Dave Milliken  •  Wedding Singer and Guitarist

Contemporary and classical music for weddings and events in the Ottawa area

 

milliken@sympatico.ca          613-247-1402          www.davemilliken.com

 

Intro   •   Testimonials   •   Listen   •   Rates   •   Repertoire   •   FAQs   •   Photos

 

Dave Milliken hunkering with his Yamaha acoustic guitar
Photo by Gordon Metcalfe

 

 

Introduction

Live music adds wonderful ambiance to a wedding ceremony.
More and more couples are choosing contemporary music for their ceremonies. After all, your wedding is your special day and you can choose music that means something to you. I can sing your favorite song while I accompany myself on guitar or I can arrange the song as an instrumental piece for solo guitar. Here are a few songs that I have recently performed at weddings:

Forever - Ben Harper

Here, There And Everywhere - The Beatles

You're My Best Friend - Queen

Ice Cream - Sarah McLachlan

Thank You - Led Zeppelin

See my complete repertoire below. I will be happy to try to fulfil any requests you might have.

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Testimonials

Weddings

"Your musicianship and professionalism framed our wedding ceremony beautifully. Our guests raved about how excellent the music was. You are very talented. We want to thank you again for enhancing our special day, especially on such short notice."
         - Sean & April Coleman, March 21, 2008

"We were both pleased with the music you played and we had lots of great comments from the guests on your selections. Thank you again for being part of our special day."
         - Melissa Davenport & Stephanie Small, September 1, 2007

"I wanted to thank you again for the amazing job. We had many compliments on the beautiful arrangements you did!"
         - Natalie Matula & Peter Kelly, May 5, 2007

"I just wanted to thank you so much for the wonderful job you did at our wedding - you were great. The music and songs you did were perfect and just what I had wanted."
         - Joanne & Sean Lyons, April 28, 2007

"We wanted to let you know that you did an incredible performance on Sunday! Your playing/singing was beautiful and we were super pleased with the music at our wedding ceremony."
         - Sari Markel & Dan Ting, August 6, 2006

"We simply cannot tell you how meaningful that song was for all of us, and truly stands out as a moment in time we won't ever forget as a family.  You were so easy to work with, and we felt 100% confident with you and your experience.  You helped make a perfect day even more memorable and extremely personally meaningful."
         - Annmarie & Ruari Long, June 25, 2006

"I wanted to tell you that we were absolutely thrilled with your playing. We had several comments from the guests about how wonderful the ceremony music was and everyone was very impressed. Thanks again for everything! Please feel free to use us as a reference, we will definitely recommend you to others!!"
         - Rosemary Quirouette & Steve Morse, August 19, 2005

Events

"It was wonderful to have you with us.  People really enjoyed your music and singing.  Thank you for contributing to the success of the art show."
         - Phil Emond, Gordon Harrison Art Show, June 2 & 3, 2007

"It was truly a pleasure to have you join us at the Wakefield Mill.  Your musical talent, professionalism, and easy-going nature put the evening over the top!"
         - Keely Hachey, MD Financial, April 19, 2007

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Listen

Contemporary Vocal Music

Ice Cream, written by Sarah McLachlan

Harvest Moon, written by Neil Young

Thank You , written by Jimmy Page & Robert Plant

Lost Together, written by Greg Keelor & Jim Cuddy

Contemporary and Folk Guitar Music

Here Comes The Sun, written by George Harrison

Si Bheag Si Mhor, written by Turlough O'Carolan

Hey Hey, written by Big Bill Broonzy

Classical Guitar Music

Prelude (from Cello Suite No. 1), written by J. S. Bach

Lady Laiton's Almain, written by John Dowland

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Rates

For a wedding ceremony in Ottawa, my fee is $170. This includes prelude music for fifteen minutes as guests are arriving, as well as any pieces that you would like during the ceremony. For additional music before or after the ceremony, I charge $50 per hour. If the wedding is outside Ottawa, there may be an additional fee to cover travel time.

To book the music for your wedding ceremony, I ask for a cheque for half the amount and a post-dated cheque for the remainder at the time of booking.

I am also available to perform at corporate events and parties. For an event in Ottawa, my fee is $160 for the first hour and $50 for each additional hour.

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Repertoire

Contemporary Vocal Music

The following songs are great choices for a ceremony because of their lyrics. To see a full list of the songs I sing, click here.

To see the lyrics for any of the songs listed below, click on the word in the third column.

SONG ARTIST LYRICS
Bridge Over Troubled Water Simon and Garfunkel lyrics
Forever Ben Harper lyrics
Happy Together The Turtles lyrics
Harvest Moon Neil Young lyrics
Here Comes The Sun The Beatles lyrics
Here, There And Everywhere The Beatles lyrics
I Will Be Here Steven Curtis Chapman lyrics
I'll Be Edwin McCain lyrics
Ice Cream Sarah McLachlan lyrics
Imagine John Lennon lyrics
In My Life The Beatles lyrics
Lost Together Blue Rodeo lyrics
Thank You Led Zeppelin lyrics
What A Wonderful World Louis Armstrong lyrics
You're My Best Friend Queen lyrics
You've Got A Friend James Taylor lyrics

 

Contemporary and Folk Guitar Music

SONG ARTIST OR COMPOSER GENRE
Hey Hey Eric Clapton/Big Bill Broonzy Blues
Boom Boom John Lee Hooker Blues
Mary Had a Little Lamb Stevie Ray Vaughan Blues
Pride and Joy Stevie Ray Vaughan Blues
Fanny Powers O'Carolan, Turlough Celtic
Si Bheag Si Mhor O'Carolan, Turlough Celtic
Banks of Newfoundland Traditional Celtic
Hot Dog Led Zeppelin Country
St. Louis Tickle Bennett, Theron Catlan Country Blues
Freight Train Libba Cotten Country Blues
Make Me A Pallet Mississippi John Hurt Country Blues
Stack O'Lee Blues Mississippi John Hurt Country Blues
Buckdancer's Choice Sam McGee Country Blues
Mediterranean Sundance Al DiMeola Flamenco
Alegrias Traditional Flamenco
Farruca Traditional Flamenco
Guajiras Traditional Flamenco
Peteneras Traditional Flamenco
Sevillanas Traditional Flamenco
Soleares Traditional Flamenco
Alice's Restaurant Arlo Guthrie Folk
First Ride Don Ross Folk
Lucy Watusi Don Ross Folk
Busted Down Around O'Connelly Corners Doobie Brothers Folk
Horizons Genesis Folk
Dust in the Wind Kansas Folk
Black Mountain Side Led Zeppelin Folk
Bron-yr-aur Led Zeppelin Folk
Friends Led Zeppelin Folk
Classical Gas Mason Williams Folk
After the Gold Rush Neil Young Folk
Mood for a Day Yes Folk
Her Favorite Song Larry Carlton Jazz
Lenny Stevie Ray Vaughan Jazz
Dream On Aerosmith Rock
Blackbird The Beatles Rock
Here Comes The Sun The Beatles Rock
Signe Eric Clapton Rock
Never Going Back Again Fleetwood Mac Rock
Come On Jimi Hendrix Rock
Little Wing Jimi Hendrix Rock
Over the Hills and Far Away Led Zeppelin Rock
Rain Song Led Zeppelin Rock
Stairway to Heaven Led Zeppelin Rock
Nothing Else Matters Metallica Rock
Goodbye Blue Sky Pink Floyd Rock
Is There Anybody Out There? Pink Floyd Rock
No Memory Stone Temple Pilots Rock
Sparks The Who Rock
Malagueña Traditional Spanish
Moorish Dance Traditional Spanish

 

Classical Guitar Music

PIECE COMPOSER
Balleto Anonymous
Dove Son Quei Fieri Occhi Anonymous
Kemp's Jig Anonymous
Minuet in G Major Anonymous
Pezzo Tedesco Anonymous
Romance Anonymous
Sarabande Anonymous
Wilson's Wilde Anonymous
Solitudine Anzaghi, L. O.
Tempi Lontani Anzaghi, L. O.
Bourrée (from Lute Suite No. 1, BWV 996) Bach, J. S.
Prelude (from Cello Suite No. 1, BWV 1007) Bach, J. S.
Estudio Sencillo 1 Brouwer, Leo
Estudio Sencillo 2 Brouwer, Leo
Estudio Sencillo 3 Brouwer, Leo
Estudio Sencillo 4 Brouwer, Leo
Estudio Sencillo 5 Brouwer, Leo
Etude in A Major Carcassi, Matteo
Study (Op. 60, No. 9) Carcassi, Matteo
Allegretto (Op. 241) Carulli, Ferdinando
Andante (Op. 241) Carulli, Ferdinando
Etude in A Minor Carulli, Ferdinando
Rondo (Op. 241) Carulli, Ferdinando
Waltz Carulli, Ferdinando
Greensleeves Cutting, Francis
Toy Cutting, Francis
Andante cantabile (Op. 89, No. 6) Diabelli, Antonio
Minuetto Diabelli, Antonio
Almain (Poulton 49) Dowland, John
Galliard "Can She Excuse (Poulton 42) Dowland, John
Lady Laiton's Almain (Poulton 48) Dowland, John
Mrs. Winter's Jump (Poulton 55) Dowland, John
Round Battle Galliard Dowland, John
Vivace Falckenhagen, Adam
El Amable Ferrer, José
Andante Espressivo (Op. 40, No. 7) Giuliani, Mauro
Andantino (Op. 50, No. 21) Giuliani, Mauro
Grazioso (Op. 50, No. 23) Giuliani, Mauro
Air from Suite No. 5, The Harmonious Blacksmith Handel, George Frideric
Alman Johnson, Robert
Aria Logy, Johann Anton
Sarabande Logy, Johann Anton
Pavan Milan, Luis
Allegro (K. 3) Mozart, W. A.
Der Fuggerin Tanz Neusidler, Melchior
Minuetto Paganini, Niccolò
Canarios Sanz, Gaspar
Españoleta Sanz, Gaspar
Gallarda Sanz, Gaspar
Pavane in D Minor Sanz, Gaspar
Allegro Scarlatti, Domenico
Choros Semenzato, Domingos
Study in B Minor (Op. 35, No. 22) Sor, Fernando
Lesson (Op. 31, No. 4) Sor, Fernando
Study (Op. 35, No. 13) Sor, Fernando
Study (Op. 35, No. 17) Sor, Fernando
Waltz (Op. 2, No. 2) Sor, Fernando
Adelita (Mazurka) Tárrega, Francisco
Làgrima (Prelude) Tárrega, Francisco
Study (T.I. ii-26) Tárrega, Francisco
Sonnet Valderrábano, Enriquez de
Minuetto Visée, Robert de
Sarabande Visée, Robert de

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FAQs

Where can I have music in my wedding ceremony?

What if the song isn't the right length for the processional or the signing?

How did you become a wedding singer?

 

Where can I have music in my wedding ceremony?

Anywhere you like! But the most common places are:

Prelude - as guests start to arrive, usually about 15 minutes before the wedding ceremony is scheduled to begin.

Processional - as the bride walks down the aisle. This can be one piece of music for the entire processional (including ring bearer, flower girl, bridesmaids and bride) or two pieces (a separate piece for the bride).

Between readings.

During the lighting of a unity candle.

Signing of the registry - there may be time for two pieces here.

Recessional - as the bride and groom walk back down the aisle together at the end of the ceremony.

Postlude - as the guests are milling about at the end of the ceremony and pictures are being taken.

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What if the song isn't the right length for the processional or the signing?

I can adjust the length of the song as I am playing it by repeating or skipping verses and I can create an ending at many different places in the song in order to make it end at the right time. If you would like to hear the whole song even if it is not finished by the end of the processional or signing, just let me (and the officiant) know ahead of time.

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How did you become a wedding singer?

I have been singing for many years in bars and clubs around Ottawa and beyond, both solo acoustic guitar shows and with many different bands in which I also played guitar or bass. Throughout this time, my alter ego was playing classical guitar at weddings with a flutist in Duo Capriccio. In the last few years, I have received more and more requests to sing contemporary songs at weddings, so here I am!

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Photos

Dave playing classical guitar
at the weddding ceremony of Melissa Davenport & Stephanie Small
at Strathmere, North Gower ON, September 1, 2007

 

Dave providing classical background music
before the weddding ceremony of Joanne & Sean Lyons
at Olde Virginia Manor, Manotick ON, April 28, 2007

 

Dave singing and playing during the cocktail hour
following the weddding ceremony of Joanne & Sean Lyons
at Olde Virginia Manor, Manotick ON, April 28, 2007

 

Dave Milliken with his Hirade classical guitar

 

Dave Milliken          milliken@sympatico.ca          613-247-1402