How to plan music for a funeral

By Luca Wetherall, Artistic Director & Tutor in Music, University of Oxford

Published 3 November 2026 · Updated 5 November 2026

Planning music for a funeral can feel overwhelming, especially when everything needs to happen quickly. Most of the decisions are simpler than they seem, and the people around you — the funeral director, the minister, the musicians — will guide you through each one. This guide walks through the process step by step, from the first phone call to the day itself.

When to start planning the music

As soon as you know the date and the venue. Most funerals in the UK take place within one to two weeks of the death, and the music should be settled a few days before so that musicians have time to prepare. You do not need to have every piece chosen before you make a start — beginning with one hymn or one song the person loved is enough to get things moving.

If you are arranging the funeral yourself, tell your funeral director what kind of music you are thinking of when you first meet. If someone else is handling the arrangements and has asked you to choose the music, find out what venue and timings have been set so you know what you are working with.

Working with the funeral director

Your funeral director coordinates everything on the day, including the music. Tell them what you would like — hymns, songs, live singers, recorded tracks — and they will make sure it happens in the right order at the right time. If you are booking musicians separately, let the funeral director know so they can brief them on the running order and any timing constraints.

Most funeral directors have worked with every combination of music and can advise on what works well in the venue you have chosen. If you are unsure where to start, ask them.

Church service or crematorium

The venue shapes the music. A church funeral can last 45 minutes to an hour and has room for two or three hymns, a solo or choral piece while people are seated, music as people arrive, and music as they leave. Most churches have an organ, so an organist can accompany the hymns and play before and after the service.

A crematorium service is usually 30 to 40 minutes, sometimes with an option to book a double slot. Two hymns and one other piece of music is a comfortable fit. Crematoria have a sound system for recorded music and some have a piano, but most do not have an organ. If you want live music, singers bring their own sound or sing acoustically — a small choir fills a crematorium chapel well.

A service at a natural burial ground or woodland site often has no sound system and no instrument, so voices alone carry the music. A soloist or a small group of singers works well in that setting. Our guide to songs for a burial covers the music at the graveside.

Religious, secular, or a mix

At a Church of England or Catholic funeral the minister chooses the structure, and the service will include hymns. You choose which hymns, and the minister agrees them. A few churches ask that all the music be sacred; most are flexible about a recorded song alongside the hymns.

A secular or humanist funeral, usually held at a crematorium, can have any music at all — hymns, pop songs, classical, jazz, or nothing. A civil celebrant will talk through the options with you.

Many families mix the two: hymns for the moments when people stand and sing together, and a recorded favourite for a quieter moment. That combination works at both church and crematorium funerals.

How many pieces of music

Church funeral (45–60 minutes): five or six pieces is usual. Two or three hymns for the congregation to sing, one solo or choral piece while people are seated (often during the commendation or after a reading), and music as people arrive and as they leave. An organist can cover the entrance and exit music as well as the hymn accompaniments, so these do not need to be separate bookings.

Crematorium (30–40 minutes): two or three pieces. One or two hymns and one other piece — live or recorded — fits the time well. Music as people enter and leave is often a recorded track played through the chapel’s sound system.

You do not need to fill every moment with music. Silence has its place at a funeral, and a pause between the end of a hymn and the next reading gives people time to sit down and settle.

Live singers or recorded music

Live singers do two things a recording cannot: they lead hymns so the congregation can sing along with confidence, and they respond to the pace of the service as it unfolds. When people are grieving, voices can be unsteady, and professional singers keep the hymns going even if the congregation falters.

Recorded music is the right choice for a favourite pop song, a jazz standard, or a piece the person loved that belongs in its original recording. Most families who book live singers also play one or two recorded tracks — the two work well side by side.

If the funeral is at a church and you want the congregation to sing, live singers make the biggest difference. If the service is secular and the music is all recorded, you may not need musicians at all — the crematorium’s sound system will handle it.

What a choir adds to a funeral

A choir leads the hymns, giving the congregation a melody to follow and the confidence to sing. Between the hymns, a choir can sing a piece on its own — an anthem, a psalm setting, or a quieter piece while people are seated after a reading. At the committal, a sung Nunc Dimittis or a simple blessing gives the final moment a stillness that spoken words alone sometimes cannot.

Even a small group of four singers changes the sound of a funeral. The hymns are stronger, the congregation sings more freely, and the moments of choral music give people a chance to sit and listen rather than read or respond.

We provide singers for funerals every week, from a soloist at a crematorium to a full choir at a cathedral. Our funerals page covers what we offer and how it works.

When to contact a choir

As early as you can. We can often arrange singers in as little as 48 hours, and we are used to working to the short timescales funerals require. The earlier you get in touch, the more choice you have over the number of singers and the repertoire, but a late call is never too late — we will always do what we can.

You can contact us directly, or your funeral director can do it on your behalf. Either way, we coordinate with the funeral director so you do not have to pass messages back and forth.

Text us on WhatsApp for the fastest reply, or talk to us about funeral music by email or the form.

Choosing the music

Start with what the person who died loved, or what the family knows and associates with them. A hymn everyone can sing, a song that was always on in the car, a piece of classical music they played at home — the best funeral music is specific to the person.

If you are not sure where to begin, our guides cover the options in detail:

How to choose music for a funeral — an overview of the kinds of music that work, and how many pieces fit each type of service
The most popular funeral hymns — the hymns congregations sing most confidently, with notes on each
The most popular funeral songs — the songs families choose most often, from classical to pop
Catholic funeral hymns — hymns for a Requiem Mass and the Rite of Committal
Music for a celebration of life — ideas for a less formal service
Music at a crematorium — what works in a shorter crematorium slot

Your minister, celebrant, or funeral director can also suggest music that suits the service and the venue.

What it costs

A soloist costs £275. A Small Choir of four singers costs £1,150, a quintet £1,400, a sextet £1,600, a choir of eight £2,000, and a chorus of twelve £3,000. An organist or pianist on their own costs £275; added to a choir, £250. There is no VAT to add.

These prices cover funerals in Greater London. For services outside London we quote travel on top, based on the distance. Most funeral music fits a soloist, a soloist with an organist, or a Small Choir — you do not need a large ensemble unless the church is large or you want a particular choral sound.

Our pricing page sets out every option, and our funeral music costs guide puts them in the context of what families typically spend.

Practical tips

Order of service. Once the music is chosen, list each piece in the order of service with its title and, for hymns, the words in full. Not everyone will know every verse, and printed words let people join in without fumbling for a hymn book. Set the text at a readable size in a plain font. Our printable funeral order of service marks each point where music comes, with space to note your choices.

Tell the funeral director exactly what you want. A written list of the music in the order it should happen, with a note on whether each piece is live or recorded, saves confusion on the day. Include the track name and artist for any recorded music so the person operating the sound system can find it.

Allow breathing room. Leave a pause between each piece of music and the next part of the service. People need time to sit down after a hymn, and a moment of quiet after a reading or a solo piece lets the music settle before anything else happens.

A rehearsal is not usually necessary. Professional singers prepare the music in advance and arrive early to check the acoustic, the organ, and any recorded tracks. They follow the funeral director’s cues and adjust to the pace of the service. If you have a particular worry — an unusual piece, a reading set to music, a family member singing alongside the choir — mention it when you book and we will make sure it goes smoothly.

Frequently asked questions

How far in advance should I plan funeral music?

As soon as you know the date and the venue. Most funerals take place within two weeks of the death, and the music needs to be settled a few days before so that musicians can prepare. Tell your funeral director what you would like and they will coordinate the rest.

Can I have both live and recorded music?

Yes, and many families do. A common arrangement is live singers leading the hymns and a recorded track of a favourite song played during a quiet moment, often as people arrive or leave. The funeral director or the church’s sound operator can switch between live and recorded music.

What if I don’t know any hymns?

Start with what the person who died loved, or what the family knows. Your minister or funeral director can suggest hymns that suit the service, and our guide to popular funeral hymns lists the ones congregations sing most confidently. You do not need to be religious to choose a hymn whose tune everyone knows.

How do singers coordinate with the funeral director?

You tell us or the funeral director what music you would like, and we take it from there. We confirm the pieces, the timings and the order of service with the funeral director directly, arrive early to set up, and follow the director’s cues on the day.

Can you arrange music at short notice?

Yes. We can often arrange singers and musicians in as little as 48 hours, and we are used to working to the timescales funerals require. If the service is soon, contact us as early as you can and we will do everything we can to help.