Music for funerals & celebrations of life

Funerals and memorial services are unique events which are often difficult to organise due to emotional stress.  Adelaide String Duo are experienced at playing for funeral services and would be glad to assist you with your needs.

Frequently asked questions:

Why hire a string duo?

Although many funerals and memorial services use an organist, keyboard player or recorded music, a live string ensemble adds a special touch of class and elegance

When would you play?

We would typically play while guests are arriving, at a special quiet moment during the ceremony (such as the display of a photo montage or during communion for religious services) and again while guests are leaving.

Can you play our loved-one’s favourite songs?

Yes, within reason.  Generally bookings for funerals are made at short notice and it usually won’t be possible for us to arrange a large amount of special material outside of our repertoire in the time-frame.  However arranging one or two special pieces of music may be possible. There is a surcharge of $220 per song for arranging songs outside our repertoire.

Can you play at the graveside?

Yes, the Adelaide String Duo is acoustic and highly portable.  We even travel with our own stool for the cellist to sit on. Unfortunately we do not perform outdoors during the colder months, due to the high risk of damage to our instruments. During the warmer months we still require sufficient shelter from sun or rain. Many graveside ceremonies these days are under the cover of a marquee. Your funeral director can help with this.

Do we need to choose all the music?

No, we have a collection of music suitable for religious and secular services.  So you can feel free to let us choose.

What do you charge?

We charge $550 for playing funeral music in Adelaide and the surrounding suburbs, for services of up to one hour. For services outside the Adelaide metro area there may be a travel charge.