Chiara BeebeIf you are planning an awards ceremony, getting the entertainment right is crucial. Live music can be a fantastic way to take your evening to the next level. In amongst the excitement of your special guests, prize winners and celebrations, you need the perfect soundtrack to the evening—an experienced, professional band or orchestra to wow the crowd and take the award ceremony to the next level. With unique venues and red carpet glamour, must come epic awards ceremony entertainment.
Here are our top 10 music ideas for awards ceremonies:
Symphony Orchestra
The Symphony or Philharmonic Orchestra has evolved through the centuries to become the ultimate medium for masterpieces by the world’s greatest composers. It’s no surprise then, that its sound is so full, rich, diverse and well balanced. When you think of the climax of your favourite film, it’ll almost certainly be accompanied by a full symphony orchestra, so why not bring that power and drama to your award ceremony?
Almost any piece can be arranged for a full orchestra, and there are a vast catalogue of works, soundtracks, and contemporary covers that already exist. Whatever the theme of your event, a Symphony Orchestra is the way to show your audience you mean business. For classical music awards in particular, this is a no brainer.
To find your awards ceremony orchestra, you can browse some of the orchestras on Encore here, take a look at our guide to hiring an orchestra, or request to speak to our orchestral specialists by emailing [email protected].
The Royal Piano Show
What better way to entertain your guests than a band who can play absolutely everything and anything you and your audience would like. You could let your awards winners choose the sting they walk to and it’ll definitely make for a unique experience! The way it works is that you give the singing pianists your request on a card, and they’ll perform it for you live. There are many famous venues in London who showcase this sort of entertainment regularly and it’s a real treat. They have a huge repertoire of music, and can sight read music on the spot.
Check out the Royal Piano Show.
A Big Band
Think glitzy, high impact and seriously impressive! Brass instruments make this group naturally loud and their style is timeless and the performers will all be dressed to the nines with matching outfits, music stands and instruments. Think Glenn Miller Orchestra in the 21st century. In terms of repertoire, a big band can arrange covers of your favourite hits or soundtracks depending on your kind of awards evening, or they can give you a mix of the classics everyone loves in the gaps between the on stage drama with songs like: In The Mood, It Don’t Mean a Thing and Mack The Knife. Big Bands have various line-up options depending on the stage size you need to fill and can come with or without singers. Your award show will be one nobody will forget any time soon.
String Quartet
If you’re looking for something a refined and sophisticated as a backdrop to your awards ceremony, a string quartet can be the perfect option. Boasting similar credentials to the symphony orchestra, this compact version can be really high impact, amplified if needed, and perform a similar mix of classical and pop hits for a fraction of the price. If you want to add a touch of elegance to an event, a string quartet is the way to go.
Gospel Choir
Is there anything more moving than the human voice? Your awards evening music would be brought to life through the incredible arrangements and voices of a gospel choir. WIth an easy set up and no physical instruments to factor in, they’re a straightforward logistical option as well. They can arrange versions of all of your favourite songs, as well as including some of their own favourites. Gospel choirs generally have so much charisma, stage presence and joy, that the smiles will be infectious.
Mariachi Band
Looking to have something a bit different, fun, interactive and joyful at your awards ceremony? You might like to think about a Mariachi band! With Mexican origins, our Mariachi bands are your all singing, all dancing, all smiling awards evening band. Completely acoustic, they are able to roam around your event space and entertain the crowds with Mexican songs, and covers of pop songs in their unique style. We find Mariachi Bands to be a huge hit at corporate events in particular, breaking down boundaries and getting everybody laughing. As part of your event running, a Mariachi band could be best suited for the guests arrivals, or the after party.
DJ + Saxophone
This is one of the biggest trends in live event music and no surprise that it joins our list of award show ideas. With this combination you get the benefits of a roaming band in the freely moving and interactive saxophone player, with the benefits of a talented DJ reading the room and playing the tunes that will keep everybody excited and engaged with your event.
Soul and Motown Band
Take things up a notch from your typical cover or function band, and hire a Soul & Motown band to cover everything from 70s classics to pop giants with their line-up of vocalists, electronic instruments, percussion and brass section. Think Stevie Wonder and Diana Ross through to Marvin Gaye and Bruno Mars. Band members will be at the top of their game, so able to take requests, arrange the songs to be timed perfectly for the stings and keep the flow of the evening.
Roaming Brass Band
Like the sound of brass, but want something a bit more current who can move around and be a little more flexible in your venue? We have a number of brass bands, with sizes from 3-10 musicians, who specialise in current covers and upbeat tunes guaranteed to have everyone dancing and moving. The natural sound of the brass instruments makes it high impact and carries really well without any need for amplification, so this is a great option to draw the crowds in and get everyone in the mood for a celebration! Whether you’d like them to perform between awards, as your guests enter, or at the after party, this is a really unique idea that will take your awards ceremony to the next level.
Original Artists
If you’re event is unique, why not make your performers unique as well? Original artists will be used to be putting their unique spin on covers as well, so if you’re looking for a mix of old and new, this is a great choice. The sky’s the limit, why not approach your favourite artists and see if they are available for you.
The quickest way to find live musicians for your awards ceremony is to use our online enquiry form or contact our team at [email protected]
Cover image courtesy of Totally Funktional