IS THAT REALLY YOU IN THE RECORDINGS? 

Yes! All recordings on this website are of Rachel Matthews, and real Cortland Music musicians. This is actually a very good question you should ask any musician(s) about their recordings on their website or demo CD.
 

WHEN SHOULD WE MEET TO DISCUSS MUSIC SELECTION FOR MY WEDDING?

We likely will not need to meet in person for you to pick your music. Please visit this website's section about wedding music under solo cello or groups, then contact Rachel if you have any questions.

WILL YOU COME TO THE WEDDING REHEARSAL?

It would be costly and unnecessary to have Cortland Music musician(s) at your wedding rehearsal. We have performed at over 400 weddings and are very familiar with wedding ceremonies. If there are programmes available, we will follow along. Rachel will meet with the officiant when she arrives, to confirm set up location, and confirm cues (to stop guest music and start processional, to start recessional, etc). The bridal party in the processional should walk as fast or slow as they desire, as continuous music will be provided until the bride has comfortably arrive at the front, and the ceremony is ready to begin. If your ceremony is going to be very different from a typical ceremony, please e-mail a schedule ahead of time.

THANK YOUS and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

If you are having printed programmes for your guests at your event, and have booked Solo Cello, please acknowledge Rachel as:
"Rachel Matthews, cellist". 
If you have booked a group, please acknowledge us as "musicians", using the applicable group name: 
"The Cortland Duo" if you have booked two musicians, 
"The Cortland Trio" if you have booked three musicians, or 
"The Cortland Quartet" if you have booked four musicians. 
Non-weddings are welcome to acknowledge musician(s) the same way, and may opt to print the Cortland Music website's URL: www.cortland.ca

As for thank you notes, we very much prefer an e-mail written after the event, to a thank you card or note written before. Then, with permission, we can quote people in the applause section after they have heard the music at their special event. Plus e-mail saves trees!

WILL YOU NEED AMPLIFICATION?

Not in most situations. For concerts, wedding ceremonies and small parties, definitely no. But for LARGE dinners and receptions (over 150 guests), maybe. It all depends on the number of musicians booked, and the size and acoustic quality of the space. If you are unsure, please contact Rachel.

DO THE PRICES INCLUDE TAX?

No, because Cortland Music does not charge tax. Cortland Music is a small supplier which earns less than $30,000/yr, and in accordance with bill C62, Section 148 of Nova Scotia Law, has no requirements to collect HST.

WHEN IS PAYMENT DUE? 

Payment is due in full within 14 days of receiving your Confirmation of Booking (e-mail). Please mail cheque or money order, made out to "Rachel Matthews". Mailing address provided in e-mail correspondence. No post-dated cheques. Please read more about the payment policy under the "fees" section of this website.

WHY IS 100% PAYMENT DUE UP FRONT, WHY NOT 50% DEPOSIT?

This isn't a frequently asked question, but it's a good one. Rachel has operated an upstanding music business for over 12 years, performing at 45-65 events every year, and turns away even more, because she is already booked. She is regarded as a top professional in her field, not only for her musicianship, but her professionalism. By law, e-mail is now recognized as constituting a legal document. However, if you desire written confirmation of your booking, beyond your Confirmation of Booking and Receipt of Payment e-mails, Rachel can mail, scan and e-mail, or fax to you, a signed paper Letter of Confirmation. You also might find some peace reviewing the "applause" section of this website, where notable local authorities, and past clients speak of her professionalism, and you can see their trust was well-placed. When the payment policy was drafted, the traditional 50% deposit was considered, but considering the dollar amount of musician fees compared to a 50% deposit on a venue or with a caterer, or florist, or to purchase a dress or a ring, 100% musician fees is usually a relatively small amount. 

IS THERE A CONTRACT TO SIGN?

There is no contract for you to sign, you only need to provide payment. Cortland Music's end of the traditional contract is covered in the Confirmation of Booking. By law, e-mail is now recognized as constituting a legal document. However, if you desire written confirmation of your booking, beyond your Confirmation of Booking and Receipt of Payment e-mails, Rachel can mail, scan and e-mail, or fax to you, a signed paper Letter of Confirmation.

What if I need to change the date or time I booked?

Please note the Date, Start Time and End Time for your booking is final. If you need to adjust your Date and/or, Start Time and/or End Time after Confirmation of Booking, Rachel will need to approve the change. If she, and any other booked musician(s) are available, then you may certainly change your Date and/or Start Time and/or End Time. If there is no availability, the originally booked Date, and Start Time through End Time will stand. If this is not realistic for your event, you may need to cancel your booking. If you want to adjust your Start Time and/or End Time such that fewer hours are booked, that is considered a partial cancellation (see next FAQ).

What happens if I need to cancel my booking?

If you cancel your booking after Confirmation, but before your payment is received, a $60.00 administration fee will be owed and collected. If you cancel, partially or fully, after your payment is received there is no refund. We highly recommend you consider getting event insurance, to cover your entire event financially, in case of illness or disaster. 

What will happen if my wedding ceremony lasts longer than I HAD ANTICIPATED?

Wedding ceremonies are not booked by the hour, so don't worry, Rachel and any other booked musician(s) will be there until the end, and then a few pieces too.

What happens if my event is delayed, interrupted, or extended?  

This section pertains to events that are not wedding ceremonies. Once Rachel and any other booked musician(s) are ready to play at the Start Time, or at any time during the booking, if you request musician(s) not to play, for any reason, Cortland Music will not owe you playing/time that can be tacked on at the End Time, for the time spent not playing, as musicians are actually paid per time unit, not per musical note. Musician(s) will only be able to stay and play beyond the originally agreed upon End Time, only if available, and paid $40.00 (per musician) for each extra half-hour (regular fees).

DO YOU PLAY OUTDOORS?
 
Yes, and frequently! But only when there is no threat of damage to the very, very expensive instrument(s). Damage can be caused by moderate to high UV radiation, wind blowing objects (like music folders, music stands), any water, precipitation (light mist through downpour, sea spray, cocktails, etc), temperatures below 16°C or above 31°C, intoxicated guests, small children, bubbles, etc. 

Solid shelter, like under a concrete patio, in a gazebo, under a tent, is ideal. The shade of a tree will be adequate if the weather is ideal. Check to make sure any shelter (including a tree), provides shade in the required area at the time of day, and time of year, of your event. If the weather is iffy, instrument case(s) will need to be kept next to musician(s) chair. An indoor location is required if the weather is poor. It is strongly advised that your indoor location be pleasing to you.

If there is threat of damage to any instrument(s), at the Start Time, or if threatening conditions develop at any time during the event, instrument(s) will need to be packed up in its case, and musician(s) will be unable to perform. At your direction, musician(s) will either relocate indoors and continue playing, or remain put and wait. If the weather returns to a non-threatening state, performance will resume. If it does not, musician(s) will still leave at the time originally agreed upon (End Time), and will not refund you money or owe you additional time/performance, for the time spent waiting for poor weather to improve, or relocating indoors or back outdoors. As usual, musician(s) will only be able to stay and play beyond the originally agreed upon End Time, if available, and paid $40.00 for each extra half-hour (regular fees). In the case of a wedding ceremony where there is no specified End Time, the End Time will be considered the officiant's estimated time of the ceremony, plus 10 minutes, from the ceremony's start time.

You should be in close contact with your venue manager to discuss your expectations regarding the outdoor conditions which you will and will not subject yourself, your bridal party, your guests (especially your elderly guests) to, on your wedding day. Rachel will be interested to know this as well.

Free of charge to any person, booked or not, Rachel will compile weather statistics from Environment Canada, for your wedding date, time and location over the last 6-10 years, so you can see what range of temperature is realistic. This is recommended for all weddings, even July and August.

Here are some helpful weather links:

National (US) Weather Service's weather radar is a good tool to help you decide, on the day of, if your event should be indoors or outdoors. It shows precipitation moving over North America, and you can see if there's any weather coming in from the states or Ontario/Quebec. click here

Environment Canada's Atlantic weather radar is another good tool, but it only shows precipitation moving over our province, and won't be much help until a few hours before your event. click here

Environment Canada's 5-day forecast for Halifax is also another good page to keep an eye on. click here