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What is a pianist?

Pianists are solo, usually expert, performers who play the piano. One of the most versatile of entertainers, pianists can perform a wide range of music from pop, jazz, and swing, to rock, show tunes, and classical, and sometimes accompany other musicians and vocalists.

Expert live piano players, our musicians can provide an array of sophisticated melodies for your corporate event, romantic refrains for weddings, and tasteful background music for cocktail parties or receptions.

Depending on the occasion, pianists can work from an iPad, from sheet music, or from memory.

What music will a Pianist play?

With the ability to turn their fingers to almost any style of music, our pianists offer a wide selection of tunes from every genre in their repertoire. Whatever tone you’d like to set at your exclusive private event, a professional pianist will have the perfect music to fit. You can expect music from artists including:

Popular types of Pianists

1. Solo Pianists

Covering a range of musical styles, our solo pianists can create an intimate and relaxed vibe or set a big, formal atmosphere. Solo pianists mostly play alone, but on occasion can accompany other musicians or singers. Artists might cover songs ranging from Adele to Bach, Harry Connick Junior to Disney classics.

2. Solo Singer-Pianists

Again, both male and female solo singer-pianists are captivating performers that can sing along when they’re playing the piano. Their repertoires are varied, covering classical masterpieces to smooth, chilled jazz, swing and exciting boogie-woogie and soul, as well as classic and contemporary popular hits – their acts offer something for everyone.

Where in the UK do Alive Pianists perform?

Pianists are regularly booked for a range of events and locations across the UK and internationally – for weddings, corporate events, private parties, venues, festivals, and more. The most popular locations include:

Is a Pianist suitable for my event?

With such a varied selection of repertoire and styles on offer, solo pianists and singer-pianists are a very flexible entertainment option. They can set an atmosphere that’s unique, be it a cool and laid-back vibe, a formal ambience, or anything in-between.

Pianists often perform background music for daytime and early evening events, at occasions such as:

Our ivory-tinklers can provide beautiful love songs for a wedding ceremony and for that special first dance, and their music can exude an irresistibly refined vibe for your drinks reception or wedding breakfast.

Pianists are also a great option for corporate events and sophisticated cocktail parties.

How much does a Pianist cost?

The cost of a solo pianist varies widely, anything from £130 to over £600. This large range is mainly down to younger, newer musicians eager to build up their experience and charging less, compared with the reputation of well-established and often very busy pianists, who can command higher fees.

In 2017, the average price of a solo pianist is around £300. You can expect to pay more for a singer-pianists.

This table shows the range of fees for different types of pianists:

Booking a pianist who lives close to your venue location is one way to control costs, as their travel time will be minimised. The home town location of all Alive Network pianists are shown on their profile pages, and your Entertainment Coordinator can help by recommending the best pianist local to your event.

Who are the top 10 best Pianists in the UK right now?

Below is our current hotlist of the most notable pianists in the UK, based on a balance of popularity, performance quality and innovation:

For a list of Alive's most booked professional pianists right now, see our 'Top 10 Pianists For Hire in 2017' article

How long will a Pianist play for?

A standard performance may include two 45- or 60-minute sets, but you can choose to have three 40-minute sets if you prefer, and they can perform up to 3 or 4 hours. Singer-pianists will typically play two 45-minute, two 60-minute or three 40-minute sets, up to about 2 hours in total. Like any musical entertainer, pianists and singer-pianists will need breaks in-between sets, and some offer an iPod with background music during their breaks, keeping your guests entertained.

Performance time and length depends on your event requirements. If booking a wedding pianist, they might provide background music as guests arrive for the wedding ceremony, during the signing of the register, and then perform again at the drinks reception before the wedding breakfast. For a corporate cocktail reception, you might prefer only an hour of music, whereas for an exhibition or trade show, you may require a longer performance. All our pianists offer flexible options, which you can discuss with your dedicated Entertainment Coordinators.

How much space will a Pianist need?

This guide shows approximately how much space a pianist will need when playing a variety of instruments:

More accurate measurements for your chosen artist can be provided by your Alive Network Event Coordinator.

How long will it take for a Pianist to set up?

Your pianist will arrive at a time to suit you, and set up their equipment in the performance area. Unloading, setting-up and performing the crucial sound-check usually takes around 30 minutes, depending on how close they can park to the performance space, and what their set-up involves. For artists with a grand piano shell, setting this up can take 60 minutes. Some busy London hotels often require acts to load in using a shared supplier’s entrance, which can increase set up times.

Many pianists will play their own digital piano, but if your pianist is using a venue’s piano, bear in mind that it must be professionally tuned before they use it. Your pianist will then need a little time to get used to the way that particular instrument plays and its tone. If that piano is being moved before the performance, it absolutely must be checked again by a highly skilled piano tuner, since moving a piano can quickly make it go out of tune.

Following the recital, a pianist can take anywhere from 20 – 60 minutes to pack down and load out.

What equipment will a Pianist need?

To ensure the piano playing is as silky as possible at your event, most pianists require:

• a suitably-sized, safe, dry, flat performance area. If performing outside, they will need cover – either from the rain or the sun!!
• a professionally-tuned piano, if using a venue’s instrument
• a minimum of one 13 amp power socket, if a digital piano is being used
• a light, ensuring both ends of the keyboard are well-lit
• an adjustable piano stool
• parking provision, preferably with easy access to the venue
• a secure, lockable changing room
• refreshments such as soft drinks and sometimes food, depending on how long you have booked them for.

Your pianist will bring their music, and will often provide a digital piano where required. Some pianists can provide their own adjustable piano stool, piano shell and a light to illuminate the piano keys/sheet music.

Digital pianos can be amplified through a PA system to fill larger venues, or can plug directly into a conference sound system. It’s worth checking with your pianist in advance that their system will be suitable, and that their piano can be put through your venue PA system if required.

Most pianists provide PA systems suitable for average-sized private events, but if you’re planning a large event with over 200 people, you may need to hire a separate PA system. Our dedicated Entertainment Coordinators are happy to speak to you about particular pianists and your event requirements.