Hosting a House Concert:
Wouldn't you like to invite these people into your living room?
A house concert is usually just that: A concert in someone's house. A private party with live music, hosted by anyone willing to invite a few friends into their living room to share in a performance by their favorite musicians. It is essentially a private entertainment with live music. The music is not background, but the focus of the event, and the hosts provide a rare opportunity for guests to experience music in an intimate environment.

Musicians enjoy house concerts because they get 100% of the proceeds, they get to meet (and sell CDs to) a new audience, and they get to play before an attentive, relaxed audience. For the audience, it's an unusual opportunity to hear the music up close, to meet the performers and get them to sign their CDs, and of course it's a great social evening of friends and neighbors.

House concerts can vary in almost every respect, but there is usually a "suggested donation" in the fifteen to twenty dollar range. This goes directly to the performer so that your home can in no way be construed as a venue or a business. Most concerts aren't publicized except by phone, and they're usually by invitation only - like any gathering of friends in your home. Usually, though, the musician will at least post the gig on their schedule, sometimes with a contact email. Directions to the house are never publicly posted, but are given only when reservations are taken. And most hosts find that advance tickets or pre-paid reservations make planning the event much easier. Knocking a few dollars off the admission price for advance orders will help encourage advance sales.

What do I need to do?
Presenting a house concert is about as much work as hosting any other party. Arrange a date, figure how many people you can comfortably accommodate and where you can procure sufficient seating (asking people to bring their own, or borrowing a few folding chairs from your church is common). Then comes the important step of getting e-mails, flyers or postcards out to friends, family, and coworkers. We're happy to provide promotional materials or even tickets if you like.

Food and beverages are a nice touch, but entirely optional. You can offer wine and cheese, ask everyone to bring brownies, have a potluck supper beforehand, make it BYOB, or even get the kids to set up a lemonade stand. Try to keep it simple, though - the point of the evening is music. Make sure in addition to being a good host you can enjoy the performance yourself.

If you wish to open your home to folks outside of your inner circle of friends and family (and this is entirely your choice), for your comfort and security, we only post contact info (not your address) on the online calendar and in any email or paper mailings, so that folks will have to contact you to make reservations, and so you can keep track of everyone who is coming to your home.

Keys to Success
Think of it as an informal party with RSVPs. Get an audience interested in advance. We're happy to provide postcards or flyers to help make that easy, or you can make and send your own invitations by postcard, Evite, email lists, etc. We recommend deciding how many people you can comfortably host, and advertising that, too: "seating limited to 25", or words to that effect.

Plan ahead for details like parking, house and bathroom access, seating, refreshments, and admission donation collection/CD sales, so that you can enjoy the performance yourself.

The night of the concert, welcome your guests as they come in, collect the "donation" (if you haven't in advance), and point them toward the refreshments. Introduce the artists and let your audience know that it is a listening performance ("cell phones on stun, please"). Allow time for socializing before and after the concert, and during the intermission steer folks toward the CDs.

Then at the end of the night, folks thank you for a wonderful time, ask to find out when you're doing it again(!) and say good night.

Hear our music the way it was meant to be heard

House concerts work wonderfully well for the intimate sound of the lute, which was never intended to be played in large venues. You will appreciate hearing nuances of voice and strings that only can be heard up close and personal. If the idea of having an intimate performance in your home to share with 20 or more like-minded music fans appeals to you, then please consider becoming a host. We can arrange anything from an elegant formal concert to a "pot luck" style gathering followed by a performance. Just ask!

   about us |  CDs & MP3s |  concerts |  contact us |  home |  Mignarda editions |  programming