Hire A Classical Guitarist In Dorset
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Neil Brown
Neil Brown is a classically trained and qualified guitarist with over 30 years experience. Performing light classical music, popular tunes & jazz standards...
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Dennis OKelly
A stylish & non intrusive accompaniment to a dinner event or the perfect musical backdrop for a wedding ceremony, Dennis will tailor his performance to mee...
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Ben Harrison
A great alternative to a classical guitarist, Ben Harrison is an acoustic fingerstyle guitarist performing a unique repertoire of original folk, jazz & wor...
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Luciano Lannali
Different to any usual guitarist, Luciano uses acoustic guitar plus subtle loop pedal, stomp box & octave pedal achieving a full & varied sound. From soft ...
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Feel Good Guitar
Feel Good Guitar is a modern update on the traditional classical guitarist - ideal for weddings, dinner parties and other events. The repertoire consists o...
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Submit a quick enquiry and we'll be happy to make recommendations for local guitarists.
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Henry Robinson
A passionate and poetic guitarist who performs a diverse repertoire of Classical, Jazz, Spanish, South American and Modern arrangements. Classically train...
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David Matthews
A seasoned Jazz & Classical Guitarist with previous clients including Maserati, Rolls Royce, Cheltenham Film Studios & more! Performing from a repertoire o...
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J F Guitar
J F Guitar has an elegant sound and knowledge of a number of styles, notably Jazz, Flamenco, Latin, Bollywood and African music. For a relaxed and sensitiv...
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Andy Cherry
Andy Cherry is a unique and highly regarded act, with an extensive repertoire of of popular music arranged for the classical guitar. Hugely versatile and v...
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Guitarist Adam
A professional musician with over 15 years experience, Guitarist Adam delivers virtuoso performances spanning modern Pop, Classical, Jazz & more! Trusted b...
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The Spicy Boys
Composed of two talented guitarists, this refreshing instrumental duo deliver a new take on classical guitar! Performing iconic hits from the likes of Cold...
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Sean Kearney
Sean Kearney, a skilled classical guitarist with first-class honors from the University of Bristol, crafts tender and uplifting atmospheres with Baroque, L...
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Lloyd Rees
Bringing a subtle touch of magic to your special occasion, Lloyd Rees is a versatile and experienced guitarist performing instrumental arrangements of Celt...
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Philip Bailey
With a varied repertoire Philip Bailey is a talented guitarist performing both acoustic & electric guitar. Philip Bailey's diverse sets can range from clas...
Discover more classical musicians in Dorset?...
179,837 Events Made Awesome So Far
“Neil Brown is a really lovely man and an amazing guitarist! He called us before the wedding to chat about what songs we hoped for and a plan for the day so he knew where to be and when and thought of lots of details I hadn’t even thought of myself! He was so helpful and friendly and made us feel a...”
Sophie J booked Neil Brown for their Wedding in Dorset
“Ben was easy to communicate with and was kind enough to learn a special song for our wedding reception. He arrived on time and was a delight. He played impeccably and drew lots of applause from our guests. We would certainly recommend him to anyone looking for a talented musician for their big day.”
Julia F booked Ben Harrison for their Wedding in Dorset
“1964 played at our November 2022 wedding in the evening and were absolutely wonderful. We had a small wedding and they provided a great atmosphere. Our guests really enjoyed their music and talking to them in between songs. Very friendly and flexible, we would love to hire them again.”
Chris H booked 1964 for their Wedding in Dorset
Booking A Classical Guitar Player In Dorset
Everything you need to know
A classical guitarist is a solo musician, who plays the classical acoustic guitar. The classical guitar uses nylon strings rather than steel, which give a warm, mellow sound.
Classical guitarists can play a wide range of musical styles, from early lute music, to Spanish and flamenco, as well as arrangements of classical and contemporary pop tunes, to create a uniquely informal ambiance, perfectly suited to a range of occasions, from wedding ceremonies to drinks receptions or private parties.
A classical guitarist will play a variety of genres of music, including rock and popular tunes, soul, film themes and classical, performing music which most of your guests will know and love! A typical repertoire might feature artists such as:
- Adele
- Coldplay
- Taylor Swift
- The Killers
- Bruno Mars
- Ed Sheeran
- Robbie Williams
- U2
- Simon & Garfunkel
- The Beatles
- Oasis
- Carole King
- The Beach Boys
- Bill Withers
- Etta James
- Aretha Franklin
- Ritchie Valens
- Frank Sinatra
- John Williams
- Buena Vista Social Club
- Mendelssohn
- Chopin
- Pachelbel
- Bach
A set list for each artist is featured on their individual profile page.
Need some inspiration for song ideas? Check out our 'Top 20 Guitar Songs for Weddings' article here
Alive Network’s classical guitar players can perform a range of musical genres, with many offering several styles in one performance. Our most popular types of classical guitar styles include:
1. Popular covers
Nearly all of our classical guitarist will perform music from classic and contemporary popular artists, including Ellie Goulding, Adele, Elton John, Abba, Leonard Cohen and Ed Sheeran.
2. Classical
Arranged and played on guitar, classical music takes on a lovely warmth that is both sophisticated and non-stuffy! You can expect guitar arrangements from the greats of the classical world, such as Bach, Pachelbel and Mendelssohn.
3. Spanish (Flamenco)
Spanish and Latin American guitar music offers a fiery slice of the traditional culture, often with intricate and impressive finger-picking and incorporating toe-tapping passionate Flamenco music, along with more contemporary melodies from artists like Manu Chao and the Buena Vista Social Club.
4. Jazz
Classical guitarists playing in a jazz or lounge style cover finger-clicking music from the Rat Pack era to cool old school jazz classics and Charleston music, to melodic tunes from the Great American Songbook. Often featuring artists like Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, Nat King Cole, and Nina Simone, to name a few.
Our classical guitarists entertain at a range of events across the UK and internationally – at weddings, corporate events, private parties, venues, and festivals. The locations where our classical guitarists are most frequently booked include:
Most popular counties:
- Hampshire
- Oxfordshire
- Gloucestershire
- Hertfordshire
- Lancashire
- Kent
- Bedfordshire
- Buckinghamshire
- Devon
- Berkshire
- Cheshire
- North Yorkshire
- Somerset
- Cambridgeshire
- Cumbria
- Dorset
- Norfolk
- West Sussex
- Essex
- Edinburgh
- Cornwall
- Shropshire
- South Yorkshire
- Glamorgan
- Greater Manchester
- Monmouth
- Merseyside
- Warwickshire
- West Yorkshire
- Wiltshire/a>
Most popular cities:
- Aberdeen
- Bath
- Birmingham
- Bradford
- Brighton
- Bristol
- Cambridge
- Canterbury
- Cardiff
- Chelmsford
- Chester
- Coventry
- Derby
- Durham
- Edinburgh
- Exeter
- Glasgow
- Gloucester
- Hereford
- Hull
- Leeds
- Leicester
- Liverpool
- London
- Manchester
- Newcastle upon Tyne
- Norwich
- Nottingham
- Oxford
- Peterborough
- Plymouth
- Portsmouth
- Salford
- Sheffield
- Southampton
- Stoke-On-Trent
- Sunderland
- Swansea
- Wakefield
- Westminster
- Wolverhampton
- Worcester
- York
Usually the headline daytime or afternoon entertainment, classical guitar music is versatile and sophisticated, ideal for occasions such as:
- Weddings
- Corporate events
- Private parties
- Gala Balls
- Festivals
- Fêtes and street parties
- Bar Mitzvas and Bat Mitzvas
- Charity fundraiser events
- Black Tie events
- Pubs / clubs / venues
- HM Armed Forces Events
- University events
Because of the romantic nature of the instrument and the warm sound, classical guitar music is perfect for wedding ceremonies and receptions, Guitarists can play as your guests arrive, during the wedding ceremony and the signing of the registers.
Our guitarists can tailor their performance to your individual needs – from romantic, and relaxing background tunes to well-known classic popular melodies and lively Latin and Spanish guitar music – creating the perfect atmosphere and bringing your party to life.
Classical guitarists are also a great option for corporate events and drinks receptions.
If you have your heart set on a classical guitarist at your event, but would like something a bit different, many of our classical guitarists can perform alongside other musicians for a larger sound.
Space considerations at your event
A seated solo classical guitar player is fairly compact, needing around 2 square metres to perform comfortably. This allows space for a seat, music stand, microphone and stand, and their PA system.
For approximate requirements, see ‘How much space will a classical guitarist need?’, below.
Volume – how loud is a classical guitar?
A guitarist will match his style of playing to your event, so a live guitarist’s volume can vary between chilled background music to flamboyant flamenco. This can be anywhere between 65 – 85dB (decibels), which in real terms is the volume of a busy restaurant or the sound of audience applause.
Since acoustic guitars can be relatively quiet, classical guitarists will generally use an amplifier, particularly if they’re playing at a function with more than about 50 guests or at larger venues. Many have access to battery-powered amps, which are ideal for outdoor performances where there may not be access to a plug socket.
The average price of a classical guitar player is around £350.
This table below outlines the range of fees for different types of classical guitar artists:
Type of Artist | Cost Range |
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Solo classical guitarist | £150 - £375 |
Solo singer–guitarist | £280 - £375 |
Classical guitar duo | £270 - £600 |
Booking a musician who lives near your venue is one way to keep costs down, since their travel time will be minimal. The home town location of all our classical guitarists can be found on their profile pages, and your Entertainment Coordinator can recommend the best musicians close to your event.
The artists below are our current leading classical guitar players, based on a range of popularity, performance quality and innovation:
For a list of Alive's most booked classical guitarists right now, see our 'Top 10 Classical Guitarists For Hire in 2017' article
Most classical guitarists will perform two 45-minute sets, with a break of around 15 minutes’ in-between. In many cases, they will be willing to play for longer – often up to 3 hours. You can find the booking options on each classical guitarist’s profile page.
A classical guitarist only needs a small space to perform. They usually perform while seated, and also need space for a music stand, microphone stand and PA system.
This guide shows approximately how much space a classical guitarist will need:
Artist | Performance Space |
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Solo Classical Guitarist | 2 metres × 2 metres |
More accurate measurements for your chosen guitarist can be provided by your dedicated Event Coordinator.
It takes a classical guitarist around 30- to 45-minutes to prepare for a performance, depending how close they can park in relation to the performance area. This often involves the setting up of the amplifier, to increase the sound of their acoustic guitar.
Many busy hotels ask artists to load in via a shared supplier’s entrance, which can extend set up times.
Following the final set, it can take about 15–20 minutes to pack down and load out.
Most classical guitarists will need:
- parking provision, preferably with easy access to the venue
- a named venue contact for the guitarist to ask for when they arrive
- a suitably-sized, safe, dry, flat performance area. If performing outside, they will need cover from the elements
- an armless chair
- (if using a non-battery powered amp or a PA system) one or two 13 amp power sockets in close proximity
- refreshments such as soft drinks and sometimes food, depending on how long you have booked them for.
Most of Alive Network’s classical guitarists will provide their own microphones, and amp or PA system.
Aside from finding some of the best Classical Guitarists in the UK and getting expert advice from our friendly staff, one of the main reasons to hire a Classical Guitarist from Alive Network Entertainment Agency is security. We ensure your booking is covered 24/7 against any eventuality, so that no matter what, you can enjoy your event without worrying about whether your entertainment will turn up. If your Classical Guitarist is ill or unable to perform, our team will be on hand to source a suitable replacement even out of office hours and at short notice. Imagine having to do that yourself!?
- Outstanding five-star customer service
- Emergency cover 24/7, 365 days a year
- Hand-picked Classical Guitarists for the ultimate in quality and reliability
- Safe, secure booking contracts for your peace of mind
- Easy enquiry and booking process
- Hundreds of Classical guitarists, Flamenco guitarists & Spanish guitarists to choose from
- Trusted brand with over 110,000 previous clients & high-profile industry partnerships
- Instant online Classical Guitarist prices & availability
Established in 1999, Alive Network has grown to become the UK's largest live entertainment agency and one of the leading online entertainment booking services in the world. We specialise in wedding entertainment, party entertainment and corporate entertainment, trusted by companies like Apple, Mercedes-Benz, Microsoft, Coca-Cola & Nike, and we have helped over 110,000 customers to hire the perfect live entertainment for their events. We are formally partnered with BIMM, the largest and leading provider of contemporary music education in the UK and Europe, ensuring that we are able to bring you the very best new talent exclusively at Alive Network.
For a more comprehensive classical guitarist booking guide please read ‘Booking a classical guitarist – Everything you’ll ever need to know’.
If you have any other queries, simply visit our FAQ page.
Alternatively, our dedicated expert entertainment coordinators are on-hand to help. Simply call 0845 108 5500 or email enquiries@alivenetwork.com.
Why Choose Alive?
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Handpicked By Us
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