Live music at funerals adds amazing depth and quality.

A soloist on cello or violin can add an amazing poignancy. A lone piper can bring a poignancy that no recording could beat. A duet, trio or quartet can make hearts swell with their strings.

Frank Sinatra’s My Way still tops the charts with Final Flingers. So go the whole hog and book a look-alike-sound-alike performer like Paul Holgate’s So Sinatra (pictured).

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Costs for live music at funerals

Live performers may cost anything from £ 100-500 upwards and may charge much less than usual for a funeral. A young local pianist, a local community choir or a hearty samba band may cost less than professional musicians.

Commissions

Those who like to plan ahead may want to splash out and commission a bespoke composition for a funeral: takes live music at funerals to a whole other level.

Commissioning a unique piece of music to celebrate a life could be a positive experience for a person who’s knowingly at the end of a long or short life. It could give individuals and their partner, family or friends some solace at a difficult time.  Commissioning a unique piece of music leaves a powerful legacy too.

How to commission music

Check with your local arts agencies, concert hall, the Musicians’ Union or national agencies (eg in the UK: Creative Scotland or Arts Council England/Northern Ireland) for support with commissioning work and finding links to composers. It may cost less than you imagine and what an amazing tribute and legacy to have your own unique piece of music played as a recording or providing live music at a funeral.

Please, remember to capture your ideas in your funeral Wishes on Final Fling.