About this vendor
Hi there! Welcome to my The Knot Page.
I live in Nassau County, Long Island NY. I play the cello and perform classical music, pop music, jazz, film, oldies, classic rock, r&b and contemporary for weddings, corporate events, charities, concerts, engagements, proposals, studio recordings, birthdays, anniversaries, and more. I've been playing professionally for almost 10 years, and I have tons of experience to make sure your event or concert feel just right. I'm also a recording artist with an in home studio. Music is my life and I love to share my passion!
-----Listen and watch my work here!
www.cellistja.com/recordings
www.instagram.com/james.acampora
https://www.youtube.com/@cellistja7628
-Packages I offer: (In order of popularity)
Cello Solo (Using backing tracks if needed)
Cello + Guitar
Cello + Harp
Cello + Piano
Cello + Piano + Vocalist
Violin Solo
Cello and Violin Duet
String Trio
String Quartet
DJ
***I can perform each part of the event with these groups, or have each musician play a different part of the event. I can make recommendations based on the length and style of the event. Please let me know if you have any questions!
All musicians are amplified with a speaker system. I do not need electricity on site. I am fully insured and can provide a Certificate of Insurance with the venue. I do not provide microphones.
---Booking Process:
My booking process is very simple, and I am very easy to reach!
First I will discuss what music groups we need and check musician availability. I adjust my pricing according to distance of venue, time spent performing, size of group, instruments (larger instruments like harp and piano take more time to transport) and amount of material learned. (some pieces may need rehearsal beforehand, however this isn't common). You don't need to know your song requests immediately! At least a month ahead of time is ideal.
Once we have an idea of what music is needed, I will then need the info below to write a contract. The contract contains the info to send me a down payment. Once I receive the down payment, I will keep in touch with you leading up to your event! I would love to schedule a phone call if you have the time!
Date of Event:
Names of couple, or contact name:
Venue Address:
Guest Arrival Time:
Phone Number:
Email:
Where I have performed:
Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Midtown Rooftop, Vanderbilt Museum, The Pool NYC, The Vessel Huntington Yards, Tilles Center, Staller Center, Gateway Playhouse, Gurney's, Oheka Castle, Greenspace NYC, Governors Island, Gelsey Kirkland School, Queens Botanical Garden, Bronx Botanical, Brooklyn Botanical, Bourne Mansion, Glen Cove Mansion, Oyster Bay Mansion, The Swan Club, Crescent Beach Club, Seawanhaka Country Club, Water's Edge, The Larkfield, Georgio's, Sole East Resort, Eagles Nest, Oxygen Villa - Costa Rica, Sands Resort, The Legacy Castle, The Fox Hollow, Sayville Mansion, Columbia Club, Cosmopolitan Club, Central Park NYC, Bryant Park, Silva
Details
Instruments
- Cello
- Harp
- Viola
- Violin
Music Genres
- Classical
- Country
- Dance
- Indian
- Jazz
- Latin
Music Services
- Live Music
- Recorded Music
- Sound Equipment
Wedding Activities
- Rehearsals & Parties
- After Party
- Rehearsal Dinner
- Welcome Party
- Wedding
- After Party
Reviews
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5
out of 5.015 reviews
Review photos
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We had James and Andrew playing a cello and guitar duo for our ceremony and brunch reception and their talent is simply unmatched!! These musicians were so amazing and played such ...
a great variety of music with expertise. Everyone at our wedding complimented the music and was simply in awe of James and Andrew. Both musicians were extremely kind, flexible, and professional and played throughout our entire wedding which was so impressive. James was also such a pleasure to work with logistically! Right from the start he took the time to explain the different options to us, provide song lists, and even demos of music. He also learned a special song for our wedding song and sent us a recording before the wedding to ensure we liked it! We could not be more thankful for James and Andrew sharing their talent with us and making our wedding so special!
Thank you,
Julie and Andrew
AMAZING!! We did harp & cello for our ceremony at our wedding on 8/2. SO many of our friends and family came up to us asking about our ceremony musicians because they said it sound...
ed amazing and even friends who are going to be getting married said they want to look into it for their own weddings
I’m so happy we hired James for our wedding! His music was everything I dreamed of—it even gave me chills right before I walked down the aisle. He truly helped make our day feel li...
ke a fairytale. James was a joy to work with, and I’d hire him again in a heartbeat!
We were so lucky to have James play at our wedding ceremony. The music was absolutely beautiful and created the perfect atmosphere for such a special moment. He went above and beyo...
nd playing our special song request, which meant so much to us. Our guests are still talking about how moving and elegant the music was. We can’t recommend James enough—professional, talented, and a true highlight of our day!
We were so lucky to have James play at our wedding ceremony—he was absolutely incredible! From our first conversation, his communication was prompt, clear, and thoughtful. He worke...
d closely with us to understand our vision and went above and beyond to accommodate all of our song requests.
On the day of the wedding, he arrived early, coordinated with our venue staff and maitre'D with quiet confidence, and brought such a warm, elegant energy to the ceremony. His professionalism and poise made everything feel seamless and elevated the entire atmosphere.
So many of our guests commented on how moving and unique the ceremony music was. We’re so grateful for his talent and dedication, and we can’t recommend him highly enough!
James is an amazing and talented musician! When we mentioned that we really wanted to have pop music, but also a few country songs, he suggested that we include a guitarist with hi...
m as well. The duo was amazing! Cannot recommend enough! We are planning to book James for another event this fall. Great communicator, easy to work with, highly recommend!
Can't say enough about James. James performed at my wife's and my wedding ceremony on 4/6/24.
James is a professional and passionate about his craft. He was prompt, set up and read...
y to go well before the start of the church ceremony, well dressed and sharp looking. He was easy to communicate with and reach, before, during and after the wedding. Numerous guests remarked positively on how wonderful of a touch it was to have a cellist of his caliber. Definitely helped make the day that more beautiful.
James did a wonderful job providing the music for our wedding ceremony. He was professional, on time, and played beautifully.
James is extremely talented and we were so honored to have him as part of our wedding! He made the day that much more special for us and created the most beautiful soundtrack for o...
ur special day. He went above and beyond and was very professional throughout the process! We were honored to have him there and our guests could not stop talking about how amazing he is!
James was the perfect addition to our ceremony. He was receptive to my requests for certain songs and went above and beyond with them. Truly perfect!!
Excellent communication leading up to the wedding. Amazing performance and was able to adapt seamlessly to last minute requests and changes. Really created a beautiful ceremony. He...
also recommended a violinist and they both played great together.
James performed at my bridal shower and blew the crowd away! Not only was his music OUTSTANDING, but he was professional, polite, kind, and very talented. He made my Bridgerton Tea...
Party dreams come to life! We will absolutely be contacting him again in our future- thank you James!!!
James performed at our wedding last month - he is the best! Super professional, receptive to our requests, and of course he sounds amazing! Our guests were raving about our ceremon...
y music. Musicians do not get better than James!
James was very professional and easy to work with. He always responded promptly to our messages and answered all of our questions thoroughly. It’s easy to tell that James truly l...
oves to play the cello and it comes across as he serenades you with his beautiful music. He really made our day extra special. We wanted live music to make our ceremony and cocktail hour feel intimate and elegant, and James accomplished that with ease. James was professional, on time, and very experienced. We received so many compliments for his performance. Our guests loved his music. He performed a mixture of modern and classical music and he was even willing to learn any song we requested! Our only regret was that we didn’t book him for longer. We could have listened to him play all weekend!
Recently had James play at my wedding and couldn't be happier. He came highly recommended by Oheka Castle, and after watching his videos on Instagram, I looked no further. I knew I...
wanted a cellist at my wedding, as it's my favorite instrument, but my fiance/now-husband was hesitant because he isn't a fan of classical music and thought that one instrument sans singing might not be lively enough for guests, no matter what the genre. Nevertheless, we proceeded (agreeing to some classical and mostly modern songs) and were surprised by how entertaining and lively the music was, as James uses amps with recordings of other instruments in the background for some pieces.
We received TONS of compliments about James' playing from guests both during and after the wedding. James even happily took my very tipsy and impromptu request to play Tale as Old as Time for my mom, and she was so moved that she bawled. Some guests randomly requested Italian songs on the spot too, and he unhesitatingly complied, much to the Eye-talians' delight.
During our communications, James was always extremely responsive (replying within minutes!), friendly, informative, and professional. He's very down-to-earth, and his calling for music is evident from his playing as much as it is from his demeanor. He is a very cool person, a pleasure to listen to, and a gifted musician. Cannot recommend him more highly, and we hope to stop by Oheka for meals to listen to James play again.
Contact
Deer Park, NY
Cellist James Acampora