Magnolia Music

Hello & Welcome!

Magnolia Music musicians Gari Benford and Audri Botkin are a piano + cello duo based in Columbia, Tennessee. They bring years of experience delivering solo and collaborative performances for public and private events of all sizes. Whether dinner parties, cathedral weddings, garden receptions, or vintage fashion shows, they enjoy creating the perfect backdrop with their beautiful rendering of a playlist customized for the occasion. Magnolia Music serves Columbia and the surrounding Middle Tennessee area, including Spring Hill, Franklin, Lewisburg, Brentwood, Murfreesboro, Dickson, and Nashville.

We make planning the music for your special event both enjoyable and seamless as we explore with you the genres and specific selections that will best reflect the message and the mood you desire to impart to your guests.
ABOUT US

Meet Gari (pianist):

Gari has worn a variety of musical hats as soloist, accompanist, band member, vocalist, arranger, director, and teacher. Gari instructs students of all ages through her piano studio in Columbia. She enjoys drawing and hand lettering and conversations with her grandchildren.
Meet Audri (cellist):

Audri has loved classical music since she was very young and enjoyed the gift of a musical education in her formative years. She spends her time making and tasting good food, practicing yoga, working at a local bakery, trying new things, and keeping up with her husband and three boys.
REPERTOIRE
A sample of what we can offer for your special day -
we have an extensive list of repertoire to choose from and if you have a special request,
we are more than willing to see if we can make that happen!

Traditional Selections:
March, from Scipio (Handel)
Trumpet Tune (Purcell)
Air, from Water Music Suite (Handel)
Claire De Lune (Debussy)
Hornpipe, from Water Music Suite (Handel)
Trumpet Voluntary (Clarke)
Te Deum (Charpentier)
Simple Gifts (Shaker Hymn)
Ode to Joy (Beethoven)
Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring (Bach)
Canon in D (Pachelbel)
Bridal Chorus (Wagner)
Be Thou My Vision (Traditional)
Wedding March (Mendelssohn)
La Rejouissance (Handel)
Sheep May Safely Graze (Bach)
Largo (Handel)

Contemporary Selections:
All I ask of You (Weber)
Ashokan Farewell (Unger)
What a Wonderful World (Thiele and Weiss)
In My Life (Beatles)
Fly Me to the Moon (Howard)
Unforgettable (Gordon)
L-O-V-E (Kaempfert)
The Way You Look Tonight (Kern)
Sunrise, Sunset, from Fiddler on the Roof, (Bock)
Edelweiss, from The Sound of Music (Rogers)
You’ll Be in My Heart (Collins)
Grow As We Go (Platt)
My Girl (Robinson and White)
More Than a Feeling (Sholz)
Perfect (Sheeran)
Rewrite the Stars (Pasek and Paul)
Unchained Melody (North)
You Are The Reason (Scott and Maguire)
The Mission (Morricone)
Can’t Help Falling In Love (Weiss, Peretti, Creatore)
A Million Dreams (Pasek & Paul)
A Thousand Years (Perri)
The Prayer (Foster)
When Somebody Loved Me (Newman)
A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes (David, Hoffman, Livingston)
So This is Love (David, Hoffman, Livingston)

Hymns:
Great Is Thy Faithfulness
How Deep the Father’s Love for Us
Before the Throne of God Above
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
Be Thou My Vision
In Christ Alone
TESTIMONIALS
MAGNOLIA MUSIC IN ACTION
A recent outdoor wedding, held in the lovely Harpeth Hotel courtyard.
We have our own keyboard and soundsystem, which allows us the ability to set up at a variety of locations.
CONTACT US:
Let's talk! Please fill out the form below and in the body of the message share the date and type of your event
(wedding, corporate, private party, etc.). We will be in touch within 24 hours!
Columbia, TN
gari@magnolia-music.com
Name

Email

Phone

Message

Comment
We require 1⁄2 deposit and a signed contract in order to secure the date. The balance is due anytime up to one week prior to the wedding/event date. You may pay by cash, check or PayPal*.
Contact Gari at gari@magnolia-music.com to make arrangements

*For PayPal payments, please add 3% transaction fee to the amount due.
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FAQs
Why should we choose the Magnolia Music?
We are able and eager to provide you with elegant music, expertly performed, and especially chosen to create a memorable experience for your special day. Our many years of performing weddings and events, both large and small, in a variety of settings bring seasoned experience to adapt to the particulars unique to your occasion.
When should I book you?
Performance dates in peak season typically fill up months in advance. Once you have consulted with us and have decided on Magnolia Music, we recommend securing our service for your date as soon as possible, with a signed contract and deposit.
Can you help me choose the music?
Yes! We work with the bride and groom to make sure the music is exactly the mood and genre you are looking for. Many times our clients have not thought much about it, and so we are able to talk through their tastes and make appropriate suggestions. We are also able to choose the complete play list, incorporating specific pieces our clients are wanting.
Is a sound system needed?
Depending on the size of the venue and whether we are playing for your wedding or reception, a sound system may be required. In such case we are able to provide a sound system at a small fee.
How do you dress?
Magnolia Music dresses in concert black.
Will you also play after the wedding ceremony?
We are available to play a Postlude immediately following the wedding ceremony for an extra charge. This provides a lovely and joyful ambience while your guests are being dismissed. In addition, or alternatively, we can relocate to the reception area and play a cocktail hour or for the entire reception.
Will you also play after the wedding ceremony?
We are available to play a Postlude immediately following the wedding ceremony for an extra charge. This provides a lovely and joyful ambience while your guests are being dismissed. In addition, or alternatively, we can relocate to the reception area and play a cocktail hour or for the entire reception.

Hello & Welcome!

ABOUT US

Meet Gari (pianist):

Meet Audri (cellist):

REPERTOIRE

A sample of what we can offer for your special day -

we have an extensive list of repertoire to choose from and if you have a special request,

we are more than willing to see if we can make that happen!

Traditional Selections:

Contemporary Selections:

Hymns:

TESTIMONIALS

MAGNOLIA MUSIC IN ACTION

CONTACT US:

Let's talk! Please fill out the form below and in the body of the message share the date and type of your event(wedding, corporate, private party, etc.). We will be in touch within 24 hours!

FAQs

Why should we choose the Magnolia Music?

When should I book you?

Can you help me choose the music?

Is a sound system needed?

How do you dress?

Will you also play after the wedding ceremony?

Will you also play after the wedding ceremony?

Let's talk! Please fill out the form below and in the body of the message share the date and type of your event
(wedding, corporate, private party, etc.). We will be in touch within 24 hours!