{"id":1570,"date":"2026-09-18T08:01:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-18T08:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bangormetro.com\/?p=1570"},"modified":"2026-09-08T17:15:47","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T17:15:47","slug":"wedding-bells","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bangormetro.com\/?p=1570","title":{"rendered":"Wedding Bells"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Meet a teenage cellist composing custom\u00a0wedding music for local couples<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>By Stephanie Bouchard<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Emily Hanna Hackett got married in 2024, it was pretty special that the wedding took place in the same church as her husband\u2019s parents\u2019 wedding. But the icing on the (wedding) cake was the music she walked down the aisle to: a custom piece of music written by the bride\u2019s 15-year-old godson as a wedding gift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cellist and composer Ronan Sands of Eddington, now 17, began writing music when he was 10, only three years after he started taking cello lessons. His interest in classical music began when he randomly heard a piece on the car radio. It was not a genre of music he was familiar with at 7 years old \u2014 his parents are big fans of Tom Petty \u2014 but he was transfixed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image1570_175262-f4.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .kb-image1570_175262-f4 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{max-width:326px;width:100%;}.wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image1570_175262-f4.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image1570_175262-f4 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:unset;}.kb-image1570_175262-f4{max-width:326px;}.image-is-svg.kb-image1570_175262-f4{-webkit-flex:0 1 100%;flex:0 1 100%;}.image-is-svg.kb-image1570_175262-f4 img{width:100%;}.kb-image1570_175262-f4 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image1570_175262-f4 size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"643\" height=\"771\" src=\"https:\/\/bangormetro.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ronan.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-1571\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bangormetro.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ronan.png 643w, https:\/\/bangormetro.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ronan-250x300.png 250w, https:\/\/bangormetro.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ronan-600x719.png 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 643px) 100vw, 643px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt felt magical almost,\u201d he said of hearing that classical music. \u201cKind of like one of those old Disney movies with the sparkles and the birds and stuff and sunshine and rainbows and all that. That\u2019s kind of what it felt like.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sands turned to his father in the car and said, \u201cI want to do that.\u201d His parents took him to RDL Strings in Bangor to get him set up with a beginner instrument and lessons. When Sands saw a cello in the music shop and heard its deep, rich sound, there was no other instrument for him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Through his childhood, he practiced his cello for an hour or two nearly every day and that hard work paid off. A video of him performing was selected for From the Top\u2019s young musician video series, \u201cDaily Joy,\u201d and he has won several music competitions, including being awarded Bay Chamber\u2019s Glenn Jenks Future in Music prize in 2025, and this year, placing first in the Bangor Symphony Orchestra\u2019s Maine High School Concerto Competition, which earned him the opportunity to play as a guest soloist with the orchestra last spring.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While cello is his main instrument, Sands also began experimenting with piano and a bit of guitar, and is taking composition seriously. Besides being a wonderful art form for self-expression, he said, what really engaged him was working with others to try and convey their ideas. \u201cYou can act as kind of like a musical translator for them,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And that\u2019s his goal when he sets out to write music for someone \u2014 whether that be for a special occasion like a wedding or a video game. His godmother\u2019s wedding was the first piece of music he composed for a wedding. \u201cI really wanted something that was joyful, hopeful,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hackett was delighted with her gift and chose to use his composition for her processional, not just because of their relationship, but because in the music he captured the energy and style of her wedding.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe tone of the song matched my expectations of that moment,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She frequently tells other people about it, she said, because it transformed her traditional wedding into something a little different. What neither Hackett nor Sands knew was that custom wedding music is part of a broader trend toward more personalized wedding ceremonies. Platforms like Foreversongs.com are connecting couples with songwriters and musicians to create custom wedding music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sands says, along with one day forming his own chamber group and performing as part of an orchestra, he wants to write more custom compositions for weddings.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI really want to make this a special, special occasion for them,\u201d he said, \u201cand a wonderful personal artwork that is completely theirs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Go to <a href=\"https:\/\/ronansandscello.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ronansandscello.com<\/a> to hear Sands perform and watch the processional clip from Hackett\u2019s wedding.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cellist and composer Ronan Sands of Eddington, now 17, began writing music when he was 10, only three years 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