Advice, guides and stories on hiring musicians and planning live music for weddings and events.
When insuring your instruments, you want to be sure that the policy you choose is both competitive and comprehensive. Allianz Musical Insurance have provided musical instrument cover since the 1960s and today are the UK’s No.1. They insure over 70,000 musicians, from function bands to string…
Is you’re hearing not what it used to be? Do you suffer from blocked ears? Do you regularly use earplugs or headphones? If so, like a lot of musicians, you’re probably in need of an ear check-up. To put this to the test, last week we invited ear specialists Auris Ear Care to do a […]
Encore is home to a huge array of live music bookings. In 2019, we helped match our customers with musicians of all types: from a full orchestra booked for a Yamaha TV ad to an intimate wedding proposal with a violinist on a boat in Paris. But the stand-out booking for us must be matching […]
We’ve partnered with the Incorporated Society of Musicians to offer all Encore members discounted access to world-class resources and support. Having hosted events alongside them before and sharing their mission to support the UK’s working musicians, we feel we are well matched to help improve the…
In July 2019, we surveyed over 500 music teachers to learn about the state of private music tuition in the UK today. Here are the results. We’ve summarised some of the most interesting results below, but for a more in-depth analysis, you can download the full report for free: Download Encore Music…
We've compiled the ultimate guide to live music costs, based on over 100,000 real quotes sent by musicians to Encore customers. This guide covers the cost of hiring over 30 different types of live musicians, including soloists, bands and even orchestras.
Hiring a bagpiper is a great way to add some tradition to your event. Our guide covers everything you need to know about booking a bagpiper for your event.
Internationally acclaimed clarinettist and saxophonist Victoria Samek introduces OPC, a ground-breaking process that integrates performance science with artistic integrity. Practice is the most private activity for any musician. This culture of secrecy pervades our musical life, with great demands…
With so many different string ensembles/variations out there, it can be hard to know what type of string ensemble would best suit your event. If you’re confused about where to begin, look no further. To make your decision easier, we’ve put together this useful guide which takes a quick look at each…
Hosting a ceilidh and thinking about hiring a ceilidh band? We've written the ultimate guide for you, covering everything from pricing of bands to the amount of space you'll need to host a ceilidh.
Hiring a harpist is the perfect way to add some class to your event. This guide covers everything you need to know about booking a harpist for your event.
Are you deciding between whether to hire a Wedding DJ or to opt for live music with a Wedding Band, Wedding Musicians, Wedding Singer or Instrumentalists as part of your Wedding Planning? This guide is to help you decide if going down the DJ route is for you, and if so, how to go about it.
