Taylor Lewis (10 / 10)

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Richard's Song list

🎹 POP & EASY LISTENING (1–40)
Perfect – Ed Sheeran
Budapest – George Ezra
Someone Like You – Adele
All of Me – John Legend
A Thousand Years – Christina Perri
Let It Be – The Beatles
Yesterday – The Beatles
Love Me Tender – Elvis Presley
Angels – Robbie Williams
Stay With Me – Sam Smith
Just the Way You Are – Bruno Mars
Marry You – Bruno Mars
Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran
Somewhere Only We Know – Keane
Can’t Help Falling in Love – Elvis Presley
Make You Feel My Love – Adele
Firestone – Kygo (piano version works beautifully)
Hero – Enrique Iglesias
Because You Loved Me – Celine Dion
Your Song – Elton John
Rocket Man – Elton John
Tiny Dancer – Elton John
Dancing On My Own – Calum Scott version
Say You Won’t Let Go – James Arthur
The Scientist – Coldplay
Viva La Vida – Coldplay
Yellow – Coldplay
How Deep Is Your Love – Bee Gees
Save the Best for Last – Vanessa Williams
Unchained Melody – The Righteous Brothers
Three Times a Lady – Lionel Richie
Truly – Lionel Richie
Everything I Do – Bryan Adams
The Power of Love – Jennifer Rush
Have I Told You Lately – Van Morrison
Songbird – Fleetwood Mac
Dreams – Fleetwood Mac
You’re Still the One – Shania Twain
Fields of Gold – Sting
She’s Always a Woman – Billy Joel
🎸 ROCK / CLASSIC ROCK (41–70)
Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey
Sweet Child O’ Mine – Guns N’ Roses
Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd
Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison
Hotel California – Eagles
Desperado – Eagles
Africa – Toto
I Want to Break Free – Queen
Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen (your piano version!)
Somebody to Love – Queen
Livin' On a Prayer – Bon Jovi
It’s My Life – Bon Jovi
Summer of ’69 – Bryan Adams
Mr Brightside – The Killers
Use Somebody – Kings of Leon
Zombie – The Cranberries
Proud Mary – Tina Turner
Simply the Best – Tina Turner
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For – U2
With or Without You – U2
Iris – Goo Goo Dolls
Human – Rag’n’Bone Man
Free Fallin’ – Tom Petty
Take It Easy – Eagles
Eye of the Tiger – Survivor
Hallelujah – Jeff Buckley
Back in Black – AC/DC
Don’t Look Back in Anger – Oasis
Wonderwall – Oasis
Champagne Supernova – Oasis
🎤 MOTOWN / SOUL / R&B (71–100)
Superstition – Stevie Wonder
Isn’t She Lovely – Stevie Wonder
Signed, Sealed, Delivered – Stevie Wonder
For Once In My Life – Stevie Wonder
My Girl – The Temptations
Stand By Me – Ben E. King
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Marvin Gaye
What’s Going On – Marvin Gaye
Let’s Stay Together – Al Green
Lovely Day – Bill Withers
Just the Two of Us – Bill Withers
Lean on Me – Bill Withers
Natural Woman – Aretha Franklin
Respect – Aretha Franklin
At Last – Etta James
I Heard It Through the Grapevine – Marvin Gaye
Rock With You – Michael Jackson
Man in the Mirror – Michael Jackson
Human Nature – Michael Jackson
All Night Long – Lionel Richie
End of the Road – Boyz II Men
If I Ain’t Got You – Alicia Keys
Ordinary People – John Legend
No Diggity – Blackstreet
Killing Me Softly – Fugees
Valerie – Amy Winehouse
Back to Black – Amy Winehouse
Rehab – Amy Winehouse
Smooth Operator – Sade
Kiss from a Rose – Seal
🎶 MUSICALS / FILM / THEATRE (101–125)
This Is Me – The Greatest Showman
Never Enough – The Greatest Showman
Rewrite the Stars – The Greatest Showman
Defying Gravity – Wicked
Memory – Cats
Music of the Night – Phantom of the Opera
All I Ask of You – Phantom of the Opera
Bring Him Home – Les Misérables
I Dreamed a Dream – Les Misérables
On My Own – Les Misérables
Can You Feel the Love Tonight – Lion King
Circle of Life – Lion King
Beauty and the Beast – Disney
Part of Your World – Little Mermaid
A Whole New World – Aladdin
Somewhere – West Side Story
Maria – West Side Story
Pure Imagination – Willy Wonka
Over the Rainbow – Wizard of Oz
Edelweiss – Sound of Music
My Favourite Things – Sound of Music
Send in the Clowns – Sondheim
Maybe This Time – Cabaret
Dancing Queen – Mamma Mia
Slipping Through My Fingers – Mamma Mia
🎧 80s / 90s / DANCE / PARTY (126–165)
Take On Me – A-ha
Girls Just Want to Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper
Footloose – Kenny Loggins
The Power of Love – Huey Lewis
Billie Jean – Michael Jackson
Don’t You Want Me – Human League
Tainted Love – Soft Cell
Never Gonna Give You Up – Rick Astley
I Wanna Dance With Somebody – Whitney Houston
How Will I Know – Whitney Houston
Rhythm of the Night – Corona
Freed From Desire – Gala
Mr Saxobeat – Alexandra Stan
Blue (Da Ba Dee) – Eiffel 65
Barbie Girl – Aqua
Mambo No.5 – Lou Bega
Cotton Eye Joe – Rednex
Can’t Stop the Feeling – Justin Timberlake
Blinding Lights – The Weeknd
Rain on Me – Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande
Uptown Funk – Bruno Mars
Treasure – Bruno Mars
Happy – Pharrell Williams
Dance Monkey – Tones & I
Rather Be – Clean Bandit
Shake It Off – Taylor Swift
Bad Habits – Ed Sheeran
Shut Up and Dance – Walk the Moon
Hey Ya – OutKast
Call Me Maybe – Carly Rae Jepsen
Firework – Katy Perry
Domino – Jessie J
Cheap Thrills – Sia
One Kiss – Dua Lipa
Levitating – Dua Lipa
Titanium – David Guetta
Children – Robert Miles
Sandstorm – Darude
Levels – Avicii
Wake Me Up – Avicii
💃 STRICT TEMPO BALLROOM & LATIN (166–175)
Blue Danube Waltz – Strauss
Moon River – Waltz
Fascination – Waltz
Fly Me to the Moon – Foxtrot
Come Fly With Me – Foxtrot
Sway – Rumba
Quando Quando Quando – Cha Cha
Libertango – Tango
Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps – Rumba
Sing Sing Sing – Quickstep
🎄 CHRISTMAS SELECTION (176–180)
All I Want for Christmas Is You – Mariah Carey
Merry Christmas Everyone – Shakin’ Stevens
Last Christmas – Wham!
Silent Night – Traditional
Fairytale of New York – The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl

Richard's Prices

Last updated: 2025

Note: prices may vary based on travel distance. For an exact quote, click “Check availability”.

Standard Prices
DurationPrice
Short performance (up to 15 min)£125
Up to 1 hour£162.50
Up to 2 hours£275
Up to 3 hours£375
Packages
Bronze 1 hour
Ceremony Music Only ✔ 15–20 mins music as guests arrive ✔ Entrance music ✔ Signing the Register ✔ Exit music ✔ All equipment included
£200
Silver 2 hours
Ceremony + Drinks Reception ✔ Full ceremony ✔ Up to 1 hour drinks reception music ✔ Custom playlist included
£250
Gold3 hours
Half-Day Piano Package ✔ Ceremony ✔ Drinks reception ✔ Afternoon background set ✔ Up to 2.5 hours total playing
£300
Platinum 4 hours
🎹 Platinum – All-Day Piano Package ✔ Ceremony ✔ Drinks ✔ Meal music ✔ Early evening ✔ Up to 4 hours total across the day
£1500

Add-ons

DJ set
+£250
Customer questions

What do your clients love most about your performances?

Music has a powerful way of getting under our skin. Music subconsciously affects our mood, energy levels, memory recall and even behaviour. It can heighten our sense of connection to people, experiences and spaces – even businesses. Here at R&R Entertainments we’re determined to understand your event.

Which venues have you performed at in the past?

Venues I have performed in the past are; Various churches for weddings, funerals and services.

Which artists have you been most influenced by?

The artists I am influenced by are; Andre Rieu James Last

What is the most high profile gig you've performed?

The most highest profile gig I’ve performed at is Atlantic Tower - Thistle Hotel - Liverpool for the 175 years of Cunard

What if my timings change after I've booked you?

We always try our best to be flexible to help ensure your event runs as smoothly as possible. If timings change slightly in the run up to the event just let us know.

Can you provide an iPod/DJ service before and between your sets?

Absolutely. This is a really popular request and we actually offer this service for free. If you'd like a DJ service via our PA after the final set until the venue closes, we provide this for an additional £100.

How much time do you need to set up?

We usually set up about 1 to 1.5 hours before the performance time. As soon as our PA is set up we can provide a free playlist service to help set the atmosphere and get your guests ready for our live performance!

If I have a piano at my venue, are you happy to perform on that?

“Yes, of course - as long as the piano is in working order and in tune, then I'm happy to play on it!”

Can I pick the songs you play from the set list?

Our set lists are crafted from countless performances and learning what works best to ensure guests dance and have an amazing time. However, we're definitely happy to chat through and make sure we find what works for your event.

Are you able to bring your own piano or keyboard?

Yes, absolutely! I bring my own instrument to play acoustically.

Can you learn song requests before the event?

If a song isn't included in our song list there may still be a chance we already know it. If there is a special song you'd like us to learn we are happy to do this for you. There is a fee of £30 for this service to take into account rehearsal times etc.
Musicianship
Genres:
Easy listening, Christmas, Contemporary Christian, Military, Traditional church music, Classical, Classical crossover, Film / TV music, Ambient, Folk, Bluegrass, Country, Traditional English folk, Traditional Irish folk, Traditional Scottish folk, Welsh folk, Jazz, Blues, Gospel, Swing, Avant garde, Marching, Light music, Pop, Disco, Covers, Vintage, Tribute, Rock, Rock 'n' Roll, World music, 1920s era music, 1940s era music, 1960s era music, 1930s era music, 1950s era music, 1970s era music, 1980s era music, Bossa nova, French music, Greek music, German music, Italian music, Scottish music, Early music, Musical theatre, Renaissance, Opera, Medieval music, Fanfare, Contemporary classical, Baroque, Electronic, Breakbeat, Drum 'n' Bass, EDM, Electronica, Ibiza club, Jungle, Triphop, House, IDM, Garage, Electro-Swing, Dubstep, Deep house, Industrial, Techno, 1990s era music, Ceilidh, Folk rock, Rockabilly, Irish rock, Cabaret, Gypsy jazz, Latin jazz, Postmodern jukebox jazz, Ragtime, Modern jazz, Jazz fusion, Dixieland, Barbershop, Experimental, Noise music, Ambient pop, Funk, Hip Hop, Motown, Funk rock, Americana, Acoustic, R&B, Top 40, Britpop, Glam rock, Hardcore, Indie, Post rock, Progressive rock, Punk rock, Power rock, Pop rock, Heavy metal, Hard rock, Classic rock, Alternative rock, Latin, Polka
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Instruments:
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Event types:
Wedding, Virtual event, Funeral / Memorial service, Church service, Hotel / Restaurant event, Bar / Club / Venue event, Private event, Corporate event, Charity event, Concert, Recording session, New Year's Eve, Christmas party, Birthday party, Burns night, Cruise, Theatre / Show, Wedding proposal
See all event types
Other skills:
Instrumental teaching, Theory teaching, Music therapy
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