{"id":250,"date":"2023-11-20T12:14:26","date_gmt":"2023-11-20T20:14:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/harpistanneroos.com\/blog\/?p=250"},"modified":"2026-01-04T02:10:31","modified_gmt":"2026-01-04T10:10:31","slug":"music-for-the-coolest-party","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harpistanneroos.com\/blog\/music-for-the-coolest-party\/","title":{"rendered":"Music for the Coolest Party"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>The unexpected makes a party memorable. Guests talk about it for months afterwards around the water cooler and for years afterwards at family get-togethers. My Aunt Dorothy fell into the pool, fully clothed, at a backyard party, but that\u2019s not the kind of surprise I\u2019m hinting at\u2026Of course, I\u2019m talking about the music! <\/strong><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_252\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-252\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-252 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/harpistanneroos.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/220px-Elizabeth_I_Rainbow_Portrait-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Queen Elizabeth I\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-252\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Queen Elizabeth I in ruffled collar (Source: Wikipedia, &#8220;The Rainbow Portrait&#8221; c.1600)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Coming up with something new and inventive every year can be a struggle, so I\u2019ve got <\/strong><strong>examples to get your imagination going\u2026.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>The winter Christmas party<\/strong> doesn\u2019t need to be run-of-the-mill. I\u2019ve donned the Elizabethan Renaissance-period costume, complete with the ruffled collar and hoop skirt, and played old English holiday music. Guests munched on finger foods, including turkey legs reminiscent of a feast thrown by King Henry VIII (but guests didn\u2019t toss the bones over their shoulders and an indoor bonfire was absent):<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Charles Laughton - &quot;Henry VIII&quot; - Banquet Scene\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ik267JP4kT0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>Not fanciful enough for you?<\/strong> How about the harpist making an appearance as an angel? I\u2019ve donned angel wings. The darned things fit uncomfortably and shed white feathers as I play, but watching the delight unfold on guests\u2019 faces was well worth my discomfort.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Here\u2019s the key: <\/strong>Shift away from the ordinary. Let the music, the food, and the visual design of your event revolve around your well-crafted central theme.<\/p>\n<p>Of course include traditions, such as your mom\u2019s pumpkin pie recipe that includes that hint of bourbon. Without staples that your guests expect, your party could disappoint a few people. Just throw in a little unexpected whimsy so that everyone will be eager to see what you&#8217;ve got up your sleeves for next year.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Do you get burnt out on hearing the same old holiday music?<\/strong> Change it up with selections from <em>How the Grinch Stole Christmas<\/em> and the \u201cChipmunk Christmas Song\u201d. A bit of \u201cSweet Child O\u2019 Mine\u201d by Guns \u2018n Roses played in between all the fa-la-la music staples will certainly make\u00a0 guests notice the music. They\u2019ll wonder, \u201cWhat\u2019s she going to play next?\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>The only rules about creating the party music playlist are rules of your own making.<\/strong> Mix and match with the theme, or even encourage your guests to make music requests on-the-spot, at the party.<\/p>\n<p>Take my recent performance for the <span style=\"color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nace.org\/home.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">National Association for Catering and Events (NACE)<\/span><\/a> <\/span>Impact Awards. This annual black tie event honors individuals who make a positive impact on local communities. As the name of this event suggests, every bit of the celebration aims at making an \u201cimpact\u201d on the guests.<\/p>\n<p>Kate Patay of <a href=\"http:\/\/katepatay.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Patay Consulting<\/span><\/a>, invited me to perform on a balloon-festooned stage with the instructions to, \u201cSurprise the guests.\u201d I knew a number of the attendees and played their favorites&#8211;They lit up and applauded, even during the silent auction.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"&quot;I Say a Little Prayer&quot;--Harpist Anne Roos Performs at the Impact Awards\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DIT6wpt0gw0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_256\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-256\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-256 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/harpistanneroos.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/screenshot_1119-150x150.png\" alt=\"Red Porsche Boxster\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/harpistanneroos.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/screenshot_1119-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/harpistanneroos.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/screenshot_1119-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/harpistanneroos.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/screenshot_1119-550x550.png 550w, https:\/\/harpistanneroos.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/screenshot_1119.png 565w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-256\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rolling the Porsche Boxster Silent Auction Prize into <span style=\"color: #000000;\">the<\/span> Ballroom<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The entire evening was about going \u201coutside the box\u201d to wow the guests. The music had to stand up alongside the grand prize item in the silent auction: a cherry-red Porsche Boxster (I still can\u2019t figure out how they rolled that thing onto the ballroom floor of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.silverlegacyreno.com\/?campaign=%28B%29+Brand+Pure+-+US+Geo+-+Exact&amp;keyword=p27735428227&amp;utm_source=bing&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=(B)%20Brand%20Pure%20-%20US%20Geo%20-%20Exact&amp;utm_term=silver%20legacy%20reno&amp;utm_content=Brand%20Pure%20(geo)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Silver Legacy Hotel<\/span><\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>Your party plans need not be so grand. Who says you must invite hundreds to create the best memories?<\/p>\n<p><strong>The most memorable party\u2014The <a href=\"https:\/\/harpistanneroos.com\/Proposals.shtml\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">wedding proposal<\/span><\/a> for a party of two\u2014is the most endearing when set to just the right music. <\/strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/results?search_query=over-the-top+wedding+proposals\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Elaborate wedding proposals<\/span><\/a><\/span> are not necessarily the rule. You don\u2019t need to be over-the-top to <a href=\"https:\/\/harpistanneroos.com\/Proposals.shtml\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">guarantee a \u201cYes!\u201d<\/span><\/a> during the holiday season. All you need is sweet romance.<\/p>\n<p>Select the music that your intended loves, the music that pulls at the heart, and you\u2019ve got it nailed. Doesn\u2019t matter where you pop the question\u2014In a restaurant where the ring sits atop the dessert or in a castle turret at a Napa winery\u2014The harp music ties it all together.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Cool music is memorable music.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>I hope I ignited your imagination or brought back memories of the best party you\u2019ve ever thrown or attended. Here\u2019s my invitation: <\/strong>Help out party hosts that are saying \u201cBah Humbug!\u201d to the party season.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Comment below to share your party advice. Transport us to the land of fun music interwoven with the theme, menu, and decor, and my <span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u201cBlue Jeans &amp; Velvet\u201d CD<\/span>, filled with romantic standards, is yours.<\/strong> It creates the perfect background for winding down after your holiday festivities or to set the tone for a holiday proposal. (You\u2019ll receive the physical CD if you reside in the continental U.S., and a digital download if you live elsewhere).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Hosts are planning their end-of-the-year shindigs and need your\u00a0 suggestions right away for their upcoming parties. <\/strong>So, I\u2019ll close these comments by December 15<sup>th\u00a0 <\/sup><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The unexpected makes a party memorable. Guests talk about it for months afterwards around the water cooler and for years afterwards at family get-togethers. My Aunt Dorothy fell into the pool, fully clothed, at a backyard party, but that\u2019s not the kind of surprise I\u2019m hinting at\u2026Of course, I\u2019m talking about the music! Coming up [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":264,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[45,43,42,44,48,50,47,49,46],"class_list":["post-250","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-black-tie","tag-cool-music","tag-cool-parties","tag-coolest-party","tag-corporate-events","tag-holiday-party-ideas","tag-marriage-proposals","tag-party-for-two","tag-proposal"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/harpistanneroos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/250","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/harpistanneroos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/harpistanneroos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harpistanneroos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harpistanneroos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=250"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/harpistanneroos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/250\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":702,"href":"https:\/\/harpistanneroos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/250\/revisions\/702"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harpistanneroos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/264"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/harpistanneroos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=250"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harpistanneroos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=250"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harpistanneroos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=250"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}