How do I pronounce your name?
Our name is pronounced “Four Forty”. There are 4 of us in the group and 440 Hertz is the tuning pitch.
What other kind of events have you played for?
We enjoy providing music for many weddings, recitals and corporate events.
The 440 Quartet were chosen to represent Birmingham and the CBSO at the House of Commons for their “Birmingham day”. As classically trained musicians, we have performed many concerts and competitions all around the country. Commercially, we have performed to audiences of up to 1000 guests at corporate events. We have worked with bands, most recently the Led Zeppelin Masters, Steve Hackett, Demons of Ruby Mae, and we are often booked as session musicians. We have also performed at Bollywood weddings, funerals, private parties, care homes, business awards and on board Fred Olsen Cruise liners, as the guest classical act.
When do I pay?
We ask for a small deposit to confirm the booking and the rest of the balance to be paid on/by the day of the event.
The piece I would like is not on your repertoire list?
If you cannot see a song you would like, please ask – we can often find these in time for us to play at your event. There may be a small fee and a quote will be provided.
Can you play outside?
We are very happy to play outside, however, our instruments are very valuable and need protection when outside. Shelter from direct sunlight is required. This may mean finding a location that has shade, eg. shade from trees, a veranda or a gazebo. A large secure umbrella is also a popular solution.
Do you play as a Trio?
We perform as a Trio for weddings and events.
Do you need anything on the day?
We ask for 4 armless chairs to be provided. The musicians also need to take a 5-10 minute break for every hour of playing. Please provide refreshments for events longer than 1.5 hours and a meal for events that are 3 hours or more.
Do you have liability insurance?
Yes, we have public liability insurance.
Are there any additional charges?
If your event runs over and we are needed or asked to stay on to provide music, our over time charges are:
£50 per 15 minutes – Trio
£60 per 15 minutes – Quartet
It is best to book a slightly longer time period if you believe that your ceremony may run over, as our negotiated pricing in advance is cheaper than any on-the-day over time prices. Running over can cause us to be late for other bookings and to lose income for other freelance work that we have booked for the same day.