Pianist | Keyboard player | Teacher

Your wedding pianist in Leicester and beyond

Video from a September 2022 wedding at Chateau du Doux, France

Looking for a wedding pianist in Leicester and beyond? Someone with a set list created specially for the ceremony and cocktails? A pianist who is happy to learn your special song? Someone who also plays in a duo with an incredible female vocalist? And in one of the most experienced party bands in the area? And a couple of tribute bands, if you’d prefer?

You’ve found me.

After a decade of playing at chateaux all over France, I am now available to play for you on your Big Day in the UK. (Subject to availability. Contact me now to secure your date.)

Legends of Sound band
Legends of Sound
The Moody Ruse
The Moody Ruse
ReFloyd band
Re|Floyd

The wedding music you want

For weddings and other special events, I play solo piano arrangements of the most beautiful songs ever written. Guaranteed no singing (unless it’s by you and/or your guests).

My set list includes modern classics from Norah Jones, John Legend, Ed Sheeran, Elton John, Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift. Awesome jazz from Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Nina Simone, Dave Brubeck (Nice!) and Ray Charles. And historic favourites from Bach, Satie and Schubert. And whatever else people want me to play.

Go ahead and ask about availability and pricing. If I am available to see you marry the love of your life… I will.

Introducing your wedding duo

At a wedding last year, I met a fantastic vocalist from Leicester. We played at the Phoenix Arts Centre before Christmas. And in February, at the Attenborough Arts Centre.

If you would like a piano and vocal duo for your Big Day, you’ve come to the right place. Our wedding set is perfect for welcome drinks or cocktails. And we would be only too happy to accompany you, as you walk down the aisle…

The best job in the world

When I remember, I take panoramic shots at the weddings I play. It’s the best job in the world. How else do you get to have an office like this?

Wedding at the founding museum
In the Court Room, at the Foundling Museum, London ©Alex Crowe
wedding pianist cornwall at outdoor service in france
Before the ceremony at the Manoir du Bout du Pont, Agnac, France ©Alex Crowe
wedding pianist cornwall in the chapel at at chateau de lacoste
Hiding round the corner in the chapel at Chateau de Lacoste, Castelnaud la Chapelle, France ©Alex Crowe
wedding pianist cornwall at chateau st paul
The chapel at Château de St Paul, Boudy de Beauregard, France ©Alex Crowe
outdoor wedding ceremony chateau le tour
Before the Big Event at Château le Tour, Faux, France ©Alex Crowe
interior panorama chateau soulac chapel
Ready for the ceremony at Château Soulac, Juillac ©Alex Crowe
Eglise Saint-Etienne, interior panorama
Inside the chapel in Altillac, near Chateau du Doux ©Alex Crowe
chateau la tourbeille courtyard panorama
In the courtyard at Chateau la Tourbeille, Juillac, France ©Alex Crowe
Chateau Rieutort wedding
Outside Chateau Rieutort, Saint-Pargoire, France ©Alex Crowe

Have a listen while you read on

Here are a couple of samples to play as you read on.

wedding at chateau de la couronne
Chateau de la Couronne ©Alex Crowe
the organ in saint-emilion
Saint-Emilion church ©Alex Crowe
wedding ceremony at chateau du doux
Chateau du Doux ©Alex Crowe

When you really need a wedding pianist

Every wedding is different (and yours will be amazing), but they all have some things in common… Those times when a pianist is the perfect person to announce, accompany and entertain.

Wedding ceremony music

Wedding at la Foulquetière
Manoir de la Foulquetière ©Alex Crowe

There are four (ahem) key moments to think about when planning the piano music for your ceremony:

  1. Five to 10 minutes while your guests are getting comfortable
  2. The Processional (can be short, depending on the size of the hall or garden)
  3. A few minutes during the signing of the Register
  4. The Recessional (after which the guests file out, dabbing eyes, happily)

Music for the ceremony often includes classical pieces, like Bach’s Prelude in C, or C Minor, or Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring. Or a contemporary classic, like Comptine d’un autre été by Yann Tiersen, or Gymnopédie Nº1 by Eric Satie. Or something slightly jazzy, like La Vie en Rose. And usually a special song with great meaning.

There is a beautiful version of “Can’t Help Falling in Love”, which can be mashed together with Pachelbel’s Canon in D. For a wedding in Saint-Émilion, I played Handel’s Hallelujah chorus as the happy couple left the church (the bride’s idea—which I thought was genius).

And in 2022, for some reason, I’ve been asked to play Nathalie Cole’s “This will be” several times.

Before I was a wedding pianist in Leicester…

wedding pianist cornwall at cocktails at Château de la Côte
A warm reception at Château de la Côte, Biras, France ©Alex Crowe
wedding pianist cornwall set list

My set list is a cocktail of beautiful contemporary songs and jazz standards, with a focus on love and romance. This music is not meant to dominate, but to provide a suitable ambiance for you and your guests. Singalongs and humalongs are not unknown.

How it works

Book me as your wedding pianist in Leicester and beyond, and I am yours for the whole day. I play for up to 2.5 hours and can quickly change locations—usually once, and occasionally twice. (Some weddings have pre-service drinks—every wedding is different.)

Everything I need, I bring with me. The most excellent digital piano, amplification, and a mic that can be borrowed for speeches. Or used by a guest singer.

Drop me a line if you have any questions.

Your special song

I am more than happy to create an arrangement of any song not seen on my set list, at no additional charge. These can take a few hours to several days to write. So please allow plenty of time in the schedule.

In other words. Book early. The ideal moment is right now.

wedding pianist cornwall with band in france
As seen on TV: at Chateau du Doux, Altillac, France ©Alex Crowe
chateau de la durantie marquee panorama
Between cocktails and party time in the marquee, Chateau la Durantie, France ©Alex Crowe
setting up next to the marquee
Setting up for the evening party at Les Magnolias, Lalinde, France ©Alex Crowe
chateau le tour sunset panorama
Late in the day, before the evening party, at Château le Tour ©Alex Crowe

More than a wedding pianist

My set list is also perfect for private parties and other special events. If you are planning a dramatic opening of an envelope, feel free to ask for a quote.

chateau rouffillac panorama
After a private party at the Chateau de Rouffilac, France ©Alex Crowe
private party panorama with steinway grand
This regular client hired a Steinway for me to play at their wedding anniversary in 2022 ©Alex Crowe

You don’t need to hire a piano to have a wedding pianist in Leicester (and further afield). I bring everything I need (including a mic for speeches and singers).

But, if an acoustic piano is available, it would be rude not to play it…

Here are some recent (genuine) reviews

Alex played at our wedding and we could not recommend him enough! He was so professional and laid back he put us completely at ease!

Katie M

Alex provided the music for our wedding ceremony at the Chateau du Doux in Altillac. He has a broad range of songs to choose from but he also went to the trouble of learning the one my bride-to-be wanted for her walk down the aisle – and played it note-perfect on the day! All the songs he played fitted the different parts of the ceremony perfectly and we were delighted with his contribution to our magical day.

Cian O’C

I wanted to thank you for making my wedding day so special. The music you played was wonderful and created the ambiance I imagined. Several of my friends and family complimented your work as well! I also want to thank you for your patience and flexibility. Planning a wedding from abroad isn’t the easiest, but you made working with you a breeze!

Inès B

Just wanted to say thanks for a great performance at our wedding on Saturday. Really was a brilliant day and everyone loved it. Hope your journey back wasn’t too bad/late. Enjoy the rest of the Summer!!

Lewis & Tiffany

When it comes to choosing live music for your special day, this can be a daunting prospect when you want to be sure that the performance and its delivery meets your and your guests’ expectations. Having had the privilege of meeting Alex and the pleasure of his musical talent for our wedding, (during the ceremony, canapé reception and after the wedding breakfast) I can say with absolute certainty that he met the brief and more so. He was personable, professional, responded in a timely manner to our contact with him, and above all the music was superb, very much helping our vision of the day become a reality and a memorable one at that. We are so glad we asked Alex to provide the music for our day. Thank you Alex for putting us at ease and your brilliant performances, making it a day that will stay in our hearts and minds forever.

Matt K

We were in such safe hands with Alex for our wedding. From the beginning, the communication was fantastic. He answered our (many!) questions promptly and responded to our request to learn a couple of songs for the ceremony with enthusiasm. Alex is experienced, professional and plays beautifully – we couldn’t have asked for more. Thank you so much again Alex for being a part of our Big Day.

Harriet J

Alex you were amazing!!! Thank you so much for coming for this special event and playing with so much talent ❤️

Emilie L

Getting married in southwest France?

You may have noticed a band in some of those French wedding panoramas. There’s a good reason for this…

wedding pianist cornwall with band in france

For many years, I was the keyboard player in Dordogne wedding band, SouthWest. An all-live five-piece rock/pop cover band (try saying that after a couple of glasses of Champagne) with an awesome set list of dance-oriented music.

I have now handed over the keys to François, but I will continue to manage the bookings from the UK.

If you are getting married in southwest France, but would rather make all the arrangements in English, get in touch. Our clients typically call SouthWest “the best wedding band we’ve ever seen”. So you will not be disappointed.

A video of the set list in 2018

Here’s the proof

Hi Alex! Just wanted to say a massive thank you to you and the rest of the band for being so amazing on our wedding day! You really made the evening party what it was, and we had so many compliments about you all. We even had a few saying “these are the best wedding band I’ve ever seen”! We all thought you were fantastic and really got the crowd going. So thank you again for all you’ve done for us and for making our wedding a huge success! We are also so grateful for the way you stepped in to give us your mic and speakers for the speeches. We didn’t think that one through. Thanks for everything! I will send you over a copy of the video when we have it.

Samantha Maunder

Wait no longer—book your wedding pianist in Leicester today

Wedding music | Live from 2022 | UK and France

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Or book me in a tribute band

After moving to the UK in 2022, I joined The Moody Ruse – a tribute band to the Moody Blues – and Re|Floyd. I sat in for the keyboard player of The Stones quite a lot in 2023. Head over to my YouTube channel for recent videos, like these.


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