To tip or not to tip? (Weekly tip brought to you by Divisi Strings)

To tip or not to tip? That may be your question. Many brides have wondered should they tip the musicians for playing the ceremony or reception. The answer is completely up to you! It is not required to tip your musicians like you would tip your waitress but if you feel so compelled, please do! A standard and much appreciated tip for one musician would be $20-$25.

Divisi Strings of Dallas

Big Sounds for Your Big Day® DALLAS

Divisi Strings of Dallas is finally here! Divisi Strings is proud to serve the Dallas/Fort Worth area. I am a former student of the University of North Texas where I met some of the best musicians I know. I am very excited to begin working with them again and creating Big Sounds in Dallas.


We are proud to announce that Divisi Strings of Dallas is part of the Strictly Wedding family. Are you planning your wedding and trying to find the top vendors?


Dallas Brides, we look forward to bringing our music to your Big Day!

Fifteen Minutes of Fame ...

Written by Chris Johnson, Host of "Afternoon Concert" of KUHF 88.7 FM

Entrepreneurship in the arts is something that has been on my mind recently. It's not a subject that is frequently discussed outside of the upper echelons of the arts world.It's also not a subject that is typically covered in music schools or conservatories. After all, artistry and performing technique are, without question, the foundation for any artist but, what next?When I first moved to Houston it was to study violin at the University of Houston and I remember thinking that the only thing that mattered was what teacher I studied with. Was he a match for my personality? Would he be a tyrant? Would he give me the tools necessary to succeed in music? I came specifically because of my teacher, Andrzej Grabiec and my thinking was (and what was traditional thought for many classical musicians) if I practiced hard and long enough that the concert promoters, presenters and personnel mangers would come to me.Not true. It's obvious isn't it? Today, many artists and musicians who are working in the proverbial trenches realize that, in order to make a living, to be heard and to bring classical music into the 21st century, they must take on promoting themselves and their art form. Some purists might hear what I am referring to here as blasphemy, selling out to commercialism, or, worse, dumbing down the art form. I invite you to reconsider.Others reading this, perhaps those who are not steeped in classical tradition, may be wondering what the issue is. It's obvious isn't it? In today's global and media enriched society, if you want your voice to be heard then you have to make yourself heard.Classical musicians are starting to take this view on and the Houston arts community is benefiting from it. Everywhere there are new organizations coming. New Theatre companies. New opera companies. New art galleries. And, there are also new orchestras, classical ensembles and presenters.Most recently, Project Divisi, the latest addition to Houston's classical music community, had its introductory concert and fundraising event at The Tasting Room in Uptown Park. The organization is spearheaded by two bright, young and very aggressive violinists who are building their entrepreneurial skills on the job. After founding Divisi Strings, Shelli Matthews and Tony Sanville have added to their professional repertoire Project Divisi, a non-profit string orchestra made up of some of Houston's best and brightest young musicians. Matthews and Sanville took a back seat in the orchestra as performers; both appearing in the middle or back of the violin section but, their entrepreneurial virtuosity highlighted the evening.However, they aren't the only ones out to contribute to Houston's arts community in recent seasons. Over the past couple of years we have seen the appearance of several organizations. Most notably, the continues to delight Houston audiences with its programming, artistry and unique approach to concert presentation and programming. Additionally, Houston's newest music presenters range from the Houston Chamber Orchestra and Aperio: Music of the Americas to Opera Vista and the Lone Lyric Theatre Festival.

Now, just because an organization emerges does not mean that its continued presence in the community is guaranteed. Just as new organizations appear, they can disappear as well. No less than three organizations have had to cancel performances this year do to lack of funding or support. The Houston Chamber Orchestra, the Maggini String Orchestra and Opera Vista have all had to cancel events in recent months.So why does one group succeed and another fail? There are many ingredients to making a successful performing arts organization. I have been quoted as saying that it is no longer enough to be a great and talented performer. A performer or ensemble must have a distinct mission or something unique it will bring to the community. It must be well organized and have the support of community leaders, businesses and philanthropists. Programming for and with an audience in mind is a primary concern.And, finally, there must be an equal force of artistic and executive leadership checking and balancing each other. So often great artists do not make it because of their lack of business acumen while, those who are talented in the areas of fundraising and management can miss out on artistic opportunity.So, while there may still only be one way to get to Carnegie Hall there is much room to spare and, many ways to navigate through, Houston's diverse and vibrant arts scene. Welcome Project Divisi. I'm sure we'll see you soon here on The Front Row.

(Project Divisi will premiere on the Big Stage in Zilkha Hall On August 24, 2008 from 1:45-2 pm.)

Bridal Extravaganza July 2008

On behalf of everyone here at Divisi Strings, we would like to say Thank You for visiting our booth this past weekend! It was a pleasure meeting all of you and we truly hope you enjoyed the music. We would like to include you in an exclusive Bridal Open House we are participating in this weekend! If you register online, you will be entered to win a FREE string trio from Divisi Strings along with other great prizes (you must be present to win!). Please click on the flyer! We hope to see you this Sunday at the Wentworth House.