Want to book me for a concert or event? Gary's Naked Piano performances are perfect for intimate clubs and restaurants, weddings & special events, wine tastings, art exhibits, bookstores, house concerts, benefits, and anywhere that people want to escape stress. (Note: there is NO nudity! it's the piano that's naked, NOT the pianist!).
No piano? Read about the piano rental option.
Click here to listen to some musical samples
Is it difficult to book you?
Not as hard as you think. In fact, it's really quite easy and my fees are reasonable. If you do book me for an event, there are a couple of things I do ask...
a) the opportunity to sell my CDs (so that
people can take music home with them and share it with more
people...)
b) the opportunity to meet and add new people to my mail list (so they
can hear about other interesting events and naked piano-related news)
c) that my travel expenses are covered. For obvious economic reasons, I
don't wish to lose money when I do an event.
And you should know, I prefer to play my original music. Preferably no cover tunes, show tunes or popular requests. I CAN play these formats, but know that if you hire me, you're getting "Gary Girouard" music!
What are your fees?
| Event Type | Standard Fee |
|
Formal Concerts |
$500-$2000 + travel expenses. The fees vary widely depending on where the concert is located, the size of the audience, and whether tickets are being sold. Please feel free to email me at garyg@nakedpiano.com with your needs and we can discuss the details. |
|
Weddings & Special Functions |
$500-$1250 + travel expenses. The fees vary depending upon what is required. For example, if you just need background music for a dinner reception or cocktail hour, that will be toward the low end. If you need music during a wedding service itself, which requires much more planning and coordination, it will be closer to $1250. You can request Tuxedo (included in the fee). If piano rental is needed, see below. |
|
Background Music |
$300 and up
+ travel expenses. This includes
two hours of music. Each additional hour, add $100. If piano rental is
needed, see below. |
|
House Concerts |
$250 and up depending on how much you'd like to contribute to my art. Be sure to read the info below on house concerts. |
|
Piano Rental |
$100 per event. Don't have a piano? I can bring a portable piano keyboard and speaker for your event. Although not the same experience as a quality acoustic piano, my digital keyboard sounds great! I will need one outlet (grounded) to plug my equipment into. |
| Charities, Benefits, Fund Raisers, etc... |
$500-$2000
and up. The fees can vary widely
depending on the event. What I often suggest is one of two options. Option 1 (preferred): Find a sponsor
to cover my regular fee. Then all ticket sales and proceeds can go toward
the charity or benefit. All I ask, aside from my fee, is that
I can sell CDs and sign people to my mail-list at the event. |
What are your travel expenses?
If you're in the Falmouth area of Cape Cod, there
are no travel expenses to worry about. Otherwise...
Travel Expenses:
In addition to my basic fees (see above), travel
expenses need to be taken into consideration. I will go pretty much anywhere in
the US - and even parts of Canada and Europe - to play a concert so long as my basic expenses (air, car rental
and accommodations) are covered. I don't believe in wasteful expenses - I fly
coach, rent the small-good-mileage cars, and stay in 'value-priced' hotels. When you
contact me, just let me know where you're located and I can give you a
general price range of what to expect. If I can play several events in the same
area during the same time, your travel expenses would be even lower. Feel
free to email me at
garyg@nakedpiano.com
to discuss the possibilities.
House concerts are a wonderful thing! They are incredibly intimate and will provide you and your guests with a musical memory of a lifetime! If you wish to have me come and play a concert in your home, there are a couple things I ask of you:
a) that you provide a piano in good
condition, tuned up just prior (within a week) to the concert. The piano
doesn't have to be a grand piano (although that is preferred), just a
piano that plays well, with working keys and pedals.
b) that you be willing to help promote the show to your
friends, family, and acquaintances, and that you commit to doing your best to
bring at least 30 people into your home.
c) I request at least $250 for a house concert, although people have (very generously) offered me much more. Set your own fee, based on your financial ability or desire to support my music. Financial Tip: Some folks will ask a $10/person donation from attendees to help pay the fee. That's fine by me. Also, please read the info above about Travel Expenses as that could enter into it.
I'd be happy to discuss other creative options with you, so if you want to discuss or plan a house concert of your own, just email Gary at garyg@nakedpiano.com.
Scheduling: If you have a specific date in mind, you may want to check my performance calendar first to make sure the date is free. For performances in Massachusetts, we can usually squeeze performances in where possible. For other US performances, we like to plan 3-4 months in advance. For Canada, Western Europe and other international performances, we like to schedule at least 6 months in advance.
Piano Requirements: A great performance starts with a quality piano in good working condition. I prefer a 7' or larger grand piano (tuned within 48 hours of the performance) for solo piano concerts. I understand that this is not always possible, so a good sounding vertical or grand piano is also acceptable - as long as the pedals work and all the keys play. My preferred concert pianos are (in this order): Fazioli Concert Grand; Steinway "D"; Steinway "B"; Yamaha C7. If your piano is in poor working order - don't worry! If it's a local performance, see my piano rental option. If the performance is in an area where I'd have to hop on a plane, then I would expect you to provide a decent performing piano (or piano rental).
So....What's a Naked Piano Concert Like?
Note: At events like weddings, wine tastings, art exhibits, restaurants, coffee shops and book stores, I play my music as background music. But at formal concerts, things are a bit different...
- Passion:
If there is one thing you will discover almost immediately - I am very
passionate about what I do. You will notice from the moment I step on the
stage that I am very expressive and emotional about the piano and piano music.
Although the music will soothe, the performance will invigorate and stimulate
your mind. I am passionate about life and passionate about the piano - and it
helps make a Naked Piano performance an unforgettable experience.
- Stories:
Each composition has a unique and compelling story that will captivate and
inspire you. So a Naked Piano Concert also features a great deal of
storytelling. There are recurring themes of love, nature, family and travel -
that blend with elements of history, philosophy, art and literature. The
stories will often incorporate current events so that the musical message is
even more relevant. I always modify the message to make it more appropriate
for any given audience. When you book your event, I will ask you a lot of
questions about the types of people that will be in attendance - so the Naked
Piano performance is 'custom-made' just for you!
- Entertainment:
When I play, I do so with my entire self - so expect to see something interesting to watch as
well as to listen to. My concerts are not
boring. My music is based on emotion - and I try to express this in both the
stories and the musical performances. It is this emotional approach and
passion that helps make a Naked Piano performance an event to remember.
- Time: Expect a show to run between 1 1/2 to 2 hours (with a break). If you have a specific program length in mind, shorter or longer, it can be arranged.
email me at garyg@nakedpiano.com for a quote specific to your event. Be sure to include as many details as you can. Note: If you do not hear back from me within 48 hours, call me at 508-457-6771. It's entirely possible that your email message (or my response to you) got caught in a spam filter.