5.0
Verified reviews from real couples
Electric Violin Solo or String Ensemble
Florida, Long Island, New Jersey, NYC
Travel area: No travel restrictions See details
I truly cannot thank James enough for stepping in and performing at our cocktail hour after a very unpleasant experience with another musician. He answered my call immediately and was so understanding, patient, kind, and incredibly reassuring that everything would go smoothly.
If I could give more than 5 stars, I absolutely would. He was phenomenal during our cocktail hour and brought my vision to life with less than 24 hours’ notice. What made it even more special is that he perfectly captured the exact vibe I had always dreamed, Latin, hip-hop, and modern, something that felt so personal and true to us.
His talent is unmatched, and his professionalism and character are just as impressive. Do yourself a favor and book him, not only for his incredible talent, but for the kind of person he is.
Jessica C.
5.0
We booked James Teal for our November 2025 wedding and he was so amazing! All the guests loved the vibes he brought. He was able to play romantic classic songs along with fun r&b, pop and reggaeton. Very professional and super talented. Definitely one of the highlights of the day.
Jazmine G.
5.0
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James Teal, Violinist
OWNER
AWARD WINNER (4X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
James Teal Violin is a wedding musician operating out of the Bronx, NY.
James Teal runs his own company called Teal Music and provides musical ensembles and soloists to play soaring musical scores for weddings every week. James discovered his passion for music at an early age and has developed it into a fruitful career. He is truly thrilled by the prospect of helping you create a stunning soundtrack for your special day.
James studied at Stetson University and graduated with a Bachelor of Music. He also lends his talents to community orchestras and bands, in addition to performing as a soloist. Providing music for momentous occasions is a great passion of his, as he understands the importance of the perfect song for your perfect day. Teal Music offers a number of services for your wedding. You can consult with James regarding your musical needs for your celebration. He can provide a background score for your ceremony, cocktail hour, or reception. He is also open to learning specific requests, should you have them. James can serve your event as a soloist or be joined by a trio or quartet of equally talented musicians.
Hispanic or Latinx-owned and LGBTQ+-owned Business
7+ years in business
Speaks English, Spanish
Details
Instruments
Cello
Guitar
Keyboard
Piano
Saxophone
Viola
Violin
Vocals
Music Genres
Caribbean
Classical
Dance
EDM
Hip-Hop
Jazz
Latin
Pop
R&B
Music Services
Live Music
Recorded Music
Sound Equipment
Wedding Activities
Rehearsals & Parties
After Party
Rehearsal Dinner
Welcome Party
Wedding
After Party
Ceremony
Cocktail Hour
Reception
Rehearsal Dinner
Awards and Affiliations
4-Time 'Best of Weddings'
2026.2022.2021.2020.
Best of Weddings
The Knot independently assesses vendors for this award—it’s never self-reported. We base it on firsthand experiences from real couples and guests, and they must have a 4.5-star average across 7+ reviews in the qualifying year.
Hall of Fame
Earned by winning 'Best of Weddings' four or more times.
Join couples who chose award-winning vendors for their wedding
Meet the team
James Teal, Violinist
Owner
I’ve been playing weddings for over 15 years! I uncovered my passion for music at the age of 8 while playing the violin at church, and with my family at Christmas parties. From then on, I was always a violinist in school orchestras, musicals, and was always getting other musicians together to form bands for music shows and to play at weddings.
I run my own contracting company for string players and will fulfill your request to have live music at your wedding!
Reviews
5.0
out of 5.038 reviews
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Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
Reviewers say the violinist delivered stunning, personalized music for ceremonies and cocktail hours, blending genres and even arranging/recording songs. He was professional, responsive, flexible (including last-minute changes), and fairly priced. Guests called his performance magical and memorable.Hilary H
Highlighted review.
5.0
12/01/2025
We found James on Instagram and instantly had a great feeling about him — but he still managed to exceed every expectation. We hired him for our cocktail hour and dinner, and he wa...
s absolutely phenomenal. He also shared several band recommendations from groups he has performed with before (live music was very important to us), and one of those bands ended up being our dream reception band.
One of the most unexpectedly magical moments of our entire day happened before the ceremony: while we were doing our first look and portraits, James happened to be doing his sound check. Suddenly we had this incredible, live soundtrack behind us. It felt cinematic, completely unplanned, and so special — one of those memories we’ll always treasure.
We originally talked to James about combining a few songs for our first dance, and in true wedding-fashion we made it more complicated than it needed to be. He was completely on board, patient, and genuinely excited to explore ideas with us. Ultimately, we decided to simplify, and he played our (single) song for our private first dance outside. It was James and his gorgeous violin, us, on the patio next to the river, while guests watched from windows above. It was absolutely perfect.
James then went above and beyond: he recorded a version of our first-dance song and sent it to us so we’d have it forever. We recently listened to it again and were instantly transported back to that moment. It is one of the most meaningful gifts of the entire wedding.
To top it all off, James seamlessly joined our reception band that night — truly blending in as if he had been part of them for years. Guests couldn’t stop talking about him. His musicianship, professionalism, and kindness made such an impact on our wedding day.
If you are considering booking James: do it. He is extraordinary, and we are so grateful he was part of our wedding.
Jessica C
5.0
3/30/2026
I truly cannot thank James enough for stepping in and performing at our cocktail hour after a very unpleasant experience with another musician. He answered my call immediately and ...
was so understanding, patient, kind, and incredibly reassuring that everything would go smoothly.
If I could give more than 5 stars, I absolutely would. He was phenomenal during our cocktail hour and brought my vision to life with less than 24 hours’ notice. What made it even more special is that he perfectly captured the exact vibe I had always dreamed, Latin, hip-hop, and modern, something that felt so personal and true to us.
His talent is unmatched, and his professionalism and character are just as impressive. Do yourself a favor and book him, not only for his incredible talent, but for the kind of person he is.
Any questions?
Jazmine G
5.0
12/31/2025
We booked James Teal for our November 2025 wedding and he was so amazing! All the guests loved the vibes he brought. He was able to play romantic classic songs along with fun r&b, ...
pop and reggaeton. Very professional and super talented. Definitely one of the highlights of the day.
Valeria L
5.0
12/30/2025
James was truly one of the most beautiful parts of my wedding. He plays the violin so beautifully and is incredibly talented! I had a bilingual wedding, and James perfectly blended...
multiple genres including latin music. Our guests are still talking about how stunning the music was! James was also very responsive and so easy to work with throughout the planning process. I couldn’t have asked for a better musician for our special day. 🩷
Jelena M
5.0
12/30/2025
James was amazing! His beautiful music enhanced my wedding ceremony and cocktail hour. Do not hesitate if you are thinking about a violinist at your wedding!
Kevin S
5.0
12/29/2025
James was amazing and he is super talented!! We had one call prior to our wedding to go over the songs we wanted him play and then I was able to text him with any updates. We had p...
ositive feedback from our guests as well; they said he was great for both the ceremony and cocktail hour! If you’re thinking of getting a violinist for your wedding to elevate the experience for your guests, do it!! And if you book with James even better!!
Megan V
5.0
12/29/2025
James was an absolutely amazing violinist and a true professional. He was attentive, listened carefully to our wishes, and was incredibly flexible when we had to change our ceremon...
y location and timing due to inclement weather. Our guests couldn’t stop raving about his performance during cocktail hour, and he truly made our wedding day feel unique and even more enjoyable. We would 100% recommend booking James for your special day!
Anthony M
5.0
12/28/2025
My partner and I got married recently and were looking to add live music for our ceremony in the on-site chapel. Finding James Teal was genuinely one of the best decisions we made ...
for our wedding day. From the very beginning, James helped transform our ceremony into an incredibly intimate, emotional, and personal experience.
James provided live music as a violinist himself, along with a full ensemble that included an additional violinist, a cellist, and a singer. The quality of the musicianship was outstanding, and the sound filled the chapel beautifully without ever feeling overwhelming. One of the things we appreciated most was his willingness to customize the music for us. Being able to choose and personalize our ceremony pieces made the moment feel uniquely ours and added such a meaningful touch to the day.
Before the wedding, we met with James multiple times. He took the time to truly understand our vision, listened carefully to what we wanted, offered thoughtful recommendations, and then executed everything flawlessly. His professionalism, organization, and calm presence made the planning process stress-free and reassuring.
On the day of the wedding, everything ran seamlessly. The timing was perfect, the transitions were smooth, and the emotion his music brought to the ceremony was unforgettable. We received so many compliments from our guests about how beautiful and moving the music was.
We cannot recommend James Teal highly enough. If you’re looking for a talented, professional, and genuinely caring musician who will elevate your ceremony and make it deeply personal, James is the perfect choice.
Tamara K
5.0
12/28/2025
We couldn’t have asked for a better violinist for our wedding. James played every song I requested flawlessly and truly brought our vision to life. On top of his incredible talent,...
he gave us a great deal, was so kind, and incredibly flexible throughout the process. I’m beyond thankful that I found him — he made our day even more special. Highly recommend!
Ramy A
5.0
11/18/2025
James is an extremely talented musician and helped to make our wedding day magical. His pricing is very fair, and after seeing that and checking out his Instagram and Spotify, it w...
as a no-brainer to hire him. James works with other musicians as well, so we were able to hire him and his associate Kate as a violin/cello duo for our ceremony. They provided exactly what we wanted in the way of "Bridgerton vibes", aka contemporary pop music on classical strings. James has an extensive repertoire, and he was even willing to learn several new songs for us. My now-husband started crying as soon as he heard James and Kate playing the song we had picked out for walking down the aisle. Multiple guests also complimented the music. It was truly magical. I don't plan to get married a second time, but I hope to find another reason to hire James in the future. I highly recommend him!
Jezebel R
5.0
9/28/2024
James is Amazing and was so happy to have him play in my ceremony and Cocktail hour. He is so talented and brought so much magic to my wedding. I would recommend him to anyone who’...
s getting married !
Stephanie O
5.0
9/26/2023
Cant say enough amazing things about James. Our wedding would not have been the same without him.
Michelle L
5.0
5/03/2022
James was amazingly awesome!!
James was hired to play for the ceremony and cocktail hour at my wedding on 4/30/22 and he did his thang, yes I said thang. My guest are still asking...
me about him today. He did an amazing job. He was prompt, courteous, and professional. I am already thinking about and planning to hire him for a future anniversary
party and I’ve only been married for 2 days. If you are searching for a violinist,
to play for your event; James will not disappoint😁
Denise G
5.0
3/26/2022
I had my wedding last week and it is so fresh in my head how amazing James was. My now husband hired him for the proposal back in November 2020 and I remember I was in tears when ...
I heard him play from afar. Fast forward to our wedding day, he was just amazing during the cocktail hour! The guests were raving about how talented and great he was on the violin.
Thank you, James! You are truly such a talented violinist!
Jessica S
5.0
10/21/2021
James played at my Central Park wedding on 10/25/2021 and I wish I could rate him with 100 stars! Nearly a month later my guests are STILL raving about him. He is professional, on ...
time, and simply so nice and EASY to work with!! THANK YOU JAMES!!!
The Santos.
Loly B
5.0
10/19/2021
I was looking forward to hire James for my event since i always looked at his post on IG and I loved it .
When he was playing all my guest were so impressed and I was so satisfied...
as he played all my favorite songs . ! Definitely will use him again and recommend him !
Jesse W
5.0
10/19/2021
I would describe James as professional, skilled, and kind. Working with James is a breeze, he is accommodating and overall a really nice guy.
He is a full-time musician dedicated t...
o putting on the best performance. I highly recommend James because of his talent and professionalism.
Lindsay W
5.0
10/19/2021
Honestly, I just want James to be my Best Friend lol. No but seriously though I found James on Instagram and would watch his posts regularly because I was in awe of how well he pla...
yed. He’s the most talented musician I’ve probably ever met. I also love how not only does he play contemporary music, but he plays it extremely well. He was also so sweet to work with and was open to playing any song I wanted him to play. I receive so many compliments still about how great he was and have already recommended him to a million people. Easiest decision of all my planning was to hire him!
Michael E
5.0
10/19/2021
James played at our wedding at the Queens Botanical Garden in July and absolutely blew us away! He arrived early, had all of his own equipment set up and ready to go and played eve...
ry song we requested in perfect timing.
What really made James a total steal was just how great a violin player he is! So many of our guests mentioned "the violin player" at the reception to us. James can play a wide variety of songs and we made absolute use of that!
Catalina D
5.0
10/18/2021
If I could review James a million times and hire him for every event I host, I would! James was absolutely fantastic for our wedding! I saw James performing live, found him on soci...
al media, and knew that we had to have him as the live component for our wedding. From start to finish, James was wonderful — he’s extremely invested in making sure the music is exactly as desired. He learned a completely new song for me to walk down the aisle to literally the night before the wedding. He even coordinated and worked with a family member to add a special performance during our ceremony. Our guests couldn’t stop raving about how great he was during the cocktail hour as well! Your couples are lucky to have you, James! Thank you!
Canaa B
5.0
10/18/2021
My wedding was 9/19/21 I called James couple weeks before which was very last minute he was very accommodating drove into CT & was punctual. He took my breath away!!! All of my gue...
sts are still talking about the violinist!!! It was the perfect touch to our ceremony & cocktail hour! Everyone knew every song that’s how great he was!! I would book him again and again if I could! He’s also so kind and well mannered love love him!
Lauren B
5.0
11/20/2020
James was incredible! We can’t say enough about his flexibility in working with us. After cancelling our large destination wedding due to covid, we decided to keep our original d...
ate but do a small, local ceremony. We scoured reviews to find vendors in just three shorts weeks. We were SO pleased to find James. He was incredibly easy to work with, offered a ton of options and DELIVERED on our special day. He played some classics such as bridal processional and Frank Sinatra’s New York Theme. After speaking with him in our introductory call, we trusted him to “set the tone” both prior to our ceremony and after, end he crushed it. Our guests raved about him! We would strongly recommend James for your wedding or special event (no matter how big or small)!
Lisa B
5.0
10/26/2020
We hired James pre-covid to do our wedding this past Oct 10th.
James first off, was amazing on so many accounts. He was responsive to all my questions, met with me in person to ju...
st get comfortable and really understand what my husband and I were looking for. Then Covid hit, James STILL was amazing, responsive and when I had to completely change my entire wedding, worked with me to add musicians into the mix since we could no longer have a DJ.
We ended up holding an intimate wedding that we catered ourselves in our backyard in Fishkill NY. (We are professional caterers so don’t think we are that crazy)
James brought along a cellist and keyboardist for the day. They arrived in a timely fashion, played all evening and even ended up agreeing to extend for an hour when everyone just wasn’t ready for the evening to end.
They helped create this magical vibe and let me tell you the TALENT they all hold was just beautiful!
I’d absolutely re-hire James any chance I’d get, and definitely recommend if you want live musicians to bring him on!!
Response from James Teal Music on 10/27/2020
Lisa, I'm so glad the night was just as magical for you as it was for us! Thanks for letti...
ng us be part of your evening.
Marie R
5.0
9/24/2020
Thank you so much for making my fairytale come true. I really had to hold my tears walking down the aisle because it was just magical. Everyone loved your selection !
Amanda K
5.0
9/22/2020
James was a truly amazing part of our wedding day!! Originally we planned for James to play at the ceremony of our big wedding but when covid cancelled our plans, we opted for a mi...
cro-wedding and were lucky enough for James to play the ceremony, cocktail hour and dinner. James is an expert at his craft and the music was not only beautiful, but also perfectly timed to enhance our special moments. He was very communicative throughout the planning and re-planning processes and even learned a song that we loved to play for the recessional. We really can not imagine our day without James (and our guests continue to sing his praises!)
Cynthia C
5.0
9/05/2020
If you are looking for a talented, passionate and professional violinist to play at your upcoming wedding ceremony or wedding reception then look no further. James played at our we...
dding ceremony and dinner reception this past weekend and he exceeded our expectations. Our wedding celebration was so enriched by the beautiful music that accompanied all of the beautiful moments we experienced.
James was a true pleasure to work with. He was very organized and provided us with a list of songs that he recommended for the ceremony and dinner. There was a large range of songs on the list from the classics the pop modern radio hits. In addition to the range of songs provided, James was open to my special requests for Italian classics and was open to play anything he could find the music for. He is very easy to talk to and he was prompt with his responses, which is a great help in the planning process.
James played for seven hours straight barely stopping to take a break. He is so dedicated to providing the best musical experience for couples and their guests. Our wedding was so much more elegant and romantic because of James and his performance. Furthermore, James is very good with timing songs to fit and highlight specific moments. For example for the procession at my ceremony he suggested the classic Canon in D. During my cake cutting he played Justin Bieber’s “Yummy” and throughout the dinner reception he played a variety of classic songs to everyday hits. He is such a lovely addition to any special event! Above all James is a sweet person and is super personable!
I highly recommend James and I am looking forward to having him play at my next special event!
Guzin L
5.0
7/30/2020
I found James through recommendation in IG. He was very accommodating, and cheerful from the beginning to the end. I asked him just 3 songs to be played, and trusted him to do his ...
way for the rest of the event. And it was great. I am also event planner and I want to work with him for all my future events. We received a lot of compliments for him. Thank you James, for being part of our memory.
Jenna B
5.0
1/12/2020
James was fantastic! We had a small (70person) wedding ceremony in Central Park this past October. James guided us in song selections and also dealt with a few last minute requests...
the night before. Everyone said he played beautifully! ( I, the bride, of course only heard 2 songs :)).
Highly recommend James!
Camillie R
5.0
10/23/2019
Wow! James Teal violin was amazing. He hooked me up with a few extra musicians who played about a half hour From 330-4 while people showed up to our ceremony. At 5pm they stayed f...
or cocktail hour in which I requested only Disney music and James came through!! I heard so many compliments from my guests about how magical the experience was. We had communicated a few weeks before to finalize a customized list of songs and I was just blown away with their punctuation, professionalism, and performance. These 3 P’s were necessary for my wedding to be as Perfect as it was. Thank you James Teal Violin!
Amrita P
5.0
10/12/2019
I had a Central Park wedding ceremony, originally James and a cellist were supposed to play but a high chance of rain made planning a bit unpredictable. When we decided to have a b...
ackup plan of the musicians playing at dinner instead, James had prior commitments but found us an amazing violinist and cellist duet and was very communicative. When it looked like it was actually going to be a sunny day, James was able to play solo during our Central Park ceremony. Everyone loved him, his music, and he added a very romantic touch to a beautiful day. He was professional, had a lovely repertoire, knew exactly where to stand and where/when to play, and it was clear he has played at weddings many times before. He was accommodating regarding my often changing plans, and he coordinated with one of my bridesmaids and everything was just perfect! Thanks so much James!
Xijin Z
5.0
10/09/2019
James and the crew were awesome! Effective communication, great performance, and reasonable price. I recommend James to everyone!
Betty A
5.0
9/22/2019
I found James through GigSalad. I needed a violinist for my wedding ceremony. He was very responsive and when we connected on the phone to see if our personalities matched, it wo...
rked out really well. He's not just skilled in what he does, he's also very pleasant to work with. He's very accommodating and he gave me good songs recommendations. He can play old songs to modern ones. He even broke it out for me to do a pre-wedding, recessional, and post. He matched the songs very well with what we were expecting, and not only that, we asked him for some songs not within his regular repertoire and he kindly accommodated (with enough prep time for him, of course; we were very considerate about that). He was also available for me and my groom during the prep calls via Skype to plan out details. I so appreciated that. On the day of the wedding itself, even though there were plans we discussed, he was flexible to accommodate according to the needs of the moment during the actual event. For example, during the planning stage, I asked him to cut down on the recessional music (and he gladly accommodated) but it turned out that I walked too slowly and the path was longer than I expected, so instead of finishing the song, he went ahead and just repeated it until I reached the altar. James contributed a lot to making my ceremony meaningful, memorable, and special. My guests were also very impressed with his expertise and professionalism. I would recommend him any time to anyone. He's a great find!!!!
Joshua R
5.0
8/10/2019
Josh R
James performed at our wedding ceremony and cocktail hour. He played more pop contemporary music and our guests loved him. The coolest looking violin we have ever seen! We ...
would definitely recommend James and plan to hire him for our next event!
Rafiq C
5.0
8/07/2019
I could not be more pleased with my experience with James. He was very professional and punctual, but most importantly he went above what my expectations were. I would highly recom...
mend him. Very talented individual!
Katie A
5.0
7/15/2019
We loved having James perform for our wedding ceremony! He was professional and everyone was very impressed with his work. He was able to play the typical wedding songs as well as ...
current hits and oldies! He was able to make suggestions and also listened to what we wanted. He was very accessible before the wedding for chats to go over everything which definitely put our mind at ease before the big day.
We would definitely recommend him!
Mariana F
5.0
5/29/2019
James was a sensational musician. His musical talent, coupled with his unparalleled professionalism, make him a sure hit for anyone's event. Honestly, hiring James was the easiest ...
part of my wedding. He had a clear understanding of the music we wanted, made relevant and perfect suggestions, and handled everything like a pro. Such a pro in fact, that when a flaky violinist backed out on us FOUR DAYS before our wedding, James assured us that he had everything under control. And he did. I would 100% recommend James Teal for any and all of your musical needs!
Erika C
5.0
5/14/2019
Wanted a violinist last minute found james on thumbtack and i asked for preview on such short notice and he did it and he played amazing !
David A
5.0
5/08/2019
James was exceptional in every way for our event. He showed up on time, played awesome music (appropriate to our crowd and event), and stayed a bit later since the guests stayed 30...
min longer than expected. His pricing was very reasonable, i would hire him again in a heartbeat
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Travel area: No travel restrictions
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James Teal Music
James Teal, Violinist
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