We recently got asked to play flute and guitar music a memorial service for a family who lost four family members in the last year and a half. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to get together any sooner to celebrate their lives because of COVID. So, finally, they were going to have a memorial service to celebrate both sets of parents that had passed away.
The family, who was from Korea, decided to have the memorial service at the Anthem Golf & Country Club on a Sunday evening. That would give them a nice amount of time to have the service and then a catered buffet dinner. The setting was beautiful, with a lovely private room that overlooked the golf course.
Memorial Service Schedule of Events
They started the event at 4:00 so everyone could enjoy the sunset. We played both background music and featured music. The schedule was that we would play Christian music from 4:00 – 4:30 as guests arrived. The service was from 4:30 – 5:00. During the service, we played a featured Christian hymn and a hymn that guests sang along with. After the service was over, we played an hour of background music as guests got their buffet dinner and ate.
Memorial Service Prelude Music
As guests arrived, we played a variety of Christian songs including:
Be Thou My Vision
Beautiful Savior
Blessed Assurance
Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes
For the Beauty of the Earth
Here Am I, Lord
How Great Thou Art
In the Bleak Midwinter
The Lord’s Prayer
May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You
Nearer, My God To Thee
Softly and Tenderly
We played next to the lectern in the front of the room. The hostess had beautiful signs with photos are their parents displayed. She also had flowers in the front. There were large round tables for guests to sit at which were also beautifully decorated with rose pedals and bird cages. The colors were white and pink. At each place setting were lovely programs for the memorial service.
Memorial Service Music
After we played background music for about 30 minutes, the service began. There were several prayers. We played a featured song, the Christian hymn, Be Thou My Vision. That music was in the middle of the memorial service while everyone was quiet.
Later in the service, all the guests sang as we played the hymn, Jesus Loves Me.
During the rest of the service, we just sat quietly as family members and pastors spoke and remembered their families members who had passed away. They did a wonderful job of celebrating the lives and focusing on hope.
Dinner Music
After the service was over, the sun had set and the buffet dinner began. Guests were called up by table to get their food.
During dinner, we played a variety of classical music including:
Amazing Grace, John Newton
Canon in D, Johann Pachelbel
Clair de Lune, Claude Debussy
Die Sommernacht, Christopher Willibald Gluck
Der Lindenbaum, Franz Schubert
Gymnopedie No. 1, Eric Satie
Largo from the New World Symphony, Antonin Dvorak
Songs That My Mother Taught Me, Antonin Dvorak
To A Wild Rose, Edward MacDowell
Vieni, vieni, Antonio Vivaldi
The family was so gracious they even insisted that we join them for dinner before leaving.
It’s never fun having to plan a memorial service, but when you have to, remember that nothing can be as soothing and comforting as live music. Please contact us to discuss your needs for memorial service or life celebration music.
