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November 25, 2009
This past weekend I had the pleasure of providing the music for the Charity Ball Gala at the Hebrew Home at Riverdale, for my 8th consecutive year. The event is always in the Grand Ballroom at the Waldorf=Astoria Hotel in New York City, and the guest list is a who’s who of powerful members of the community. In prior years, the featured speakers and entertainers have been Henry Kissenger, Marvin Hamlish, David Brenner, Judy Collins, Bebe Neuworth. This year Starlight was to be the sole entertainment; opening and closing the evening with the dazzle we are known for, and performing fabulous dance music in between. The Starlight Custom String Ensemble (featuring jazz harp) plays uplifting showtunes as guests arrive through the Silver Corridor, and also entertains during the dinner portion. This year’s guest of honor was Scott Greenstein, the CEO & Chief Content Officer of Sirius XM Radio. I am always especially honored to make the introductions and be the onstage “Emcee” of the evening.
It was a wonderful night, as usual, and perhaps even more special since we were asked to really “step it up” this year and show the guests a particularly exciting time. Below is the letter I received from her after the event.
“Valerie
Thank you!!! You are your orchestra were nothing less than spectacular last night!! The best ever! I know we have placed limitations on you in the past, but you were amazing when allowed to do what you obviously do so well. The energy in the room was phenomenal. Thanks for making us all look so good.
Thanks once again for a wonderful evening…on to 2010! Helene”
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November 23, 2009
This week’s featured wedding took place at “The Oheka Castle,” a European style chateaux on the North Shore of Long Island in New York. While the music for dancing would be contemporary and high energy, we wanted certain musical elements to fit in with the venue’s atmosphere of grandeur and old- world elegance at the beginning of the evening.
Every once in a while a bride and groom want music that is totally different and extremely customized. This particular bride and groom (Lauren Gorsky and Andrew Gordon!) wanted, essentially, a rock concert for their wedding reception. We carefully collaborated on the specific songs requested and what we would need in order to make it happen. After months of planning, the result was an all out, no holds barred, rockin’ extravaganza, featuring the Starlight Rock Army, along with several of our other Custom Ensembles.
THE ENSEMBLES
The Starlight Strings
Harp, 2 Violins Flute (with Sax/Clarinet),Oboe, Upright Bass
The Rock Army
6 Piece Rhythm Section
2 Guitars , 2 Keyboards, Drums, Bass
4 Piece Horn Section
2 Trumpets, Tenor Sax, Trombone
9 Singers/Performers
4 Female , 2 Male, 1 Rapper, 2 Rock Singers
The Hot Rock Strings
3 Electric Violins , Keyboard, Bass, Percussion
THE SEGMENTS OF THE EVENING
Arrivals
The Starlight Strings lined the marble staircase of Oheka Castle’s grand entrance, creating an atmosphere appropriate to the period of the castle. The repertoire consisted of uptempo waltzes; happy and welcoming. The harp stood atop the stairs, with the other instruments cascading down both sides of the spiraling staircase.
Pre Ceremony
As guests made their way into the Old Ballroom for the ceremony, the string ensemble added to the romantic setting by performing lavish pieces from famous films, such as:
- Pretty Woman
- Life is Beautiful
- West Side Story
Ceremony
The musical program for the wedding processional was filled with many of the couple’s favorite rock and pop tunes.
Grandparents
Unchained Melody – The Righteous Brothers
Groom and Parents
Wonderful Tonight – Eric Clapton
Bridesmaids and Groomsmen
All I Ask Of You – Phantom of the Opera
Flower Girl and Ring bearer
Sweet Child Of Mine – Guns and Roses
Bride and Parents
Canon in D – Pachelbel
Recessional
Oh, What a Night – Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons
Cocktail Hour
With lots of input from the clients on the musical selections, the string ensemble played a broad mix of contemporary, Latin, Swing, and Beatles songs for the cocktail hour.
Here’s what our bride had to say on Sunday…
“O M G!!!!!!!!!!! your ensemble was absolutely incredible!!! while the ceremony was an out of body experience, one thing that i know for sure is that the music was incredible! guests all night were commenting on the pieces that we had and how beautiful it sounded in the ceremony. you transitioned between songs flawlessly and played magically. thank you so much for all of your hard work and collaboration. it was truly a pleasure getting to know you in the planning process. the night was beyond our wildest dreams, and starlight was a huge part of making it come true. with love and gratitude, lauren and andrew gordon (YAYYYYYYYYY!!!)”
Opening the Ballroom
The Starlight Rock Army (led by Valerie Romanoff on electric guitar) kicked off the reception in the West Terrace as the bride and groom made their grand entrance to The Black Eyed Pea’s “I Got a Feelin” and went right into their first dance, “Love of a Lifetime” by Firehouse. I could tell the guests were ready to party, so we dove into a rockin dance set with “Mony Mony” (also a special request), followed by “I Want To Rock and Roll All Night” by none other than KISS. We finished the first dance set with a rousing Hora. Whew!
Dinner Music
While the guests enjoyed their appetizer and dinner, The Hot Rock Strings took the stage. Dazzling in look and sound, the electric violin ensemble performed a repertoire hand-picked by the bride and groom.
Selections included:
- Scarboro Fair- Simon and Garfunkel
- Wonderwall – Oasis
- Bittersweet Symphony – The Verve
- Stuck in a Moment – U2
- Your Song – Elton John
- The Scientist – Coldplay
- For The Longest Time – Billy Joel
- I’m Yours – Jason Mraz
Dance Set
We began the second set with the parent dances. The bride danced with her father to “My Girl” by The Temptations, and the groom danced with his mother to Carly Simon’s “You Are The Love of My Life.” Below are some of the songs we performed:
- Just The Way You Look Tonight – Frank Sinatra
- Somewhere Beyond The Sea – Bobby Darin
- Summer of 69 – Bryan Adam
- Jesse’s Girl – Rick Springfield
- How Will I Know – Whitney Houston
- Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough – Michael Jackson
- I Gotta Feeling – The Black Eyed Peas
- Evacuate the Dance floor – Cascada
- Get This Party Started – Pink
Dinner
The Hot Rock Strings graced the stage once again during dinner, and played more of the bride and groom’s favorite songs.
Dance Set
After dinner, we accompanied the bride’s friend Lindsay Gordon, while she belted out a fabulous rendition of “I Love You I Do” from the movie Dreamgirls. She was so good that she did an encore of “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey which got everyone up on the dance floor, and the bride and groom up on the stage. We continued with more great rock anthems and Top 40 dance hits.
- Your Love – The Outfield
- Pour Some Sugar On Me – Def Leopard
- Living on a Prayer – Bon Jovi
- You Shook Me All Night Long – AC/DC
- Paradise City – Guns and Roses
- Sweet Child of Mine – Guns and Roses
- Start Me Up – Rolling Stones
- Boom Boom Pow – Black Eyed Peas
- Just Dance- Lady Gaga
- Let’s Get it Started- Black Eyed Peas
- And we ended the night with
Seasons of Love- from the musical Rent, followed by
Age of Aquarius /Let The Sunshine – from the musical Hair.
The guests then went into a different room for an after party where a DJ spun until the wee hours.
I was so happy at the end of the evening; it was such a successful event, such a beautiful wedding, everyone had so much fun, and I knew we rocked the house! A lot of work and effort went into creating this magical night, and I am grateful that our clients understood and gave us the resources for what was needed to provide a exceptional performance. I can’t wait to post photographs of this party!
The next morning, I received the following email from the bride…
“Valerie, we are on our way home from the castle and you are the first person I need to thank. Words cannot describe how absolutely incredible, ridiculous, out of control the band was last night. You made mine and Andrew’s dream wedding come true. Every single solitary guest has said that you were the best band they have ever seen, and we couldn’t agree more. We felt like we were at a rock concert. The most important aspect of a phenomenal party is the band, and Starlight rocked the freakin’ house. From the women on electric violin, to Whitney, Black Eyed Peas, ACDC, and Rent, you guys were out of control. I will write you a longer testimonial for your blog, but I wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for making our wedding the best night of our lives!! I will touch base when we get back from Africa. Much love, appreciation, and gratitude,
Lauren and Andrew Gordon!!!!!!
PS- I had a pleasure working with your whole team from Rebecca to Claudia. All the best of the best!!”
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November 22, 2009
From: Lauren Gorsky
Sent: Sunday, November 22, 2009 6:13 PM
To: Lauren Goldman
Subject: i dont even know where to begin…
O M G!!!!!!!!!!! valerie and the band were unfreakin believable!!! they were the most ridiculous, incredible, out of control performers i have ever seen. not only did they play everything andrew and i love, but they KILLED it!! every single solitary guest has commented on how AMAZING our band was. starlight truly is in a league of its own…no other band like it exists. i am SOO happy that we got to work together. the night was beyond our wildest dreams, and starlight was a huge part of making it come true. i will send you good pics when i have them.
xoxo
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November 22, 2009
From: Lauren Gorsky
Sent: Sunday, November 22, 2009 6:23 PM
To: Claudia Wigent
Subject: i dont even know where to begin…
claudia,
O M G!!!!!!!!!!! your ensemble was absolutely incredible!!! while the ceremony was an out of body experience, one thing that i know for sure is that the music was incredible! guests all night were commenting on the pieces that we had and how beautiful it sounded in the ceremony. you transitioned between songs flawlessly and played magically. thank you so much for all of your hard work and collaboration. it was truly a pleasure getting to know you in the planning process. the night was beyond our wildest dreams, and starlight was a huge part of making it come true.
with love and gratitude,
lauren and andrew gordon (YAYYYYYYYYY!!!)
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November 19, 2009
 With the reality of the current economic climate, it is understandable why we are all so concerned about spending money. People have been affected at all socio-economic levels, both personally and in their businesses and organizations. The private party industry has certainly been affected; many people are either afraid to spend, they can’t spend, or they don’t want to look like they are spending. But even in difficult times, the happiest occasions arise and we want to celebrate! As a provider of a luxury item, Live Music for Parties, I recognize the importance of generating new ideas and creating products that will be sensitive to the current economic conditions. I have always maintained that music is the primary element that creates the fun and the motion throughout an event** and should always be prioritized in the event budget. I have preached that while of course we need to be mindful of our overall spending, we should allocate a generous portion to the musical elements, since the music is what brings us, carries us, propels us, keeps the energy going throughout the entire evening! While it is natural to look for places to cut, and to be mindful about “showing too much,” once the party is actually happening, the concerns fall away and all you want is to have the best time possible. Always!
Something interesting happened this week that prompted me to write this article, and validated my point of view. I was putting the finishing touches on a timeline for a Charity Ball Gala at the Waldorf=Astoria where my orchestra would be performing. It is an annual event for a well known health organization, and this is the 8th year that we are involved. When my client called many months ago to give me this year’s date and to solidify the contract, she said that they needed to downsize this year; there had been many budget cuts and they did not want to look too “festive.” She asked that I bring a few less performers, choose attire that leans toward conservative, and keep things a little more “low-key”. I made the necessary adjustments and we went forward.
Last week we had a meeting to prepare the flow of the evening, and at one point she said, “Now, at the end of dinner, I want you to really rock! I want you to bring out those fabulous singers and really make a big splash!” I said, “Really? That is not what you said a few months ago! I am looking at my notes from our conversation in April where you asked me to downplay everything…” And she told me no, she realized it was important to make a great presentation and show people a really good time, because that is what they would remember. After all, it is a party, and there is something to celebrate. The “fun” and the “magic” is not the place to hold back. Wow.
My thoughts exactly!
At the event and “in the moment” I am sure I would have spontaneously “revved up” and offered the best performance possible, since that is my inclination and is the natural flow. But perhaps we would have not been fully prepared with all of our tools; the right wardrobe, sufficient personnel. I was pleased that my client realized ahead of time that even though she had been concerned and anxious, the party is really the time to “bring it all”. When you think about it, there are certain times in our lives when we really want to “bring it all,” and I believe that our celebrations are one of those special times.
We did the event this past weekend, and I woke up this morning to an email from our client. Here it is.
“Valerie
Thank you!!! You are your orchestra were nothing less than spectacular last night!! The best ever! I know we have placed limitations on you in the past, but you were amazing when allowed to do what you obviously do so well. The energy in the room was phenomenal. Thanks for making us all look so good.
Thanks once again for a wonderful evening…on to 2010! Helene”
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November 19, 2009
From: Elizabeth Brenner
Sent: Thursday, August 27, 2009 8:56 AM
To: Rebecca Blake
Subject: Thank You!
Hi Rebecca,
I just wanted to thank you and the band for the amazing job you all did at the wedding. I have been away for the past few weeks and am still getting phone calls from guests telling me that you were the best band they have heard and how the dance floor did not stop moving! Thank you for helping us throw an amazing party,
Best,
Elizabeth Brenner
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November 19, 2009
 Photo by Fifth Avenue Digital- Starlight Orchestras at Metropolitan Museum of Art
I recently shared an article about having performed at a private event at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in the Temple of Dendur. The evening was so spectacular that I wanted to post some additional photos to show how magical the room looked. These photos were taken by Fifth Avenue Digital
which is run by my dear friend, Elizabeth Beskin.
Photo by Fifth Avenue Digital- Starlight Orchestras at Metropolitan Museum of Art
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Photo by Fifth Avenue Digital- Starlight Orchestras at Metropolitan Museum of Art
November 19, 2009
 For most people, weddings are one of the most important days of their lives. Whether it is your own wedding or the wedding of your child, there are many decisions that go into creating a joyful, personal and meaningful event. We at Starlight Orchestras have earned the reputation of consistently delivering outstanding events. How are we able, night after night, year after year, to create the magical energy that excites and enchants? As we have cultivated our niche as a boutique music company, we have amassed years of experience and become experts in what I call “The Whoosh Factor;” that special, abstract, magical something that makes your party come alive. There is a saying that scientists can put together an entire human body; they can assemble all of the bones, muscles, organs, systems, but they can not make it breathe. What is that special nameless something that makes us come alive? It is the same with parties and events. You can assemble all of the elements, but how do you breathe life into it? Understanding this “whoosh factor” gives us the unique ability to create the energy, motion and excitement that keeps an event flowing from beginning to end.
The search for joy and meaning initiated a lifelong journey of self discovery. Dedication to creating a joyful and harmonious life has naturally led me to understand creating joyful and harmonious events. A constant thread in the Starlight community is the penchant for happiness and the commitment to creating and attracting positive energy. It is one of my goals to spread and share love and exuberance through every interaction; both onstage and off.
Many of you have seen our bands or even hired us to perform at your events. Please post your comments at the field at the bottom of every page. We welcome everyone to communicate with us, post your questions, answers ours, and let us know what you would like to hear about. Thank you for visiting our site, and I look forward to the ongoing journey.
November 9, 2009
 Photo by Fifth Avenue Digital- Starlight Orchestras at Metropolitan Museum of Art One of the many reasons I love my job so much is that I have the opportunity to perform in some of the most spectacular venues in the world, and many of these right here in New York City! What a thrill it was last week to perform at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Fifth Avenue. Just being able to walk through the museum during off-hours is a pleasure in itself. But seeing the (Egyptian) Temple of Dendur transformed into a magical party space is absolutely amazing! My orchestra is set on a stage near the Temple, overlooking the reflecting pool and adjacent to the sloping glass wall (which were designed to represent the Nile and the cliffs of the original location). This was my 11th annual Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Fifth Avenue. The beauty and majesty of the Temple is unlike any other venue in the world, and is certainly a unique choice for a private event. What an honor and a privilege to perform there!
This event was a fundraising Gala for the Bronx-Lebanon Hospital, and over 800 guests attended. Starlight Orchestras delivered a rousing rendition of “God Bless America” to kick off
Photo by Fifth Avenue Digital- Starlight Orchestras at Metropolitan Museum of Art the evening’s program, which was hosted by Sarah Wallace (WABC Eyewitness News) and Harry Martin (Fox 5 News, My Nine News). Another great event!
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November 7, 2009
Before Mrs. Reuben began looking for a venue and selecting a date for her daughter’s wedding, she wanted to weigh the pros and cons of having a wedding planner. If she decided to have one, then the best time would be now so she could have that person’s input when choosing a location, which is one of the most important decisions. Mrs. Reuben decided not to hire a wedding planner, but rather to play that role herself, and to assemble a team of vendors that she felt would be able to guide her through all of her decisions. She already knew which band she wanted (us! Starlight!) and her daughter thought she wanted to get married at their country club in Westchester. She asked me to suggest some New York City venues as well, ones that would be good for her sized crowd, which would be about 275 guests. I happily made some recommendations, and they went off looking. They came back to me and said they flipped over the Hotel Pierre, it was everything they were looking for; old world elegance, spacious, a beautiful room for the wedding ceremony, and a generously sized ballroom (with the perfect space for a band such as mine!). They chose a date that both the venue and the band were available, so now we were ready to execute a contract. Mrs. Reuben told me that she wanted me to do what I do best, and that she would take her cues from me regarding size of band and instrumentation. We agreed that I would provide a 7 piece ensemble for the ceremony (which includes music for guest arrivals, pre-ceremony, processional and recessional, cocktail hour. The group would consist of harp, 3 violins, upright bass, a woodwind player (who can double on sax, flute and clarinet) and oboe. The harpist could also play piano for parts of the wedding ceremony as well as the cocktail hour and we would have the mobility of the harp for the “arrival” portion and pre-ceremony music. For the dinner , she wanted the band that she had seen before, which was the Valerie Romanoff Starlight Orchestra at 16 pieces (9 musicians and 7 singers.) Done!
With the band and the venue completed, she would continue assembling her team in the weeks ahead. Stay tuned for “A Dreamy Wedding- Part 3” coming soon.
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