Best String Quartet Pieces for Corporate Award Ceremonies in Australia
I’ve been to a fair few corporate award nights where everything technically looked right… But the room still felt a bit flat.
You know the kind. Nice venue. Proper lighting. Tables all lined up like they’ve been measured with a ruler. People dressed well. Drinks flowing.
And yet, something’s missing.
Usually, it’s the atmosphere. Or more specifically, what’s happening in the background while nothing “official” is happening.
That in-between space matters more than people think.
This is where a string quartet quietly earns its place. Not in a big showy way. More like, it just fills the gaps. Softens the room. Gives people something to settle into without demanding attention.
It’s a strange thing to explain, actually. You don’t always notice it working — but you definitely notice when it’s not there.
Why this even matters for corporate awards?
Corporate award ceremonies sit in this awkward middle zone.
They’re not weddings. Not concerts. Not conferences either, even though sometimes they accidentally feel like one if the speeches go too long.
You’re trying to celebrate people. Keep things professional. Make it feel like a proper event, but also not bore everyone into checking their phones under the table.
Music ends up doing a lot of the heavy lifting.
Especially string quartet corporate awards setups, because they don’t fight for attention. They sit underneath everything. Quietly making the whole thing feel more considered.
And in Australia, where events tend to lean a bit more relaxed anyway, that balance matters. Too formal and it feels stiff. Too casual and it loses weight.
Strings land somewhere right in the middle.
Not all parts of the night need the same energy (this is where people trip up)
One thing I’ve noticed, people sometimes think they need one “style” of music for the whole evening.
That rarely works.
Guests arrive – that’s one mood.
People grab a drink – slightly different mood.
Everyone sits down – another shift.
Then speeches, awards, pauses, clapping, awkward transitions.
It moves. Constantly.
So the music should move with it, even if no one consciously notices.
So what actually works for award night music?
This is where it gets slightly subjective. And also where overthinking can creep in.
You don’t need a “perfect” playlist. You need a sensible one.
Something that feels intentional without feeling curated within an inch of its life.
A few pieces that tend to land well, though — not because they’re trendy, but because they just work.
Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik — this one shows up a lot, and honestly, it earns its spot.
It’s light, bright. People recognise it even if they don’t realise they do. Good for arrivals. Makes the room feel awake.
Pachelbel’s Canon… yeah, I know.
Some people are tired of it. I get that.
But in the right moment, usually when people are finding their seats or dinner’s just starting, it still does something nice. It settles the room. Gives it a bit of flow.
Just don’t build the whole night around it. That’s where it starts feeling predictable.
Then you’ve got crossover pieces.
Viva La Vida comes up a lot for a reason. It translates really well to strings. Has movement. Feels familiar without being distracting.
That’s kind of the sweet spot for award night music.
Bittersweet Symphony — slightly dramatic, but in a controlled way.
Good for transitions. Bigger award moments. Anything that needs a bit of lift without turning theatrical.
Fly Me to the Moon — this one depends on the crowd.
If the event leans more black-tie or classic, it fits beautifully during dinner. Smooth, easy, not intrusive.
Clocks — repetitive in a good way.
Keeps things moving without pulling focus. Works well when the night needs to keep its pace.
There are others, obviously. And a lot depends on the room, the audience, even the industry.
A finance awards night will feel different to a creative agency one. You can push things a bit more in some settings.
A quick thought on modern covers (because this comes up a lot)
String quartets doing pop songs, people either love it or worry it might feel gimmicky.
It really comes down to how it’s used.
A few well-placed modern tracks, especially ones people recognise, can make the night feel current. Less “corporate function,” more actual event.
But too many, and it starts to feel like a novelty set.
There’s a balance there. Most good quartets already know where that line is, which helps.
The part most people don’t plan for.
This might sound minor, but it isn’t.
The gaps.
Between awards and between speakers. When someone is walking on stage slightly slower than expected. When the MC needs five extra seconds to find their place.
Those moments can feel awkward really quickly.
Live music fills those spaces without anyone needing to say anything. No dead air. No weird silence where people start clinking glasses just to make noise.
That alone is often worth having a string quartet there.
So what should the overall feel be?
Not perfect.
That’s probably the simplest way to put it.
You’re not trying to create a concert. Or impress music critics sitting in the back row (there aren’t any).
You’re trying to make the night feel smooth. Easy. Like it’s flowing without effort, even though there’s actually a fair bit going on behind the scenes.
The music should support that.
Not lead it. Not fight it. Just sit underneath and hold it together.
If you’re actually planning one of these.
It’s worth talking to string musicians who’ve done a lot of corporate events specifically.
There’s a difference between playing well and understanding how events work. Timing, reading the room, adjusting on the fly: all of that matters more than people realise.
String Musicians Australia has been around since 2011, and they’ve done enough of these to know when to step forward and when to disappear into the background (in a good way).
If you’re putting together an awards night and want it to feel polished without feeling stiff, it’s best to have a chat with them.
Get in touch with String Musicians Australia today.
Author
Jennen Ngiau-Keng is the founder of String Musicians Australia and an award-winning violinist based in Melbourne. Trained at the Australian National Academy of Music and holding a Master of Music Studies from the University of Tasmania, Jennen has performed with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, collaborated with artists like Hans Zimmer and Russell Crowe, and earned over 100 awards across national and international music competitions. He founded String Musicians Australia in 2011, bringing together some of Australia's most distinguished musicians for over 2,000 events nationwide.