Long time, no blog...

Hello there, and apologies for the silence!  Needless to say, our diary has been fit to burst this autumn as we have been zipping all over the UK performing at all your lovely weddings and parties.  Here are just a few of the beautiful venues we have visited since our last post: The Buckatree Hall Hotel, Norwood Park, Second City Suite, Cathedral Quarter Hotel Derby, Stapleford Park, Fishmore Hall, Notley Abbey, Heythrop Park Resort, Chillington Hall, Packington Moor, Peckforton Castle, Kedleston Hall, National Motorcycle Museum, Curradine Barns, Moor Hall Hotel, Prestwold Hall, Ashton Lodge Country House, Council House - Birmingham, The Belfry, One Moorgate Place, Craxton Wood, Alveston Manor Hotel, Dulwich College, Newton Park Hotel,  Moor Park, Bix Manor, Metro Bar and Grill (Birmingham), Epsom Downs Racecourse, Moxhull Hall, Goosedale Banqueting, Wroxton Abbey, Hogarths Hotel, Bower Hotel, Birdsgrove House, Sweeney Hall, Ludlow Castle, Littlecote House, Slater's Country Inn, Caswell House, Lord Leycester Hospital, Spains Hall, Chatsworth House, New Hall Hotel, and Dumbleton Hall Hotel.

Thanks to this winters particularly chilly breeze, we have been looking back at the busy summer just gone and we found a photograph that sums up a Nero String Quartet summer to perfection.  This beautiful picture of Moxhull Hall was taken by one of our favourite photographers, David J Perkins in July this year.  How we miss those blue skies!

We have just received a lot of new repertoire including: Back In Black (AC/DC), Pride and Prejudice Theme (BBC - Carl Davis), Forget You (Cee-Lo Green), Mr Blue Sky (ELO), Happy Days Theme, Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Israel IZ Kamakawiwo'ole), Everlasting Love (Love Affair), Don't Stop Me Now (Queen), Hips Don't Lie (Shakira), The Flood (Take That), Cantina Bar Music (Star Wars - John Williams), The Blower's Daughter (Damien Rice), and The Kiss (Last of the Mohicans - Jones & Edelman).

We have also added a number of new items to our Jewish repertoire list:  Al Kol Eileh, Dodi Li (Chen), Dodi Li (Menseng), Dodi Li (Sher), Erev Shel Shosanim, Hevenu Shalom Alechem, Kumi Lach, Mi Van Siach, Mizmon l'David, Siman Tov, Song of Hope (Hatikvah), Y'did Nefesh, Music for the High Holy Days (medley including Adonai Mah Adam, Adonoi Roi, Why Art Thou Cast Down, My Soul?) and the Chanukah Medley.  Don't forget, all our repertoire can be found on our Repertoire page.

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"Thank you so much for playing at our wedding.  You were brilliant and I wish that we could have listened to you more rather than be out in the cold having photos taken!  We had so many wonderful comments about you, from my musical/non-musical friends alike!  Sorry for not getting time to say goodbye to you but I hope you had some food and champagne, as we requested, and that you were looked after.  All the best and we'll be sure to recommend you."

Bara and Helen, Norwood Park, November 2011

"Thanks for your performance last night; it was great!  Many thanks and best wishes."

Andrew, Independent Education Awards, 

National Motorcycle Museum, November 2011

"Hi Stella.  Having returned from a terrific honeymoon in Canada, this is the first opportunity I have had to say a huge thank you to the quartet for putting together a delightful programme of music to entertain our guests on our special day.  I had had many messages of appreciation from our guests who obviously enjoyed the restful music.  Please pass on our thanks to them and hope that they enjoyed themselves too."

Derek and Jane, Packington Moor, October 2011

"Many thanks guys for playing at our wedding.  We had an amazing day.  Unfortunately we didn't get to say thank you to yourself, but we appreciated your time.  Our guests loved your music and I can't wait to hear it from the video as everything was such a blur on the day!  Thank you both muchly."

Stacy and Adam, Ashton Lodge, November 2011

 "We had a fantastic day and your playing during the ceremony and during the reception drinks certainly enhanced it!  We had so many comments from guests saying how much they enjoyed the music!   Thanks again."

Sam and Jess, Curradine Barns, October 2011

"We booked the Nero String Quartet to perform at a National Awards Ceremony held at Birmingham Council House Banqueting Suite.  The group played beautiful music which fitted perfectly with both our event and the venue providing a perfect ending to the evening.  We would have no hesitation in either recommending the group or in re-booking them for future occasions."

Julia  Ricks, UHB Trust and  the Civilian and Military Health Partnership Awards, 

Birmingham Council House, November 2011

"It was just to say how brilliant the quartet were yesterday and we had some brilliant feedback and some enquiries today as well.  Nero have been put on our books as nominated music suppliers today so hopefully something will come of it!"

Anna, Blenheim Palace, April 2011

"Just wanted to pass on my thanks to you and your team for yesterday - the performance was perfect and was just what was needed to make the occasion extra special.  Excellent job - many thanks!"

Anita, Altek Europe Limited, November 2011

"Thank you so much for creating such a fantastic atmosphere at our wedding at the Cathedral Quarter Hotel in Derby in September, we could not have asked for better.  Everyone said how great you were and we were so pleased that you could contribute to our "live music only" wedding day - loved every moment.  We would definitely recommend you, very reasonably priced and a great varied selection of music available - both traditional and modern."

Alice and John, Cathedral Quartet Hotel, Derby, September 2011

"I didn't get the chance before you left yesterday to say thank you very much for playing at our event. We had some wonderful compliments from our guests about your playing and I must say that your choice of music suited the event perfectly.  With many thanks for helping to make the event the success it was."

Sally, PGA , The Belfry, October 2011

"Just a quick email to say thank you for your services on Monday.  Many people commented on the string quartet and said what a wonderful atmosphere it gave the evening, so please pass on our thanks to the rest of the quartet.  The night continued on the same footing it started and the CEO was incredibly happy with how it all went."

Wendy (Hermes Medical Solutions), Metro Bar and Grill, October 2011

"Sincere apologies in sending this email but life seems to have been extremely hectic since our wedding in May and getting back into some sort of normality after our honeymoon!  Just wanted to personally thank you on behalf of Chris and I for a truly amazing day, of which, Nero String Quartet played a huge part in!  The music you chose for during the canapes/drinks reception was perfect and the music we wanted during dinner for a fun, happy atmosphere seemed to prove a huge success with so many comments from guests afterwards how they enjoyed singing along during dinner.  If our ceremony for the actual service hadn't been so far away/as early start - my ideal situation would have been to have you play at the Guild Hall too!  Thank you so much."

Ann, Beaumont House, May 2011

Don't Tell the Bride - TONIGHT!

Don't forget to tune in to BBC3 tonight at 9pm for episode 4 of the new series of Don't Tell the Bride!  And watch carefully as you may spot some familiar faces!  Check out the trailer below:

Our Busiest Summer Yet...

Our apologies for being so quiet recently, this truly has been our busiest summer yet.  As always, we've been shooting up and down the country in our Nero-mobile playing for weddings and parties, come rain or shine.  Here is a selection of venues we've visited this summer: Chillington Hall, Sandon Hall, Moxhull Hall, Ardington House, Ye Olde Bell, Dumbleton Hall, Hunton Park, Stapleford Park, Armley Lodge Farm, The Kings Hotel, Wroxall Abbey, Kirtlington Park, Somerford Hall, Menzies Welcombe Hotel, Wethele Manor, Sutton Bonington Hall, Langdon Court Hotel, Manor Hotel Meriden, Lord Leycester Hospital, Southwinds Cryfield, Dunchurch Park, Warwick House, Ardencote Manor, Nuthurst Grange, The Moathouse, Hagley Hall, Hilton Hotel (Milton Keynes), Nailcote Hall, Botleys Mansion, Ansty Hall, Walton Hall, Hampton Manor, Limes Country Lodge, Lake Vyrnwy Hotel, Grafton Manor, Prestwold Hall, and Highbury Hall.  Phew!

Photo taken by Karen Massey Photography at Lord Leycester Hospital

And of course we've had our regular shipment of brand new music, including Beautiful Life (Ace of Base), You're the first, the last, my everything (Barry White), Fix You (Coldplay), Steady As We Go (Dave Matthews Band), Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin), It Must Be Love (Madness), Million Love Songs (Take That), Nothing Compares 2 U (Sinead O'Connor/Prince), When A Man Loves A Woman (Percy Sledge), and Hotel California (The Eagles).

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"Just wanted to say a quick thank-you before we set off on honeymoon tomorrow.  The string duo who played at our wedding at Barcelo Walton Hall were absolutely perfect and really contributed to the ambience of the day.  You received much praise from our guests and helped to make our day so special.  Thanks once again."

Emma and James, Walton Hall

"Can I just give my greatest thanks for playing at our wedding.  The music was beautiful and really made the ceremony and welcome drinks perfect.  Thank you kindly."

Jane and Tim, The Limes Country Lodge

"Lee and I wanted to say a massive thank you for playing at the Wedding.  We thought it sounded amazing and loved your playing.  We will definitely be recommending you.  I wanted to come over and say thank you, but as you can guess it was all pretty hectic.  However, thank you very much."

Cerri and Lee, Lake Vyrnwy Hotel

"Just a quick thank you for the excellent job you did at our wedding at Lilleshall Hotel yesterday.  We thought you sounded amazing.  You all helped towards making it a perfect day for us and for that we thank you muchly.  Keep up the good work."

Stuart, Lilleshall Hall

"We just wanted to extend our thanks to all of you for playing at our wedding at Grafton Manor.  You were brilliant, you looked good and sounded great.  Everybody commented on you.  Especially since there was quite a lot of us that had been to a wedding only four weeks before mine and they had a string trio who sounded amateur compared to you!!  I didn't really get chance to say much on the day but we were really very grateful to you as we had a solo in one room, all of you in the chapel then moved outside so probably wasn't the easiest wedding you've done.  Also, before the day you had 'She's the One' wrote up for us and exchanged a lot of emails and ideas so thank you.  We will recommend you to anybody!  Thank you a thousand times."

Mitzi and Ben, Grafton Manor

"Just wanted to say a huge thank you to the string duo who played at our wedding at Prestwold Hall on Friday.  They were absolutely brilliant, and many of our guests commented on how outstanding the music was.  Thank you especially for playing the songs we requested, it made it very personal."

Becky, Prestwold Hall

"Just a quick email to say thank you for the part you played in my daughter's wedding day, your music was superb and enjoyed by everyone.  Very best wishes to you all and once again, many thanks, we would have no hesitation in recommending you."

Marianne, Plas Hafod Hotel

"I just wanted to say a massive thank you to you and the two ladies who played at our wedding.  They were fantastic and I hope they enjoyed themselves whilst they were there.  I have a few pictures which I will send on to you just for your records.  Many thanks again."

Gemma, The Courtyard

"We just wanted to say a huge thank you for playing at our wedding in August.  You were amazing and so many of our guests commented on how wonderful you sounded.  I loved the variety of music you played, it really was superb!  I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to thank you personally but we really did appreciate it!"

Claire, Bedfordshire

"Everyone thought you guys were fantastic, sorry I didn't manage to come over and speak to you much, as you can imagine my day was pretty hectic!  Thank you very much, everyone really enjoyed listening to you."

Sarah, Ansty Hall

"We just wanted to say a huge thank you to you all for the wonderful music you provided at our wedding.  It was absolutely perfect.  I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to thank you in person at the end of your performance."

Steph and Dan, Highbury Hall

"Margaret and I just wanted to thank you for helping to make our party a great success.   We really enjoyed your concert as did our guests."

Katherine, Coleshill Hotel

"Thank you so much for your excellent participation in Helen and Andrew's wedding day.  Please thank all members of the quartet - we received nothing but total admiration for the breadth of your repertoire and the skill with which it was performed from all the guests present.  We were blessed with a wonderful day and I thank you for playing outside on the terrace and even more so for playing so beautifully in cramped conditions during the wedding breakfast."

Ron, Somerford Hall

"Thank you so much, you were absolutely BRILLIANT!! Sorry I didn't get to say hello but as you can imagine I was wanted by a lot of people!!  Thank you once again!"

Aimee, St Mary's Guildhall, Coventry

"Just wanted to message you to say thank you.  It was perfect, everyone commented on how fantastic you were.  Sorry we didn't get the chance to thank you before you left.  A few of my friends who are getting married next year asked for your details."

Heidi and Matt, Menzies Welcombe Hotel

"The quartet were amazing.  They sounded fantastic.  Just wanted to say a massive thanks.  Apologies to the girls that I did not get to speak more to them on the day and express our gratitude."

Dan, Cotford Hotel, Malvern

"We wanted to say thank you for such fabulous music at our wedding.  We are sorry we did not get to speak to you on the day but it was the perfect background music and created a lovely atmosphere, particularly during the meal.  Thank you so much."

James and Rhian, Botleys Mansion

"I just wanted to drop you a note to say thank you so much for yesterday.  You were all fantastic!"

Jo, Hampton Manor

"Sorry this is so late but thank you so much for performing at our wedding in August at Wethele Manor.  We had a lovely day and your performance added such a beautiful atmosphere to our wedding.  We have had many compliments regarding how well you played and the selection of songs you had.  I have attached a few photos my guests and my photographer took of you whilst you were there.  Many thanks again."

Debbie and Keith, Wethele Manor

"I just wanted to send you a quick note to say thank you so much for the beautiful music that you and your colleagues played for us on our wedding day.  The music in the church was wonderful - I could hear you playing before I arrived and it was just perfect; exactly as we had imagined.  I know that the rain required some changes to plans after the service but thank you for being flexible and working with the weather!  So many people complimented you on your playing so I shall be recommending you left, right and centre."

Kate, Shropshire

"I wanted to say a huge thank you to you for the string trio that played on our wedding day.  I didn't get chance to speak to them on the day and thank them.  They played perfectly and everyone thoroughly enjoyed it.  Anyway thanks again, Nero really made our day special and I will recommend you for any future events."

Lindsey, Sutton Bonington Hall

"Ladies.  Just wanted to send  a quick note with our sincere thanks for performing at our wedding.  Waiting outside the door of the ceremony and hearing you play was amazing and all our guests thoroughly enjoyed the music during the ceremony and during the canapes.  Thank you so much for making our day so special and apologies that I didn't get to thank you in person on the day.  You are incredibly talented and our thanks to you all."

Amy and Rob, Curradine Barns

"We just wanted to say a huge thank you to the quartet who played at our wedding.  Everyone commented on how professional they were and how great they sounded.  Tom said that the music before the ceremony really calmed him down, so thank you very much!  Thank you so much again."

Claire and Tom, Olton Friary

"This is somewhat overdue but better late than never!  Firstly, I wanted to say a big thank you for performing at our wedding in July.  The music was wonderful and created a fantastic ambiance.  You did an amazing job and we were very pleased, I would be happy to recommend you to friends and family." 

Cornelia and Gero, Theobalds Park

Summer Begins!

Just a quick update before our crazy summer begins!  So far, we have been flying out to: Moxhull Hall, Warwick House, Ettington Park Hotel, Patshull Hall, Fischer's Baslow Hall, Hale Synagogue, Birmingham Council House, Matara Centre, Hogarth's Hotel, Dumbleton Hall, Blenheim Palace, Chillington Hall, Spains Hall, Ludlow Castle, Littlecote House, Curradine Barns, Slater's Country Inn, The City Rooms, Oakham Castle, Brockencote Hall, Chatsworth House, Lord Leycester Hospital, Notley Abbey, Samlesbury Hall, New Hall Hotel, Ston Easton Park, Cripps Barn, Whitley Hall, Crewe Hall, Kelmarsh Hall, Consall Hall Gardens, Mallory Court, National Motorcycle Museum, Second City Suite, Noshahi Civic Centre, Lemore Manor, Eastnor Castle, The Priest House Hotel, Lords of the Manor, Preston Marriott Hotel, Norwood Park, Hilton Manchester Deansgate Hotel, Rowton Castle, Rowton Hall Hotel, and Crockwell Farm.  




"Found you on Twitter!  Thank you for Sunday.  Our guests thought you were brilliant and you helped make our wedding perfect!"

Matt, Moxhull Hall

"Just wanted to say a massive thank you to all of you for such beautiful music.  You made it magical!  Everyone thought you were incredible.  Thanks again."

Jenny and Steve, Hale Synagogue

"Thanks to you all for the beautiful music you provided at Moxhull Hall for Rachel's wedding.  Although the weather was appalling, preventing us from going outside, we all enjoyed the day.  The pieces we asked for were all played beautifully and helped to make it a very memorable day."

David, Moxhull Hall

"Sam and I would like to thank you all for playing at our wedding.  You really were amazing and it was exactly what we wanted for our day.  I will be recommending you to our friends.  Thank you again!"

Olivia, Fischer's Baslow Hall

"Been meaning to email you for a while, to thank you all for playing at our wedding.  We were very impressed with the way you all looked and did notice that you played the music pieces that we asked for.  A lot of the guests did mention you guys to us.  Saying how lovely you looked and the music was great.  Some wanted to give you all a round of applause but did not know if that would put you off so they decided not to!  Sorry we did not get to speak to you personally.  We hoped you enjoyed playing at our wedding and we will and have recommended you to other people."

Adam and Vita

"A big thank you to you all for playing at our wedding.  Everyone commented how brilliant you were and you certainly helped to make our day as special as it was.  We certainly wouldn't hesitate in recommending you to anyone."

Helen , Ingon Manor

"We would like to say a big thank you to you and your team for a fantastic day of classy music.  They played so well and all our guests said how nice it was.  Even Take That loved it!*  You made the ceremony so special and we can't thank you enough."

Nick and Anthony, New Hall Hotel

(*Jason Orange, from Take That, was staying at New Hall Hotel and was later seen picking up a Nero String Quartet business card.  We spoke to him after our performance and he thoroughly enjoyed our music!)

"Thank you and your colleagues for playing such lovely music on Monday evening at the Botanical Gardens; many of the guests commented on it and thought that it made the pre-dinner reception a little bit more special - everyone enjoyed listening to you, so thank you!  I'll keep your details on file for future reference."

Charmaine, Birmingham Botanical Gardens

"Just wanted to say a big thank you for playing for us.  I'm sorry I wasn't able to break away from the proceedings to thank the quartet before they left.  Your music was much enjoyed by our guests and it was lovely for us that you were an important part of our day."

Dennis, Anne and Sinead, Preston Marriott

"Can I just say how wonderful the set was at Ardington House, everyone said how great the quartet was and people liked the contemporary songs being played.  I am confident that the quartet will be as received at Eynsham Hall."

Clare (Oxford Royale Academy), Ardington House

"Just wanted to say thank you for your wonderful performance at Braxted Park!  Everyone really enjoyed the music; you had great comments from all the guests I spoke to.  The music really added to the ambiance of the day!!  Thanks again."

Tanuja and Rohan, Braxted Park

"My wife and I cannot thank you enough for your performance on our wedding day.  Everybody in our party commented on how lovely you lot were and how fantastic the music was.  Please pass on our regards to the rest of the party.  Many thanks once again."

Russell and Nicola, Manor House Hotel

Mukhara - Samar Sidhu (feat. Nero String Quartet)

As promised, here is the Bollywood mix of 'Mukhara', performed by Samar Sidhu.  Watch carefully for some familiar faces!

Don't Tell the Bride!

As you can imagine, we were thrilled to receive a call from one very brave groom who had agreed to organise his entire wedding as part of the BBC series "Don't Tell the Bride".  The wedding was held at the beautiful Sandon Hall (currently standing at number one in our violinist's wedding venue wishlist!), and although the good weather was intermittent, the ceremony was truly beautiful.  The groom chose some great songs for the ceremony itself, including 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered' for the signing of the register and 'Viva la Vida' for the happy couple's exit.   We had a great day and wish David and Lucy all the happiness for the future!  The episode is due to be aired in October so keep your eyes peeled!

David and Lucy's wedding will be aired on BBC3 on Tuesday 27th September 2011 at 9pm.

Nero in the News!

Four Seasons on a summer's day

MUSICAL TREAT: A string quartet brought a touch of class to The Potteries Shopping Centre.

The group delivered four 45-minute performances to crowds of passing shoppers.

They were invited as part of a week-long series of activities designed to entertain youngsters reluctantly out for half-term shopping trips.

Each event has a woodland premise and the quartet played Vivaldi's Four Seasons in keeping with the theme.

Gemma Sneath, from the shopping centre, said: "They were well-received, especially by the older generation.

"We had a lot of nans and grandads standing around with their grandchildren to watch, which was really nice."

Visitors to the centre today can enjoy free woodland-themed face-painting while tomorrow there are craft workshops.

Picture: Mark Scott

(Article available at http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/news/Seasons-summer-s-day/article-3621245-detail/article.html)

The Month of May...

The wedding season has officially begun!  And boy, don't we know it!  We have had a super busy month shooting up and down the UK to play at some beautiful venues, both new and old.  Since our last blog, we have performed at Caswell House, Consall Gardens, Phyllis Court Club, Makeney Hall, All-England Lawn Tennis Club (Wimbledon), Nunsmere Hall Hotel, Swinfen Hall Hotel, Moxhull Hall, Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Chillington Hall, Dovecliffe Hall Hotel, New Hall Hotel, Langar Hall, Quenby Hall, Lords of the Manor, Ludlow Castle, Delbury Hall, Stapleford Park, Knowsley Hall, Rowton Castle, Curradine Barns, Peterstone Court Hotel, Tutbury Castle, Heaton House, Hogarths Hotel, Hotel du Vin, Birmingham, Wroxall Abbey, Mallory Court and Blake Hall. 

Yet again we have been filming too!  St Alban's Church in Digbeth were kind enough to let us use their church once again as the stunning setting for some more of our videos.  You can access all our videos on youtube, but here's a preview...

It was lights, camera, action once again, this time in a not so glamorous setting - a derelict rooftop in Sheffield!  We spent a Sunday evening being blown about, the wind in our hair, for a Bollywood music video.  It was great fun, but sadly, that's all we can say for now - stay tuned for the final product. 

As always, we have had another shipment of great new music including Alejandro (Lady Gaga), Just The Way You Are (Bruno Mars), Time After Time (Cindi Lauper), Love Song (The Cure), Love Will Tear Us Apart (Joy Division), Come On Eileen (Dexy's Midnight Runners), Energy 52 (Cafe Del Mar), Paradise City (Guns 'n' Roses), I'm Yours (Jason Mraz), One (Metallica) and Isn't She Lovely (Stevie Wonder), to name but a few!  Have a look at our repertoire page for the full list.

We'd like to give mention to a great local supplier we met this month too, bespoke film-makers Shutterbox.  Based in the West Midlands, Shutterbox began back in 2009 and their work is quite simply fantastic.  We were privileged enough to be captured on Shutterbox's beautiful video of Werner and Kirsty's wedding at Moxhull Hall this May.  Check out their amazing video trailer below!

"We just wanted to write and say thank you so much for playing at our wedding recently.   You were absolutely amazing and you created exactly the atmosphere that we were hoping for on the day... You created a real sense of occasion during the ceremony, and then at the drinks reception, it was very relaxed and people were really having a good time listening to you.  


You are one of the parts of our wedding which we have received most compliments on from our friends and family who were at the wedding.  I think the metal people in particular were very impressed with your choice of songs and really enjoyed trying to guess what each of the songs was.  Anyway, thank you once again, and we will definitely be recommending you to any of our friends who are getting married in the area.  We wish you all the best for the future."

Kirsty and Werner, Moxhull Hall

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"Hi girls, just wanted to say a massive thank you for playing at my wedding yesterday.  You really were the highlight of my day.  Just wish I could have sat down and listened to you the whole time you were playing.  Everyone commented on how fantastic you were and we all felt a little bit empty when we realised you'd slipped away.  Thank you again.  Your recordings on youtube and samples on your website really are NOTHING compared to the real thing."

Sushma, Swinfen Hall

"Thank you for performing at our wedding last week, you sounded amazing and all the guests really enjoyed the music too."

Emma, Tutbury Castle

"Just a short note to thank yourself and Nero Strings for performing so well at my party last night.  Everyone remarked about the quality and professionalism of your performance.  Thank you once again."

Neil, Dovecliffe Hotel

"I would like to say thank you for the music you provided at our wedding on Sunday.  All of our guests complimented your performance and how modern the songs were.  We were so impressed with your professionalism and how organised your performances were as well.  Thank you so much for making our day that extra bit special.  Many thanks."

Dan and Jen, Moxhull Hall

"Just wanted to say thank you for playing so beautifully at our wedding on the 7th at Phyllis Court.  I hope you had a good day.  I've had lots of comments, my family really enjoyed your music.  Good luck with all that you do.  I'll be sure to recommend you to my friends!"

Debbie, Phyllis Court

"I just wanted to say a big thank you for everything.  You were all amazing!  I am sorry I didn't get to talk to you on the day, everything went so fast and I was grabbed by the photographer before I could talk.  I will definitely recommend you."

Amy, Alvechurch

"Thanks so much for playing at our wedding at Moxhull!  You were brilliant!  Loved it, loved it, loved it!"

El and Andy, Moxhull Hall

"Hi, thanks for playing at our wedding last weekend - you were brilliant!"

Jonathan and Joanne, Wroxall Abbey

"Many thanks for contributing to what was truly a memorable day for us all.  Your music helped to create the atmosphere we so wished to produce.  Many of our visitors expressed their delight, especially in the performance with Penelope in the church.  We shall be recommending you to all our friends."

Ann, Luntley Court

"Hi, I just wanted to say a big thank you for performing at our wedding.  All of our guests commented on how amazing you were and how surprised they were that you could play Bollywood songs.  You all performed beautifully on the day and really added to the relaxed atmosphere I was aiming for.  You all looked fabulous in your sarees, I understand they were probably not the most comfortable clothes to wear, but you looked fantastic.  You were definitely one of the highlights of the day.  I can't thank you enough for making the day so memorable.  Thank you so much again!"

Shabna and Foizul, Highbury Hall

Stepping into Spring!

What a glorious Spring we're having!  And not just the weather!  We've been busy again, starting the off with a recital at St Mary's Hospice, Birmingham and a short filming session shot at St Alban's Church in Digbeth.  Here's a peek at one of our new videos...

We have been travelling a lot, playing at weddings and parties all over the UK, and here are some of the places we've enjoyed so far this year:  Kilworth House, Boreham House, Weston Hall, Dunchurch Park, Notley Abbey, Moxhull Hall, Hampton Manor, Dumbleton Hall, Rowton Castle, Hagley Hall, Curradine Barns, New Hall Hotel, Holdsworth House, Hogarths Hotel, Oak Farm Hotel, Staunton Harold Hall, Ettington Park Hotel, Sheffield Park Hotel, Packington Moor Farm, Nailcote Hall, Alveston Manor Hotel, Stone Manor Hotel, Eastington Hall, Somerford Hall, Tower Ballroom, Wroxall Abbey, Nunsmere Hall, Warwick House, University Arms Hotel, Woodlands Bed and Breakfast, Northbrook Park, Chesford Grange, Caswell House and Hotel du Vin, Birmingham.  

Wimbledon also came early for us this year.  The Nero String Quartet were invited down to the Millenium Building to entertain the members of the All-England Lawn Tennis Club in their celebration of Wimbledon's 125th year.  

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"I just wanted to say thank-you so much for Sunday. You both played beautifully and although we weren't around too much as we were kept busy, we absolutely loved what we heard! Our guests did too and we had loads of great feedback. It really set a great atmosphere and was a real highlight for us!" Natalie and James,  Ettington Park Hotel "Hi Stella and co, just wanted to say a massive thank you again for Sunday - people told me they really enjoyed the session!  Thanks once again and all the best." Varun and Jas, Chesford Grange "Just a short note to say thank you so much for organising the string quartet for us, and for their doing such a fabulous job at our wedding at Nunsmere Hall.  They were everything we had hoped for, and everyone has commented to us about how lovely they thought the music was.  We are very grateful to you and to the girls for all that you did to make things run smoothly.  We had a wonderful day.  Thanks again." Andrea and Chris, Nunsmere Hall "Just wanted to say thanks for playing at my wedding in April - you were absolutely fantastic, one of the real highlights for me.  All of my guests were very impressed and are still talking about how good you were now!  Thanks again." Lauren, Kilworth House "I just wanted to drop you a quick note to formally say 'thank-you' for playing at our wedding at Ettington Park.  Having returned from our honeymoon and had a chance to catch up with people, everyone made mention of the music.  Quite simply, you were awesome!  We're so pleased we went with just contemporary tunes, because it added a completely different dimension - and provided guests with the impromptu pop quiz we had hoped for.  In fact it sounded so good that I reckon some of the older guests might not have realised they were listening to Nirvana or Snow Patrol as opposed to something from Classic FM!  We only wish we could have recorded the entire set to listen to again, or even better do it all over again tomorrow!  We would certainly recommend you to anyone, and please feel free to use us on the testimonials page on your website.  Thank-you once again, and we'll hopefully see you again soon." Darren and Jo, Ettington Park Hotel "You played at my wedding in April and just wanted to send you my appreciation.  Unfortunately, as I was here, there and everywhere I wasn't able to sit and listen to you.  You did make me cry walking down the aisle with Pachabel's Canon though, but I have heard only positive feedback about you.  Everyone enjoyed it.  Keep up the good work and I will be recommending you to everyone I know.  Thanks again for making our wedding day so special." Jenny and Thomas, Dunchurch Park "Both Vanessa and myself wanted to thank you all for playing at our wedding in Netherseal and Tamworth at the Castle Hotel.  The music was amazing and very professional.  Everyone commented it and loved the little "concert" prior to the wedding, it really added a touch of class to the day.  You are all amazing musicians.  Thanks again." Ian and Vanessa, Tamworth Castle Hotel "We just wanted to say a huge thank you for playing at our wedding.  The music was lovely, and especially poignant when I walked down the aisle!  Lots of our friends and family have commented on how nice it was to have a string quartet playing in the Cathedral and then for the arrival drinks - with one person especially commenting that anyone that can play Lady Gaga on a violin is especially talented!  Thank you again for helping to make our day so special for us." Mandy and Darren, Wroxall Abbey "We wanted to say a huge thank you to all of you for the amazing performance you gave on our wedding day.  The music was absolutely beautiful and really in keeping with the wedding - to have Pachabel's Canon performed live as I walked up the aisle was something I've always wanted and will always remember.  The guests also commented on how good you were and also how smart you looked.  Despite not really getting an opportunity to speak to you on the day, I noticed that you moved to wherever the guests were congregating which involved you having to sit outside at one point - thank you so much for doing this, we really did appreciate it.  We will happily recommend you to others." Emma and Mark, Ansty Hall "We just wanted to say a massive thank you for playing on our big day!  We have had so many guests comment on how fantastic the music was.  Thank you again." Clare and Craig, Dumbleton Hall

St Mary's Hospice, Selly Oak

On the morning of Monday 4th April 2011, we travelled over to Selly Oak to play a private recital for the day patients at St Mary's Hospice.  

We performed an hour long programme, kicking off with some well-known classical pieces, such as Vivaldi's Spring and Elgar's beautiful Chanson de Matin, before an easy-listening second half, which included some timeless classics like George Gershwin's Embraceable You and Henry Mancini's Moon River.  

To accompany the recital, we provided a collection of listening activities to stimulate the mind.  It was truly lovely to hear what thoughts and memories had been triggered by our short concert.  For example, Waltz of the Flowers and Spring provoked thoughts of "Ladies in ballgowns dancing in a grand ballroom with their partners" and "Walking through green fields", and the second half of our programme reminded one listener of "Happy times and happy memories".

It was a real delight for us to perform for the patients at St Mary's Hospice and for more information of the great work they do please see their website http://www.bsmh.org.uk/.

Kuwait 2011

In January, the Nero String Quartet jetted off to Kuwait to take part in the 17th Qurain festival, a cultural festival held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. 

The concert took place at Abdul Aziz Hussein Theatre, Mishref on 18th of January.  Our programme included excerpts from Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Dvorak's American String Quartet, Mozart's The Hunt and Tchaikovsky's Waltz of the Flowers.  Prior to going onstage, we were interviewed by local press and had some photographs taken.  The concert was a sell-out, and judging by videos taken during our performance, it was enjoyed by all.  On some recordings, it is possible to hear the audience clapping and singing along!  We really enjoyed the show and our hard work definitely paid off.  Straight after the concert, we were swept away to a private reception where we were treated to a delicious banquet and cool mango smoothies.  Unfortunately, we could not stay for too long as we had a very early start the next day.

At 6am, the following morning, we were having breakfast in ballgowns and full stage make-up ready for our appearance on Good Morning Kuwait.  Luckily, the television studio was not too far from the hotel we were staying and when we arrived, we were given strong tea (thank goodness!) and suddenly, we were on set! We met the presenter of the show who immediately made us feel most welcome.  The set was great, our backdrop was a tropical beach!  We had a GREAT time on the show, playing three times in total, and we are extremely excited by the international enquiries we have received since our Middle-Eastern trip!

March!

What an incredible month it's been!  We've been all over this month, visiting old favourites of ours: Rowton Castle, Prestwold Hall, Dunchurch Park Hotel, Moxhull Hall and Ettington Park Hotel.  We have revisited some truly gorgeous venues: Ansty Hall, Nunsmere Hall, Newton Park Hotel, Ettington Chase, Eastnor Castle and Hampton Manor, and also visited some venues for the first time, such as: The Merchant Taylor's Hall in London and The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Liverpool.

We have also been busy with even more new repertoire!  Feeling Good (Nina Simone), It Must Be Love (Madness), Bad Romance (Lady Gaga), Kashmir (Led Zeppelin), May It Be (Enya), Take My Breath Away (Berlin), The Wonder Of You (Elvis), I Think We're Alone Now (Tiffany), Isn't She Lovely (Stevie Wonder), Like A Prayer (Madonna), One (Metallica), Teenage Wasteland (The Who) and She's Always A Woman (Billy Joel).  Phew!  We have been having some seriously fun rehearsals with all the new music!

Talking of serious fun, we have just had a photo shoot!  We are currently busy assembling some new publicity material, but here's a preview taken at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.

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"Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, we have just returned form our honey moon. Just wanted to say how much we loved the trio at our wedding, especially in the pavilion. A few of our guests said how it felt like they were on the titanic! The music, food ect was just perfect. Our day was wonderful, so thanks for being part of that.  Thanks for playing at our wedding, the day was just magical :)"

    Natalie, New Hall Hotel 

"Just a quick email to say how beautiful the music was for our day. I'm really sorry we didnt get to speak to you (the day went by in a blur!). The music was simply stunning and made our day perfect. All our guests commented on how it made both the ceremony and time afterwards feel so relaxed. I will, without question be recommending you to anyone who asks and if we can leave a comment on the website we will do so. Thanks once again and maybe we will meet again at a friend or relatives wedding!"

 Anthony and Alex, Curradine Barns

 "Now back at my desk I just wanted to say thank you very much for Nero's performance during our evening at Ettington Chase on Wednesday.  I'm sorry I missed the opportunity to say this in person on the night!  So, please take this as the round of applause you would have received for the beautiful music you played throughout."

Janis, Ettington Chase

"I was so pleased with the service that I received from the Nero String Quartet for our wedding - I loved the fact that you really listened to what we wanted, and were really accommodating.  I got so many compliments from the guests - your performance was flawless and I couldn't have been happier.  I especially loved you accompanying our hymns, and the fact that you'd learnt them specifically for our day.  I genuinely wouldn't hesitate in recommending you to anyone, and will certainly be contacting you again if we ever arrange any other events.  Thank you for everything!" 

Mrs Pip Fanning, Dunchurch Park

 "We're now back from honeymoon so I thought I'd drop you a quick e-mail to pass on our thanks to the quartet for the work you did for us on our wedding day.  We received many postitive comments from our guests and we were also very impressed by the quality of your work and the atmosphere that the quartet created at both the church and wedding breakfast. It was certainly money well spent and contributed to what was a great day.Thanks again and all the best."

 Matt, Crowne Plaza Liverpool

"I wanted to say thank you for playing at our wedding. I'm looking forward to seeing the recording of you as I was so nervous I blocked everything out. My husband said how good you were and really set the mood."

Danielle, Prestwold Hall

The Designer Vintage Bridal Show

The Designer Vintage Bridal Show took place in February and was most definitely a highlight for us.  Located at the lovely Highbury Hall in Moseley, it was strewn with vintage glamour!  We saw dresses to DIE for by Jenni Packham, Tobi Hannah, Lindsay Fleming and Kate Edmondson, we met some really great suppliers like: Lorna Roberts Photography, image consultant Emily Jane, photographers Liezl Croft and James Crockford, and our personal favourite (the lovely, scrumptious lemon cake they gave us has something to do with that...) Caroline's Cake Company.  Yum.

There was so much to see!  On the way in, we met Audrey, a beautiful vintage caravan supplied by Vintage Glamour Days which can be hired to serve drinks (our cellist is definitely going to have one at her wedding!), we were serenaded by vintage tunes courtesy of Sugarfoot Stomp and we literally had to tear our violinst/magpie away from the gorgeous accessories at Laurel Lime!

We had a great weekend at the fayre.  If you are interested in future Designer Vintage Bridal events, you can sign up to receive the newsletter at the website.