Can a violinist play walk-in music before our keynote?
The minutes before a keynote set the tone for the whole session. Live violin fills the room while attendees find their seats.
Yes. At one large corporate event, Jared played about 45 minutes of music as attendees walked in before the keynote speaker went on. He works with your AV team or brings his own sound, stops on your cue, and leaves the microphone to your speaker. He doesn't MC.
How walk-in music works
- Setup before doors. Jared arrives about an hour before he plays, sets up and sound-checks while the room is still empty.
- Doors open. Music starts as attendees come in, with songs people recognize. Energy builds as the room fills.
- Your cue. Agree on the cue ahead of time with your stage manager or planner. Jared wraps up the song and the stage is yours.
- Hand-off. He doesn't say a word into the mic. In his own words: “I didn't say a word into the microphone because I am not a keynote speech giver.”
If your conference also has a reception that evening, Jared can play that too. See cocktail receptions.
Music that wakes up a room
Walk-in music has one job: get people into their seats in a good mood. Jared leans on songs that land in the first few notes, like Viva La Vida, Don't Stop Believin' and Uptown Funk, played over a full-band backing track. Tell him about your attendees and your theme, and he'll build the set around them. If your speaker has a walk-on song in mind, ask; Jared keeps his song list up to date and can often add to it.
Sound in a ballroom or hall
Most conference ballrooms have an audio engineer, and Jared can plug into their board. If there's no house sound, he brings his own QSC system, which he has used for events of about 2,000 people. The price is the same either way. More on sound for large rooms.
Conference events Extreme Strings has played
- An annual conference at Gaylord Rockies in Aurora
- A conference and trade show at the Colorado Convention Center
- A conference event at Ball Arena
- A CEO VIP reception at the Hyatt Regency Denver at the Colorado Convention Center
- A conference tasting dinner at the Omni Interlocken in Broomfield
- The Rocky Mountain Bridal Show at the Colorado Convention Center, three years running
What event partners say
★★★★★“He was prompt, ahead of schedule, partnered well, offered suggestions, and knocked it out of the park.”
★★★★★“He was timely, professional, and absolutely slayed on the violin.”
★★★★★“It was a perfect fit for our crowd and added a uniqueness to our event that will be hard to top.”
Questions planners ask
How long is a typical walk-in set?
It depends on how long your doors are open. At one large corporate event, Jared played about 45 minutes before the keynote.
Will you introduce our speaker?
No. Jared doesn't MC. He finishes on your cue and your host or speaker takes it from there.
Can you plug into the ballroom's sound system?
Yes. Jared can work with your audio engineer. If he plugs into the board, he needs a power outlet and an XLR input.
Can you also play the evening reception?
Yes. Let us know both times when you request a quote, and both go into one proposal.