Q: Where are you located and do you travel?
A: Goldenwood Ensembles is based in Portland, Maine, but we work all over New England. We charge .58 cents a mile per musician for out of town functions.

Q: Do you play on the Islands?
A: Yes, we do.

Q:Do we need to meet with you in person?
A: It isn’t really necessary. Details can be arranged via email/video conferencing. (Zoom, Skype, FaceTime)

Q: Do you attend wedding rehearsals?
A: No, we don’t.

Q: What will the musicians wear?
A: Formal black is always nice, but if you have another preference please speak directly with us.

Q: What time will you arrive for our event?
A: We arrive about an hour before start time. I usually check in with the event planner and officiant to coordinate music cues.

Q: Will the musicians play outside?
A: Yes, but with a few conditions. We cannot play in direct sunlight, inclement weather, temps lower than 60 degrees, or tick infested areas. We will need a canopy/tent to cover the musicians. We will not play outside in the rain/drizzle unless we are covered on all sides. If the temperature is lower than 60 degrees, we require a heater. We don’t ask this to be difficult. We have irreplaceable instruments that could become severely damaged.

Q: What do you need at the event site?
A: Flat seated chairs with straight backs and no arms; one for each musician. (Harpists bring their own bench)
Electricity for stand lights and sound system if necessary.
Plenty of space for the musicians. We will need a plywood base for the harpist if performing outdoors.

Q: Do you use amplification?
A: It depends on the venue and number of guests. We do have a sound system for situations where we might not project appropriately. The flute and guitar duo always uses amplification for outdoor ceremony and cocktail hour.

Q: Would I prefer a soloist, duo, trio, or quartet?
A: It depends on what you had in mind with regard to sound and budget. I’m happy to help answer questions about the different ensembles.

Q: Do you take musical requests?
A: Yes. There will be an additional fee for sheet music and arranging if it isn’t in our current repertoire.

Q: If we hire you for a house concert, will you be playing classical or a mix of musicial genres?
We can play whatever you’d like. We enjoy doing a bit of talking before each selection to share what we know with the audience. We also have a Q & A following the performance.
A: We’ve been playing these concerts for years, and they’ve always been a lot of fun.