Music

Justin Thomas Blackwell

Associate Director of Music, Marsh Chapel
justintb@bu.edu; 617.358.3395

For the complete Wedding Music Policy, please download Marsh Chapel Wedding Music Policy.

There will be a $50.00 fee paid to the organist for every fifteen-minute delay after the set start time (the time indicated in wedding confirmation emails) of the wedding.

Marsh Chapel lies at the center of a thriving civic and university community. In service to that community, the Dean, chaplains, and staff of the Chapel happily welcome into our doors any and all who wish to be married in a ceremony that is both traditionally inspired and tastefully guided. This objective is accomplished, in part, through the implementation of the following Wedding Music Policy. Wedding couples are asked to thoroughly familiarize themselves with this document, abide by its precepts, and inform members of the wedding party and hired professionals, including officiating clergy, of its rules and regulations. Questions may be submitted to Justin Blackwell at the email address or phone number printed above.

The Principal Musical Consultant. The Associate Director of Music at Marsh Chapel serves as the Principal Musical Consultant for all weddings held at Marsh Chapel. He acts as the musical director for each wedding and as a consultant on all aspects of music for weddings, including the selection of vocal and instrumental solo literature and the contracting of wedding musicians. The Principal Musical Consultant must approve all musicians and musical selections to be used in the ceremony. Wedding parties are invited to make recommendations, with the understanding that some requests may not be approved.

The Organist. The Associate Director of Music serves as the Organist for most weddings at Marsh Chapel, and, when unavailable, will choose a qualified substitute. On certain occasions, a personal acquaintance of the wedding party who is also a qualified organist may be permitted to serve as the Organist in lieu of the Associate Director of Music. In these instances, the Associate Director of Music still acts as the Principal Musical Consultant for the wedding.

Music Selection. Marsh Chapel has a national reputation for excellence in music and wishes to have this standard maintained in all Chapel events that involve music, including weddings. The music selected for these ceremonies should be classical and/or sacred, and vocal selections must always be sacred. Commercial and popular music, contemporary Christian music, opera arias, and some folk music will normally not be approved.

Vocalists/Instrumentalists. In selecting vocalists for weddings at Marsh Chapel, preference is given to the Marsh Chapel Choral Scholars (biographies available at the Marsh Chapel website). Vocalists/Cantors are contracted by the Principal Musical Consultant and the fee for their service is $250/singer. Roman Catholic Masses are required to have a vocalist/cantor.

Music Consultation Fee. The Music Consultation Fee ($75) is due at the same time as the Wedding Application. This fee is required of all couples intending to be married at Marsh Chapel. No wedding applications will be processed without receipt of this fee. Checks for the Music Consultation Fee should be made out to “Justin Thomas Blackwell.”

Organist’s Fee. The Organist’s fee is $275, and includes one 60-minute rehearsal with up to two musicians, prelude music (beginning 15 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony), seating of the mothers, processional(s), recessional, postlude, music selected for use during the wedding service, and music requiring his/her collaboration with any additional musicians. Checks for this fee should be made out to the Organist him/herself. This fee becomes due six business days before the wedding rehearsal and should be entrusted to the Wedding Director at that time, who will distribute payment to the Organist on the day of the wedding.

List of Sample Wedding Music for Organ