James McAulay
One of the questions we’re asked most often is about the cost of hiring live musicians. Most people hiring live music have never done it before, so it can be daunting to wade through prices and quotes online when you have no idea what things should cost.
In this guide, we’ll be shining a light on the prices you should expect to pay for over 30 different types of live music. We’ll break the guide into six sections:
Since starting Encore in 2014, our musicians have sent over 100,000 quotes to customers for all sorts of events, so we’ve got an excellent database of prices for different types of music.
For each type of live music, we’ll give you three prices:
Starting Price: this is the lowest price you can expect to pay for a professional performing at least one 45-minute performance. If you’re quoted a price below this, you may be dealing with amateur or student musicians, which can be risky.
Average Price: this is the average price for 2x 45-min sets. This data is based on over 100,000 quotes.
High-end Price: this is the highest quote you should expect to receive for a particular type of musician or band. If somebody gives you a quote above this price, be sure to ask for a breakdown of the fee.
Travel expenses
It’s also worth bearing in mind that these prices do not include travel expenses. The Musicians Union suggests that musicians should charge 45p per mile travelled, so if you’re hiring a soloist who is travelling a 100mi round trip, expect to pay roughly £45 in travel expenses.
Musicians under £350
With a budget of £350, you’re able to afford most types of solo instrumentalist or singer:
- Violinist
- Cellist
- Pianist
- Bagpiper
- Singing Guitarist
- Singing Pianist
- Saxophonist
- Electric Violinist
- Guitarist
- Organist
- Harpist
- Accordionist
- Solo Singer, or
- Most Solo Instrumentalists
Solo Violinist
How much does it cost hire a violinist?
Costs for a solo violinist range from £180 to £400, with an average price of £230.
- Starting Price: £180
- Average Price: £230
- High-end Price: £400
Hiring a solo violinist is a popular choice for wedding ceremonies and receptions, dinners and drinks receptions, and corporate events.
To learn more about hiring a violinist, read our Violinist Booking Guide.
To browse over 400+ available solo violinists in the UK, head to our Hire a Violinist page.
Solo Cellist
How much does it cost to hire a solo cellist?
Costs for a solo cellist range from £180 to £400, with an average price of £230.
- Starting Price: £180
- Average Price: £230
- High-end Price: £400
Hiring a solo cellist is a particularly popular choice for wedding ceremonies, especially after Harry and Meghan hired Skeku Kanneh-Mason to perform at their royal wedding.
For advice and tips on hiring a cellist for your wedding, you may enjoy this this article: Wedding Cellist: Hiring Advice and Inspiration.
To browse over 180+ available cellists in the UK, head to our Hire a Cellist page.
Solo Pianist
How much does it cost to hire a solo pianist?
Costs for a solo pianist range from £180 to £450, with an average price of £260. The cost will be lower if your venue already has a piano, as this means the pianist doesn’t need to bring their own portable stage piano.
- Starting Price: £180
- Average Price: £260
- High-end Price: £450
Hiring a pianist is a great choice for drinks receptions, wedding ceremonies and receptions, and laid-back events in bars and restaurants.
Thinking about hiring a pianist for your event, but not sure where to start? We’ve got you covered. Check out our comprehensive Pianist Booking Guide.
To compare over 450 available pianists in the UK, take a look at our Hire a Pianist page.
Bagpiper
How much does it cost to hire a bagpiper?
Costs for a bagpiper range from £150 to £250, with the average price being around £200. Bear in mind that bagpipers are particularly popular on New Year’s Eve (Hogmanay), Burns Night, and St Andrews Day, so prices tend to be higher during these peak times.
- Starting Price: £150
- Average Price: £200
- High-end Price: £250
Bagpipers are common at Scottish weddings, where the piper will often perform while the bride is arriving, or as the couple leave the church.
If you’d like some advice on hiring a bagpiper, we’ve written a helpful guide for you with lots of handy tips. Check it out here: Bagpiper Booking Guide
Encore is home to the largest selection of highly-rated bagpipers in the UK. To find an available piper for your event, head to our Hire a Bagpiper page.
Singing Guitarist
How much does it cost to hire a singing guitarist?
- Starting Price: £180
- Average Price: £280
- High-end Price: £400
It’s worth noting that these prices are based on fairly standard performances at private events and weddings, usually of two 45-minute sets.
A singing guitarist performing in a pub on a Friday or Saturday night may charge slightly less, and a singing guitarist performing for your wedding ceremony, drinks reception and evening party will naturally charge more than £400 to be hired out for the entire day.
Singing Guitarists are extremely popular due to their versatile nature. They can provide a laid-back and low-key soundtrack to your drinks reception, or they can get all of your guests dancing on the tables and belting their lungs out to “Angels” by Robbie Williams towards the end of the night.
Singing Guitarists are popular all-year round, and particularly popular on weekends during wedding season and throughout December when being booked for Christmas parties and New Years Eve events.
Take a look at our Singing Guitarist Booking Guide if you still have some unanswered questions!
Compare prices for over 150 singing guitarists in the UK here: Hire a Singing Guitarist
Browse all Singing Guitarists →
Singing Pianist
How much does it cost to hire a singing pianist?
- Starting Price: £200
- Average Price: £300
- High-end Price: £450
The prices for singing pianists are very similar to the prices of singing guitarists, with a slight increase to account for the pianist usually providing their own stage piano and amplification.
Some singing pianists can also offer a ‘grand piano shell’, where they can transform a regular keyboard into a small grand piano by attaching a classy perspex shell to the instrument. Most pianists will charge more for this, so if you’re interested in this option, expect to pay an additional £50 to £150 depending on the quality and size of the shell.
Compare costs of singing pianists all over the UK here: Hire a Singing Pianist
Compare Singing Pianist prices →
Solo Saxophonist
How much does it cost to hire a solo saxophonist?
- Starting Price: £200
- Average Price: £350
- High-end Price: £500
Booking a solo saxophonist is a great choice for those looking to get a big sound on a small budget (i.e., ideal if you were set on a band, but the budget won’t stretch). Most saxophonists will perform along with full-sounding backing tracks, and are able to help create a variety of musical moods, depending on the occasion. They can play just about any style, but are usually most comfortable playing soul, Motown, jazz, and pop tunes.
If you’re set on hiring a saxophonist, but are looking for a little more information, take a look at our in depth Saxophonist Booking Guide.
Browse prices, videos and reviews of over 200 UK-based saxophonists here: Hire a Saxophonist
Solo Electric Violinist
How much does it cost to hire an electric violinist?
- Starting Price: £250
- Average Price: £360
- High-end Price: £500
Although less popular than your standard violinist, electric violinists can be an exciting alternative if you’re still looking for a violinist, but with a bit more energy. They’ll often have their own PA system (or be able to plug into the venue’s), and will normally play along with backing tracks.
They go down a hit at corporate events, birthday parties, and at special events like brand activations.
Find an electric violinist for your event on our Hire an Electric Violinist page.
Compare Electric Violinist prices →
Solo Guitarist
How much does it cost to hire a solo guitarist?
- Starting Price: £170
- Average Price: £240
- High-end Price: £400
Solo guitarists usually cover a range of genres and styles. They’ll play anything from classical, to pop, to jazz—providing a really nice blend of tunes to add to the vibe of whatever event you might be planning.
If you’re still after some advice on booking a solo guitarist, we’ve written a handy guide for just this reason. Take a look at it here: Guitarist Booking Guide
Compare the prices and reviews of over 600 amazing guitarists in the UK here: Hire a Guitarist
Organist
How much does it cost to hire an organist?
- Starting Price: £160
- Average Price: £200
- High-end Price: £300
Keep in mind, Organists may ask for a double fee if the service is being recorded.
If you’re having a wedding in a church with an organ, it’s a logical next step to start looking for a great organist to play it. We have plenty of excellent organists on Encore, with verified reviews so you can be safe in the knowledge that you are in good hands. Plus, organists typically charge less than many other solo options—a great idea if you’re looking to get some bang for your buck.
If you’re looking to have an organist play at your wedding, or even for a special event you might be holding in a church, we have over 125 talented organists available to hire in the UK. You can see them all here: Hire an Organist
Harpist
How much does it cost to hire a harpist?
- Starting Price: £220
- Average Price: £310
- High-end Price: £450
Harpists generally have higher starting costs than other solo musicians. This is due to a variety of factors, such as the inflation of porterage and travel costs that are associated with transported such a large instrument!
When it comes to a classy sound though, the harp is hard to beat, and works perfectly as a background music accompanying any kind of up-scale event.
If you’re interested but would like a bit more detail about harpists, their repertoire, and how to book, you can find that here in our comprehensive harp booking guide: Harpist Booking Guide
With over 135 harpists, Encore is home to the largest selection of harpists in the UK. Find the perfect harpist for your event here: Hire a Harpist
Accordionist
How much does it cost to hire an accordionist?
- Starting Price: £200
- Average Price: £300
- High-end Price: £500
Accordionists, much like pianists (who have a similar price range), can play a wide range of music and styles. This is due to the fact they can play the melody and chords of a song at the same time; in essence, being a band in one instrument.
The big difference between the piano and accordion, aside from the sound, is the mobile nature of the accordion. It makes it perfect for outdoor events, alfresco dining, or interactive events.
Searching for a great accordion player to perform at your event? You can Hire an Accordion player here.
Solo Singer
How much does it cost to hire a solo singer?
- Starting Price: £250
- Average Price: £350
- High-end Price: £700
Prices for singers vary quite widely, with more in-demand singers commanding higher starting prices. This doesn’t mean however that you won’t find fantastic professional singers for reasonable prices! Just keep an eye out for Encore verified reviews, a polished showreel, and some representative live videos to make sure you are getting the right singer for your event.
If you’re looking for a singer to perform for your event, why not have a look at our guide to booking a singer before making the leap? It’ll give you all the info you’ll need to find someone great: Singer Booking Guide
Encore is home to over 1500 incredible singers based all across the UK. To find the perfect singer for your event, browse our Hire a Singer page.
Musicians costing £350 to £750
With a budget of £350 to £750, you can afford a small band or a small classical ensemble, as well as a range of good DJs.
- DJ
- String Duo
- String Trio
- Jazz Duo
- Jazz Trio
- Small Ceilidh Band
- Pop Duo
- Pop Trio
- Steel Drummers
- Small Vocal Ensemble
DJ
How much does it cost to hire a DJ?
- Starting Price: £250
- Average Price: £400
- High-end Price: £800
DJs are among some of the most versatile when it comes to suiting an event—however, due to the need for high quality equipment, longer performance times, and travel costs, their prices do tend to be slightly higher than most solo performers.
Though DJs will play just about any event, whether a corporate event, a formal, or a dance party, we’ve written an extensive guide on the ins-and-outs of finding an amazing wedding DJ: Wedding DJ Booking Guide
Finding a great DJ is easy with Encore—view over 140 professional DJs right here: Hire a DJ.
String Duo
How much does it cost to hire a string duo?
- Starting Price: £300
- Average Price: £400
- High-end Price: £700
The most common type of string duo is violin and cello. Other line-ups include two violinists, or two cellists—it just depends on what kind of sound you’re looking for!
On Encore, we have lots of choice when it comes to finding a string duo local to you! Compare and look at the profiles of over 150 talented string duos here: Hire a String Duo.
Looking for a more unique classical duo? Compare the prices of over 140 Classical Duos here.
String Trio (Violin, Viola and Cello)
How much does it cost to hire a string trio?
- Starting Price: £480
- Average Price: £600
- High-end Price: £900
See the prices of over 120 wonderful UK-based string trios here: Hire a String Trio.
Jazz Duo
How much does it cost to hire a jazz duo?
- Starting Price: £360
- Average Price: £440
- High-end Price: £800
Jazz Trio
How much does it cost to hire a jazz trio?
- Starting Price: £540
- Average Price: £660
- High-end Price: £1200
Hire a Jazz Trio through Encore.
Small Ceilidh Band
How much does it cost to hire a small ceilidh band?
3 people:
- Starting Price: £450
- Average Price: £600
- High-end Price: £1200
4 people:
- Starting Price: £600
- Average Price: £800
- High-end Price: £1600
Browse over 100 ceilidh bands on our dedicated page: Hire a Ceilidh Band
Pop Duo
How much does it cost to hire a pop duo?
- Starting Price: £340
- Average Price: £460
- High-end Price: £800
Browse Pop Duos in the UK here: Hire a Pop Duo
Pop Trio
How much does it cost to hire a pop trio?
- Starting Price: £510
- Average Price: £700
- High-end Price: £1300
Browse Pop Trios in the UK here: Hire a Pop Trio
Steel Drummers
How much does it cost to hire steel drummers?
- Starting Price: £200 per person
- Average Price: £260 per person
- High-end Price: £350 per person
Browse Steel Bands now: Hire a Steel Band
Small vocal ensemble
How much does it cost to hire a vocal ensemble?
- Starting Price: £150 per person
- Average Price: £210 per person
- High-end Price: £350 per person
Compare outstanding vocal ensembles here: Hire a Vocal Ensemble
Musicians costing £750 to £1,500
With a budget of £750 to £1500, the range of options available extends to Pop Bands, larger Jazz Bands and even Barbershop Quartets!
- DJ Live
- Jazz Quartet
- Pop Band
- Ceilidh Band
- String Quartet
- Electric String Quartet
- Barbershop Quartet
DJ Live
How much does it cost to hire DJ Live?
DJ + 1 musician
- Starting Price: £600
- Average Price: £800
- High-end Price: £1200
DJ + 2 musicians
- Starting Price: £900
- Average Price: £1200
- High-end Price: £1800
DJ + 3 musicians
- Starting Price: £1200
- Average Price: £1600
- High-end Price: £2400
Jazz Quartet, Quintet or Sextet
Jazz bands come in many shapes and sizes: read more below to learn how much it costs to hire a jazz band.
How much does it cost to hire a Jazz Quartet? (4 people)
- Starting Price: £720
- Average Price: £1100
- High-end Price: £2000
How much does it cost to hire a Jazz Quintet? (5 people)
- Starting Price: £900
- Average Price: £1400
- High-end Price: £2500
How much does it cost to hire a Jazz Sextet? (6 people)
- Starting Price: £1050
- Average Price: £1700
- High-end Price: £3000
Pop Band (4-6 musicians)
How much does it cost to hire a pop band? Read below to find out typical costs for pop bands with between 4 and 6 musicians.
4-piece line-up:
- Starting Price: £800
- Average Price: £1400
- High-end Price: £3000
5-piece line-up:
- Starting Price: £1000
- Average Price: £1650
- High-end Price: £3750
6-piece line-up:
- Starting Price: £1200
- Average Price: £2000
- High-end Price: £4500
Medium Ceilidh Band
How much does it cost to hire a medium-sized ceilidh band?
5 musicians:
- Starting Price: £750
- Average Price: £1000
- High-end Price: £2000
6 musicians:
- Starting Price: £900
- Average Price: £1200
- High-end Price: £2400
7 musicians:
- Starting Price: £1050
- Average Price: £1400
- High-end Price: £2800
String Quartet
How much does it cost to hire a string quartet?
- Starting Price: £640
- Average Price: £820
- High-end Price: £1600
Electric String Quartet
How much does it cost to hire an electric string quartet?
- Starting Price: £1000
- Average Price: £1600
- High-end Price: £3000
Compare Electric String Quartets →
Barbershop Quartet
How much does it cost to hire a barbershop quartet?
- Starting Price: £640
- Average Price: £800
- High-end Price: £1400
Musicians costing £1,500 to £2,500
With a budget beyond £1500, a number of high-end acts and larger-sized ensembles make fantastic candidates for any event type.
High-end Function Band
Function bands are a firm favourite for many Encore customers. But how much does it cost to hire a high-end function band?
4 people
- Starting Price: £1200
- Average Price: £1600
- High-end Price: £2600
5 people
- Starting Price: £1500
- Average Price: £2000
- High-end Price: £3200
6 people
- Starting Price: £1800
- Average Price: £2400
- High-end Price: £4000
7 people
- Starting Price: £2100
- Average Price: £2800
- High-end Price: £4500
Compare Function Band prices →
Wedding Band
4 people
- Starting Price: £1200
- Average Price: £1600
- High-end Price: £2600
5 people
- Starting Price: £1500
- Average Price: £2000
- High-end Price: £3200
6 people
- Starting Price: £1800
- Average Price: £2400
- High-end Price: £4000
7 people
- Starting Price: £2100
- Average Price: £2800
- High-end Price: £4500
String Octet
How much does it cost to hire a string octet?
- Starting Price: £1300
- Average Price: £1850
- High-end Price: £3200
Jazz Band (7 to 11 musicians)
How much does it cost to hire a larger jazz band?
- Starting Price: £1300
- Average Price: £1850
- High-end Price: £3200
Small Choir
How much does it cost to hire a small choir?
To hire a small professional choir, you should expect to spend between £150 and £300 per singer, depending on the skill level of the choir and the length of time they are performing for.
8 singers
- Starting Price: £1200
- Average Price: £1450
- High-end Price: £2400
12 singers
- Starting Price: £1800
- Average Price: £2150
- High-end Price: £3600
16 singers
- Starting Price: £2400
- Average Price: £2900
- High-end Price: £4800
The prices for choirs vary a lot depending on the skill level of the choir, and the type of event they are performing at:
Skill Level
The starting prices above are for choirs of professional or semi-professional singers who have been singing together for several years and who have usually been trained at a conservatoire or music college. These choirs will be audition-only, meaning the standard is very high and the singing is of a high quality.
If you choose to hire an amateur or student choir, then you may well receive lower quotes. However, you are increasing the risk of a bad or unprepared performance due to the lack of experience and training that these choirs have. If your event is important, we highly recommend hiring a professional or semi-professional choir.
Event Type
The prices above are for a performance at a private event or a wedding. If you are hiring a choir to sing at a funeral, however, then the price is likely to be lower due to the shorter length of the performance and the time of day that the choir will be performing (evenings and weekends tend to cost more due to the higher demand).
To compare prices and customer reviews for the best choirs in the UK, head to our Hire a Choir page.
Large Ceilidh Band
How much does it cost to hire a large ceilidh band?
8 people:
- Starting Price: £1200
- Average Price: £1600
- High-end Price: £3200
9 people:
- Starting Price: £1350
- Average Price: £1800
- High-end Price: £3600
10 people:
- Starting Price: £1500
- Average Price: £2000
- High-end Price: £4000
To compare prices and customer reviews for our top UK ceilidh bands, head to our dedicated page: Hire a Ceilidh Band.
Musicians costing £2,500 to £10,000
Larger budgets above £2500 bring some spectacular groups and bands into consideration. Read more below about the range of acts available at this price.
Large Swing Band (20 members)
How much does it cost to hire a large swing band?
- Starting Price: £5000
- Average Price: £7000
- High-end Price: £12000
Show Band
How much does it cost to hire a show band or show choir?
8 members
- Starting Price: £2000
- Average Price: £2800
- High-end Price: £5000
10 members
- Starting Price: £2500
- Average Price: £3500
- High-end Price: £6000
12 members
- Starting Price: £3000
- Average Price: £4200
- High-end Price: £7000
Large Choir
How much does it cost to hire a choir?
20 singers
- Starting Price: £3000
- Average Price: £3600
- High-end Price: £6000
32 singers
- Starting Price: £4800
- Average Price: £5760
- High-end Price: £9600
60 singers
- Starting Price: £9000
- Average Price: £10,800
- High-end Price: £18,000
String Orchestra or Chamber Orchestra
How much does it cost to hire an orchestra?
24-piece String Orchestra
- Starting Price: £3600
- Average Price: £4800
- High-end Price: £10,000
40-piece Chamber Orchestra
- Starting Price: £6000
- Average Price: £8000
- High-end Price: £16,000
Musicians costing £10,000 to £100,000
Full Symphony Orchestra
How much does it cost to hire a symphony orchestra?
100 players
- Starting Price: £16,000
- Average Price: £22,000
- High-end Price: £40,000
Encore offers a bespoke orchestral booking service, where a member of our team will help you find and book the perfect orchestra to suit your musical, logistical and financial requirements.
To book your free consultation call, simply fill out the form below to send us a short email outlining your event and ideas. One of our team will then get back to you within 24 hours.
Jonny Venvell