We are available to perform
in the following combinations:

The Sparrow Lane Ensemble provides beautiful, timeless music for your wedding ceremony, including prelude, processional, candle lighting, readings and recessional.

We seamlessly and smoothly create a transition from your ceremony into your reception, performing swing, jazz, tango, Latin, and Celtic music. And don’t forget your pop classics or your favorite movie themes!

We perform all kinds of classical, baroque, romantic, modern, pop and chamber music arranged for strings, including violins, violas, cellos, guitars, harps and mandolins. We Love Weddings! We understand — this is a big event! You’ve been dreaming about your wedding all of your life, you want it to be perfect, and you want it to be stress free. We understand the excitement, the pressure and the difficulty in creating the wedding of your dreams. Organizing a wedding is probably something you have not done before — there is a lot involved, and we have been there! This is what we do for a living. We care, and we love weddings! Our musicians are experienced, passionate, professional. We arrive on time, play our hearts out and are happy to accommodate all of your needs and special requests.

The Sparrow Lane Ensemble performs the famous and classic works of Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Handel, Vivaldi, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Ravel, Debussy, Brahms, including the traditional wedding favorites.

In addition, we perform showtunes, pop music, children’s music, contemporary classical, The Beatles, Tango music, Jewish music, Italian music, Latin music, French music, Armenian music, Irish music and movie themes from Titanic, Lord Of The Rings, The Godfather trilogy, Fiddler On The Roof, and other favorites.

The fiddle is an important instrument in both traditional and modern Irish music. The fiddle is the same instrument as the violin but is played in a different style. For each region in Ireland, there is a different style of fiddling. The most well-known fiddle traditions are from Donegal, Sligo, Sliabh Luachra and Clare.

Most people are familiar with the Sligo tradition of fiddle music, due to it being played by famous fiddlers such as Lad O’Beirne, Michael Coleman, John McGrath, James Morrison and Paddy Killoran, who popularized Irish music in the United States in the 1920’s and 1930’s.

Contemporary fiddle players include Brendan Mulvihill, Paddy Cronin, Peter Horan, James Kelly, Martin Hayes, Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh, Cathal Hayden, Paul O’Shaughnessy, Matt Cranitch, Frankie Gavin, Paddy Glackin, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, Maire Breatnach and Gerry O’Connor. Notable American fiddlers include Winifred Horan, Liz Carroll and Eileen Ivers.

Not much is known about the composers of traditional Irish folk music, as much of it has been passed down from generation to generation without credit to the original writers. Irish traditional music for dancing was intended to be played at weddings, on saints’ days and for other special occasions.

Traditional Irish fiddle tunes are typically divided into two eight-bar strains, played as many times as the performer desires. Irish dancing is isometric; sixteen measures are known as a “step”, with eight for the right foot of the step and eight for the left. Traditional Irish dances and tunes include reels, hornpipes and jigs.

Music inspired by traditional Irish folk tunes has become very popular in recent decades. Van Morrison, Hothouse Flowers and Sinéad O’Connor have all made music featuring aspects of Irish folk music. The singer Enya has achieved monumental success with her fusion of New Age and Irish music. The Pogues were one of the first punk rock bands to blend Irish folk music into their songs. Their sound inspired American bands such as the Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly. Other noteworthy Irish bands include U2, who have also incorporated aspects of Irish fok music into their repetoire, as well as The Radiators From Space, The Boomtown Rats, My Bloody Valentine and the Cranberries.

Whether you are a fan of traditional Irish folk music or modern music with a folk twist, you are sure to enjoy the lively sound of an Irish fiddle. If you are interested in having Irish fiddle music for your wedding or other special event, contact us today.