CORPORATE EVENTS
Dozens of companies – both large and small – have chosen us as their events’ live music hire. Whether for a cocktail, reception or a gala, La Cançao aims to redefine hiring a live band as a valuable investment to reach your event’s goals.
We are committed to professionalism from the beginning to the end of the process: prompt and clear communication, standard contracts and invoicing, professional attire & attitude, as well as punctuality and discretion on the day of the event.
Though we most often play as a quartet, alternatives are available when suitable to the event type: see contact form for options.
Our pricing starts at $1550+tx for two sets of 50 minutes and varies according to type and size of event. Ask for a quote!
See our FAQ section to know what to expect, so we can ensure the best possible collaboration.
Read what past clients are saying!
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CLIENTS WHO HAVE TRUSTED US
CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
“A wonderful addition to any event. The trio was a great to work with, easy communication, flexible while the client was finalizing details, professional on-site and a great sound and vibe for our guest. Highly recommended!”
Ella
Planner at RSVP events Ottawa
“Your performance was wonderful and appreciated by all. Congratulations and thank you!”
Roxanne R.
Farnham Golf Tournament
“What an amazing performance by La Cançao!
All of our guests were extremely happy with our choice, we would definitely recommend them! Thank you for everything!”
Lara G.
AgroHall
“It was such a wonderful night and La Cançao was so perfect. It was exactly what we wanted for our wedding, and happily everyone loved the music and mentionned how great the band was.”
Natalia & Fabio – wedding couple
“Discovering La Cançao was a great coincidence for us! In planning our wedding, though we didn’t yet have a date nor a place, we knew we already had the band! It was an excellent decision to hire them and we didn’t regret it for one moment. We were even able to request a couple songs that were special to us and not in the repertoire, which they interpreted beautifully.
La Cançao brought a lot of elegance, class and warmth to our reception. Our guests were charmed and we keep a great memory of the moment we walked into the venue, to the sound of Rebecca’s extraordinary voice!”
Hagiel & Pierre-Luc – wedding couple
“The musicians of La Cançao are simply excellent and the voice of Rebecca Anne Rowley superb! On its own, this jazz quartet can guarantee the success of an evening. If you wish to add a special touch to your event, do not hesitate for one moment to entrust the music to La Cançao. On top of being beautiful to see, this band is divine to listen to!”
Micheline F.
Loto-Québec
“It was such a pleasure to make your acquaintance yesterday at our client event at the Intercontinental Hotel. I loved your style, the sound and Rebecca’s wonderful voice! You made our event a success and the guests loved the music, as well as the repertoire and the ambiance you brought to the evening”.
Claudine P.
CIBC Mellon
“This group was a big hit at our reception! From the beginning, Rebecca was great to work with; her responses were quick and informative, she explained the options we had, the language options for her to sing in, which was super cool, as well as the intervals in which they play, that we could split up the sets however we wanted.
Mostly we were just so happy with how it all turned out at the reception. The music was so pleasant and entertaining, people stopped talking to listen and applaud. Since many couples choose to hire a DJ, our choice was different in a good way, and certainly made the day memorable.
”
Aleksandra & Luke – wedding couple
“A HUGE thank you for the beautiful music that you and your band provided us on our perfect day!!
We loved your sound and feel like it made our day just that much more special.”
Amy & Matt – wedding couple
F.A.Q.
How long should we plan to have the band play for?
2 or 3 sets of 50 minutes is ideal for an event, depending on the length of your event. For an event that takes place over roughly 3 hours, we recommend booking 2 sets and for an event that takes place over 4 to 5 hours, we recommend booking 3 sets. The extra time usually absorbs well between speeches and the other activities you may be planning in your program.
What happens when the band is on break between sets?
We are happy to provide you with transition music running through our sound system while the band is on break. If you have specific playlists you would like to have played, you are welcome to leave with us a phone or iPod that has pre-programmed music, or share with us a Spotify playlist; otherwise we take care of matching playlists with our music style.
Whenever you contract sound to an outside company, for logistically ease, we advise you ask them to provide playlists for transition music. This ensures smoother and easier transitions.
Can we request additional sets to be added on location?
Yes, you can add sets on location, but the cost will be higher than if those sets had been written in contract. An invoice will be handed out on location and payment will be expected within the 5 following work days.
Do you charge additional fees for your sound equipment?
Our sound equipment (speakers, mixing table, microphone and accessories) is included as part of the services we offer. It is for the use of the band only, unless previously arranged otherwise.
When an event takes place in a larger space (i.e. convention center), we expect the organizer to hire a separate company to run sound for the event, including for La Cançao’s performance.
No matter the event, if the organizers have hired a separate company to run sound, we prefer to perform through the company’s sound system rather than through our own, for the sake of limiting gear in the space and easing logistics.
When La Cançao does not bring its own sound equipment to an event, it does not lower the amount charged to the client.
How experienced is La Cançao with performing at events?
The band has played over 90 shows together and its members are professional musicians who perform on a weekly basis with various other bands and ensembles.
Our level of experience is high, musically of course, but also in our ability to collaborate with the corporate scene.
What process can I expect when hiring La Cançao?
- Upon receiving your inquiry, we are usually able to reply within 48 hours and provide you with a quote.
- Once you have confirmed your interest to hire us, we will email you a contract corresponding to the quote we gave you. This is when you can review the contract and feel free to clarify any aspects of hiring us. At this point, we “HOLD THE DATE” for you – musicians put a soft hold on the date and should there be another client asking for the same date, we will let you know so that you have the opportunity to book us in priority.
- You can fill out the contract either by printing & writing or using a pdf writer program.
The performance times you list in the contract can remain vague at the time of the signature of contract – simply offer an approximate bracket of time followed by “to be confirmed”. - You can email, scan/email or snail mail the contract to us.
- The 50% deposit must follow shortly in order to “LOCK THE DATE »: you can send payment by cheque or e-transfer. If you are a company, at this point we will issue two invoices : one for the deposit, one for the balance.
- A week or two prior to the event, we contact you if there are any logistics still to be confirmed.
If your company is hiring a company to run sound, we will send you our technical rider. - On the day of the show, we arrive on location 1 h 30 before our first performance time: we set up in designated space and sound check as early as possible. For larger shows and galas, we can arrive up to 3 hours before. We then get changed and are on stand by 15 minutes before our performance time.
- We typically request our meal to be served before or after our performance, unless schedule provides a sufficient break between two sets ( 45-60 minutes).
- Payment of balance is expected at the latest on the day of performance, by cheque or e-transfer. It can of course be paid before hand.
- After our last performance, we tear down our gear and discreetly put it to the side, unless requested otherwise by organizers.
Note: we are always grateful to receive photos or live video of La Cançao after your event, when your hired photographers or videographers are willing to share.
Can we request a dress code for the band?
Yes. We are open to fulfill our clients’ dress code requests, as long as the band members are personally comfortable with the nature of the request and as long as it doesn’t require expenses on the part of band members or La Cançao.
Our standard dress code is a cocktail dress or gown for the singer and dress pants & shorts or a suit for musicians.
In the contact form, you are welcome to mention « black tie » or « long gown for singer », « cocktail dress for singer », or a specific colour theme. For special attire requests, we will let you know what we are able to do.
Can another musician be added to the band?
Yes, we can add a saxophone player upon request. Please mention it and we will send a corresponding quote.
How far is La Cançao willing to travel for a show?
It all depends on the event.
By car, the furthest distance we are comfortable traveling is Toronto.
All travel beyond a 7-hour road trip would need to be done by plane.
Can you play sets that are shorter or longer than 50 minutes?
Our standard contract is structured with 2 sets of 50 minutes as a formula that has proven to work well over time. However the performance time of 2 x 50 minutes can be distributed differently in 3 shorter sets (i.e. 30-30-40) or 2 different lengths (i.e. 70 min-30 min).
We require to be able to take a break after 70 minutes of performance time.
A standard break time is 15 minutes but could extend up to 30 minutes when the band has played a longer set.
When organizers wish to spread performance time over a long period of time in a day, extra waiting fees apply. Please mention it when contacting us that we may quote you adequately from the start.
Up to how many sets can you play at an event?
We can play up to 5 sets at a given event, which corresponds to 250 minutes of live music. With this maximum set up, we require taking longer breaks than our standard 15 minute break time.
Do you charge for transportation?
There are no transportation fees for events taking place within the city of Montreal, which our musicians could potentially access through public transportation if need be.
For events outside of Montreal, we charge a standard fee, two way for 1 or 2 vehicles depending on formula: $0,50/km for events within 200km distance and $0,40/km beyond 200km distance. We require airplane transportation beyond 7 hours of car travel.
What do organizers need to provide the band with?
Parking spots covered (parking vouchers or cash reimbursement)
A meal per musician.
Bottled water for performance.
When possible, a private area to store our personal belongings.
When event is at a distance from Montreal and ends at a time which does not enable band members to get back to Montreal at a reasonable hour, organizers will be asked to provide band members with hotel accommodation (2 to 3 rooms depending on formula).
Will we still be able to hear ourselves talking while the band is playing?
Yes, La Cançao prides itself in having a particularly smooth sound, enabling clients to hold conversations no problem while the band is playing. Depending on the style and the musician, the presence of drums in a band can indeed be worrisome in a large reverberating space, but with our drummer’s exceptional smoothness we have never had problems not complaints of the drums being too loud.
Can we request songs from outside of your repertoire?
Clients are welcome to request specific songs of our repertoire to be played at their event.
For any special song request from outside of our repertoire, we charge $50 per song, to cover the extra work involved with preparing the song.
Food for thought: though bridal couples often like the idea of requesting a list of songs that are meaningful to them, most often they don’t get to notice the songs they request in the effervescence of their wedding day. That being said, we are still glad to prepare them for their guests’ enjoyment.
Do you have to charge taxes for a private event, such as a wedding?
Yes. As an incorporated company, we are obligated by law to charge taxes no matter the nature of the event: TPS and TVQ represent a 14.975% tax in Quebec.
What happens when a musician is sick or unable to perform?
We have a list of substitute musicians whom we have worked with before and several substitutes for each of our musicians. When our musician is unable to come perform, we call upon them to confirm someone to replace them.
Jazz musicians are highly skilled in their craft and are able to successfully come in on a performance, even at the last minute.
Is La Cançao able to come play for an event in the United States?
Yes, we are able to offer services to clients in the United States, however procedures need to be undertaken 4-5 months prior to event day to ensure that all band members can obtain the B-1 status which allows a canadian musician to legally perform a show in the USA. Quotes to play in the USA will of course include all fees related to obtaining the B-1 status.