Jonathan was excellent at our wedding! A live pianist for our ceremony and cocktail hour was something we knew we wanted. Jonathan elevated the experience and made it feel even more magical. He was easy to work with and all of our guests loved him! He also sends recordings the week before so you know what you will be hearing. Thanks Jonathan!
Eli C.
5.0
Jonathan was a huge part in making our wedding day so special and perfect! The atmosphere he provided with playing live piano for our ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception was incredible.
I have nothing but amazing things to say about how well he communicated with us throughout the process, had a great attitude about everything, and even perfectly captured the vibe and song list we were looking for! ❤️
Thank you so much!! - Meredith & Tyler
Meredith H.
5.0
About this vendor
Jonathan Carlisle
OWNER
Typically responds within 24h
AWARD WINNER (2X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
Jonathan Carlisle is an award-winning Cincinnati wedding pianist providing live ceremony, cocktail hour and dinner music throughout Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.
From the first guest's arrival through the ceremony and reception, Jonathan works closely with each couple to create a personalized soundtrack for their wedding day. His repertoire ranges from classical and jazz to timeless standards and contemporary favorites, with special song requests welcomed.
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.
Join couples who chose award-winning vendors for their wedding
Meet the team
Jonathan Carlisle
Owner
Jonathan Carlisle is a pianist and composer from Cincinnati, Ohio. He graduated from The School of the Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA) in 2011, having studied under Simon Goykhman. He continued piano and composition education at Northern Kentucky University with pianist Dr. Richard Van Dyke & Ingrid Keller and composer Dr. Eric Knechtges. He also has a certificate in Music Production from Berklee College of Music.
As a pianist, he has won numerous awards for piano performance. Most notable was his inclusion in the Classical Music series at the White House in 2009, winner of the Corbett Mayerson award at SCPA 2010, Gold Medalist for The Ohio Teacher’s Music Association (OTMA), and Featured musician at the Carnegie Center in Covington, Kentucky, 2010.
As a composer, his music has been recognized by Hal Leonard Publishing (Karol Klose Bronze Medalist), ASCAP 2014 Finalist (Tower of Bable) and MTNA as a two-time state winner (2016 & 2017) He was the 1st place winner of the Classical Stars Competition (2024), & 3rd place winner of the Around the Globe Composition Competition (2024). In 2024, his music on Spotify had over 72K streams in 140 countries.
Reviews
5.0
out of 5.0
17 reviews
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Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
The pianist provided exceptional, professional service—beautiful, customizable arrangements for ceremonies, cocktail hours, rehearsals, and receptions. He communicated well, sent previews, and learned special requests. Guests and couples praised his talent, versatility, and ability to create a perfect, memorable atmosphere.
Eli C
5.0
7/30/2026
Jonathan was excellent at our wedding! A live pianist for our ceremony and cocktail hour was something we knew we wanted. Jonathan elevated the experience and made it feel even mor...
e magical. He was easy to work with and all of our guests loved him! He also sends recordings the week before so you know what you will be hearing. Thanks Jonathan!
Meredith H
5.0
5/15/2026
Jonathan was a huge part in making our wedding day so special and perfect! The atmosphere he provided with playing live piano for our ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception was inc...
redible.
I have nothing but amazing things to say about how well he communicated with us throughout the process, had a great attitude about everything, and even perfectly captured the vibe and song list we were looking for! ❤️
Thank you so much!! - Meredith & Tyler
Response from Jonathan Carlisle on 05/22/2026
Hi Meredith & Tyler! It was a huge pleasure to be a part of your special day and wonderful...
to have gotten the chance to share all the music for your family and friends. Thank you for your kind words and all the best to you both on your new life together!
Any questions?
Lindsey B
5.0
1/26/2026
We hired Jonathan to play piano at our wedding and couldn’t be happier with the experience! He did an absolutely excellent job and played every personalized song we requested beaut...
ifully. One of the highlights was a duet with the groom’s sister; it was such a special moment and Jonathan made it look effortless. We highly recommend him for any event!
Jessica M
5.0
12/31/2025
Jonathan Carlisle is the absolute best and I couldn't have asked for a more professional and talented musician for my wedding day. I had a special request for my favorite Taylor Sw...
ift song to walk down to, and he knew exactly how to make it sound. I'm still in tears. AMAZING!!
Emily S
5.0
11/06/2025
Jonathan was great to work with and provided beautiful music for our wedding cocktail hour. The communication was very easy prior to our wedding, and he was able to create a custom...
arrangement for us, which was so special. I highly recommend him to anyone.
Abigail B
5.0
9/21/2025
Jonathan did an amazing job playing for our wedding ceremony. He was able to take some of our favorite songs and turn them into such beautiful pieces to walk down the aisle to. Hig...
hly recommend him to anyone searching for music on their big day.
Macey M
5.0
9/09/2025
Jonathan was FANTASTIC!!! highly recommend!
Jeff R
5.0
8/08/2025
Jonathan was great to work with for the rehearsal dinner. When planning the event, we decided on different themes for the three hours he would play - - - disco during the cocktail...
hour, standards during dinner, and contemporary for the after party. The atmosphere he generated was perfect for each phase of the evening. We have two other children, and can't wait to hire him again!
Sandra G
5.0
7/16/2025
We had the absolute pleasure of hiring Jonathan for our son’s wedding rehearsal dinner, and we cannot recommend him highly enough! From the moment he started playing, he set the p...
erfect tone for the evening – elegant and joyful. His extensive repertoire ensured there was something for every guest. What truly set him apart was his willingness to go above and beyond. We requested a few special songs in advance to honor family traditions and heritage. He not only learned and performed them flawlessly, but graciously took requests from the crowd without missing a beat. Beyond his incredible talent, Jonathan is just the most personable and kind individual. He mingled with guests during breaks, sharing wonderful stories about his musical journey. On behalf of all parents who drove their children to and from music lessons, THANK YOU, Jonathan, for your discipline and for sharing your exquisite innate talent!
Response from Jonathan Carlisle on 07/25/2025
Wow! Thank you so much for the kind words and appreciation Sandra. It was a very special e...
vening, and I am so happy to have been a part of it. All the best to your son, his wife, you and your family :)
L
5.0
4/27/2025
My now husband and I hired Johnathan to play music at our wedding ceremony. Throughout the whole process he was so easy to work with, kind, knowledgeable, helpful and he's exceptio...
nally talented! He was accommodating to our unique song preferences and even sent us previews of him playing them before the actual ceremony! We received many compliments about him from our guests as his music created an atmosphere of elegance and warmth that truly elevated our ceremony!
Response from Jonathan Carlisle on 04/28/2025
It was wonderful to be a part of your special ceremony and a pleasure to have provided the...
music for you both! Thank you again for letting me be a part of it and all the best!
Tabetha T
5.0
11/13/2024
We were so lucky to have Jonathon perform at our wedding. His beautiful music created the perfect atmosphere for our special day. He composed a special version for our wedding proc...
ession just for us! He was absolutely incredible and made our cocktail hour so elegant and memorable. His talent and professionalism elevated our wedding ceremony to a whole new level. The music was flawless and added so much emotion to the occasion. We received countless compliments from our guests about how much they loved the piano performance. His elegant playing transformed our ceremony into a magical experience. The music was so moving, it brought tears to our eyes. We'll never forget the way Jonathan made our special day even more unforgettable.
Response from Jonathan Carlisle on 11/14/2024
Tabetha! It was absolutely wonderful to be a part of your wedding and can't thank you enou...
gh for letting me share your music selections with everyone. It was a great wedding day!!
Maddie W
5.0
10/26/2024
Johnathan was exceptional at our wedding! From the beginning of the process, he proved to be knowledgeable, professional, and very dedicated to meeting our needs and wishes. From s...
cheduling, to picking the playlist, Johnathan was super open and helpful, which was a godsend during the stresses of wedding planning. Our guests are still raving about how amazing he was! I truly can’t recommend his services enough and can’t wait to work with him again in the future.
Response from Jonathan Carlisle on 11/04/2024
Thank you so much for your kind words! It was wonderful being apart of your wedding and a ...
pleasure to have gotten to work with you. Congrats to you both on your marriage!!
Connor H
5.0
7/15/2024
Jon is an incredibly talented pianist and was one of the most complimented vendors at our wedding. During the planning process he was extremely easy to work with and his communicat...
ion was exceptional. We first met over coffee to discuss our vision for our ceremony and reception dinner music. Jon captured it perfectly by learning the songs that were important to us and suggesting songs that helped everything flow together. He even sent us recordings prior to the wedding, so we could hear how it all fit!
I have no doubt that Jon can learn any song and then speed it up, slow it down, extend it, shorten it, or do whatever is necessary to ensure it’s a perfect fit for whatever event the music is accompanying. If you’re considering having piano music at your wedding, look no further than Jonathan Carlisle. And if you’re not considering piano music, you should because after having Jon play our wedding was one of the best decisions we made!
Response from Jonathan Carlisle on 07/15/2024
Thank you so much for your incredible kind words! It was a pleasure getting to be a part o...
f your and Kelsi's wedding and to receive your wonderful review :)
Cheers to you both and congrats on your marriage!
Colleen
5.0
2/06/2024
Mr. Carlisle was hired for my wedding last May and played during the ceremony and cocktail hour. When you are a bride and a planner (like me) you hone in on the details. With how m...
any things you can worry and think about on your wedding day I realized that the music wasn't one of them. Jonathan is a great musician and took the time to help pick out and learn the music we wanted for the ceremony. When we were brainstorming music I had joked about walking down the aisle to Dancing in the Dark by Bruce Springsteen. Not sure if Jonathan thought I was joking, but he sent a video of a piano version he made of that song. It was so beautiful and perfect. If anyone is looking for a pianist for your wedding then take this as a sign that you found him.
Response from Jonathan Carlisle on 11/14/2024
Thank you so much for letting me be a part of your big day! I loved playing your song, con...
grats and best wishes to you and your husband!!
Carissa C
5.0
1/11/2024
I had reached out to Jon to play for my engagement party and all I can say is WOW!! I was initially thinking of Frank Sinatra's music for the night, but when the energy shifted and...
he read the crowd, he started playing Queen, Taylor Swift, then Post Malone BY REQUEST!! I knew we made the right choice when hiring him, but after all of my guests complimented us on such a talented, fun, and not to mention cute! pianist, I couldn’t have been happier. It's easy to say that my now husband loved Metallica and the music throughout the night was phenomenal. Highly recommend!!
Response from Jonathan Carlisle on 11/14/2024
It was incredible to share with everyone your vision of the music!! Thank you so much for ...
letting me be a part of the evening and for the wonderful conversations.
Cheers!!
Nancy R
5.0
1/11/2024
Jonathan Carlisle was hired to play for my rehearsal dinner on 6/16/2023. I can't say enough good things about him, and he certainly added to the special night! He had the perfect ...
songs picked out and my family and I couldn't have been happier. A professional through and through and highly recommended!!
Response from Jonathan Carlisle on 11/14/2024
Hi Nancy,
I loved playing and sharing music with everyone! Thank you for thinking of me ...
and for letting me be a part of it :)
Kristin H
5.0
1/03/2024
We hired Jonathan to play at our rehearsal dinner on 6/8/23, and we were so impressed! He was so personable and talented. His music was beautifully played in the background setting...
the scene for the perfect evening. Truly inspiring. So much so, my niece is now taking lessons! Thank you so much Jonathan. 100% recommend!
Response from Jonathan Carlisle on 01/03/2024
Thank you so much Kristin! It was a pleasure playing for you and your husband's rehearsal ...
dinner. You all have a wonderful family and happy to hear your niece is taking lessons :)
