Musical Discovery Chamber Players

Live music adds emotion

Austin, Central Texas area

Service area

5.0

Verified reviews from real couples

The Musical Discovery quartet provided the most elegant and beautiful experience for our guests upon arrival and during our ceremony. John provided a great music list to review options and provided a processional list to consider for our ceremony. It was incredibly helpful to our planning process. I highly recommend this team to make your day even more special!

Lindsey B.

5.0

WHEN will you ever have the opportunity to have a string quartet in your life?? Not many. So you want to make it count. I was blown away by their talent. While planning they had their music selection very organized. I really appreciated that! It made it easy to make the selections for the ceremony and cocktail hour. They were early and I heard them practicing while I was taking photos and they were great sports when it was raining. I just wish I got to enjoy them more! The weather really played a role w that and it was out of anyone's control. Plus, I was getting pulled in every direction. They were easy to get in contact with. I HIGHLY recommend Musical Discovery Chamber Players! My planner was so excited when I told her Musical Discovery was going to be at the wedding! That speaks volumes! Also, I was looking at my options and I was considering just ceremony - don't mess up and only do ceremony, it's not long enough, add the cocktail hour! Also, don't cut it to a trio- I looked on reddit and that really lead my decision. Every article said quad is the only way to go and after my wedding I totally agree!

Nicole S.

5.0

John M Holguin

OWNER

AWARD WINNER (9X)

Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot

Based in Austin, TX, Musical Discovery Chamber Players specializes in wedding music and string instrumentals for special occasions. Striving to provide a professional and personable experience to all couples, you can rely on these talented musicians to bring your vision to life. If you would like elegant and romantic string music for your wedding, these artists would love to help. Musical Discovery Chamber Players has been making couples' dreams a reality since 2004 and has the expertise to achieve your desires. This remarkable wedding music company makes Austin's talented musicians readily available so couples can avail of high-quality performances. Whether you need a string quartet, trio, duo, or soloist, these dedicated professionals can help. Musical Discovery Chamber Players would love to hear from you to begin planning your string music for your special day. They can provide cello, flute, piano, viola, winds, clarinet, harp, trumpet, and violin. With an extensive and ever-expanding repertoire, you're sure to find the perfect music for your magical celebration. What You'll Love About Musical Discovery Chamber Players They specialize in two distinct and equally loved genres of music. You can choose to hear your favorite pieces of classical music as you dine and dance or listen to some of the most famous pop songs given a classic makeover. Check out the reviews and FAQs to learn more about the band.

Hispanic or Latinx-owned, LGBTQ+-owned and Native American-owned Business

Details

Instruments

Cello

Guitar

Harp

Piano

Trumpet

Violin

Music Genres

Classical

Pop

Music Services

Live Music

Wedding Activities

Rehearsals & Parties

Rehearsal Dinner

Wedding

Ceremony

Cocktail Hour

Reception

Rehearsal Dinner

Awards and Affiliations

9-Time 'Best of Weddings'

2023.2022.2021.+6 more.

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

John M Holguin

Owner

My musical experience begin at age 10 and I've have never looked back! I've performed all around the globe and with large symphonies and small chamber groups. I moved to Austin 13 years ago and have continued sharing music with my students as well as with you! It is thrilling to bring together musicians who love their craft to the happiest day for a young couple. I love interacting with brides and sharing the magic of music.

5.0

out of 5.0

130 reviews

Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.

Search reviews

Lindsey B

4/18/2026

The Musical Discovery quartet provided the most elegant and beautiful experience for our guests upon arrival and during our ceremony. John provided a great music list to review opt...

ions and provided a processional list to consider for our ceremony. It was incredibly helpful to our planning process. I highly recommend this team to make your day even more special!

Nicole S

1/07/2025

WHEN will you ever have the opportunity to have a string quartet in your life?? Not many. So you want to make it count. I was blown away by their talent. While planning they had th...

eir music selection very organized. I really appreciated that! It made it easy to make the selections for the ceremony and cocktail hour. They were early and I heard them practicing while I was taking photos and they were great sports when it was raining. I just wish I got to enjoy them more! The weather really played a role w that and it was out of anyone's control. Plus, I was getting pulled in every direction. They were easy to get in contact with. I HIGHLY recommend Musical Discovery Chamber Players! My planner was so excited when I told her Musical Discovery was going to be at the wedding! That speaks volumes! Also, I was looking at my options and I was considering just ceremony - don't mess up and only do ceremony, it's not long enough, add the cocktail hour! Also, don't cut it to a trio- I looked on reddit and that really lead my decision. Every article said quad is the only way to go and after my wedding I totally agree!

Any questions?

Frankie C

4/05/2024

Musical Discovery truly elevated our wedding ceremony with their exquisite performance, creating an atmosphere of elegance and emotion that resonated with every guest. We received ...

many compliments about the trio from our guests.

Shannon M

10/10/2023

These musicians are truly so talented and professional. We hired the string quartet to play for our wedding ceremony and they played so beautifully and kept to the type of music we...

requested. I (as the bride) unfortunately only got to hear a selection of what they played but we received tons of compliments on how beautiful the music was leading into the ceremony. It was especially nice as we were slightly delayed in getting started. Would highly recommend these musicians for anyone interested in adding that extra romantic feel to their ceremony!!

Katie A

7/25/2023

These musicians are SO talented and took my ceremony & cocktail hour to the next level. The booking process is easy, and everyone I worked with was super professional. I would hire...

them again no questions about it!

Lisa W

1/23/2023

John and his team performed at my daughter's outdoor wedding in December 2022. Not only were they prompt and professional, they were patient and flexible with the possible last min...

ute change in weather conditions. The music was everything I had asked and hoped for and was such a beautiful addition to the ceremony. We received so many compliments and would definitely recommend them for any event!

R M

8/24/2022

Hired Musical Discovery for my wedding. They made the day extra special! Everyone had great things to say about their music and professionalism. John (the owner) was responsive and...

great to work with. They even played a special song I requested! I will remember this day forever :) Highly recommend!

Mary Katherine C

8/20/2022

I had a great experience with Music Discovery at my wedding this summer! The owner, John, was really responsive and easy to work with through the entire process. He gave great sugg...

estions on music selection and timing that ended up working perfectly. The violin duet artists were super friendly day-of and did a beautiful job with our music. I strongly recommend this group!

David h

8/18/2022

This ensemble is great! They were punctual, professional, and really lived up to the expectation I had of having classical music played at my wedding ceremony; they sounded wonderf...

ul and everyone, who was at the ceremony, was telling me how beautiful the experience was. On my wedding day, they were at the church before I was, waiting for me and ready to play. They help set the tone of a church wedding, and I was really happy to have included them. They helped make my weddding day the best day of my life. I hope to hire them again for other functions and I highly recommend them as they also carry contemporary songs in their repertoire.

Lin K

3/28/2022

As a wedding planner I have worked with many musicians over the years. Last year I planned the wedding for my niece at the Austin Country Club and had the pleasure of working with...

Musical Discovery Chamber Players for this wedding. The original wedding was scheduled for May, 2020 but due to Covid had to be postponed. We rescheduled for September, 2020 and again it was postponed. In July, 2021 the wedding finally happened. Each time I contacted John about a postponement he was extremely understanding and willing to add the new date to his schedule. The day of the wedding the musicians arrived on time and were very professional. After the wedding the one compliment I received over and over again was how beautiful the music was from this quartet. The music was soft, elegant and romantic which helped add to the ambience the bride was looking for. It is a pleasure to recommend Musical Discovery to any couple looking for beautiful music to help make their day even more special.

Kate H

3/08/2022

John Holguin and Musical Discovery were wonderful to have at our ceremony—- in addition to beautiful music, their professionalism and organization made it worry-free They provi...

ded an extensive list of music choices, songs, and also procured sheet music and learned a specific song for our ceremony. They were very good, economical, and on time - excellent in every way !

Ben D

3/08/2022

John and his team were exceptional at our wedding this past year! Highly recommend them if you want to add the perfect addition to your special day. I can’t thank them enough for t...

he beauty that they added to the ceremony. The process and planning was so easy and they have so many pieces of music that can make your most important moments feel like a movie. We picked a mix of classical, old, and current songs that are timeless. The right music can change the experience for everyone. 10/10 A+. They were amazing!

Elle H

11/09/2021

The absolute best addition to make our wedding even more memorable!!! I wanted them to learn 2 songs for the ceremony and they absolutely killed it!!! The two songs were POV by Ari...

ana Grande and Good Days by SZA, once I heard POV I cried my eyes because it was even more beautiful than I could’ve ever imagined. I would highly recommend this group to play for your special day! 11/10 stars for me! Great job great job!!

Brian C

8/26/2021

John and his team of expert musicians were excellent and a pleasure to work with. They went above and beyond for our wedding, playing songs that were not on their set list like "I ...

want it that way", "Head Over Boots" and "The Godfather Theme"! John and his musicians were super detailed oriented, a pleasure to work with and I highly recommend them for any string event!

Leighton S

7/31/2021

My wife and I were very pleased with how well our wedding ceremony and cocktail music were performed . We had a special piece arranged for the Bride's processional, and John did a...

n excellent job of making sure it was executed perfectly - which it was! I could tell he cared about getting it right as much as I did, and the final product exactly matched what I had imagined. Musical Discovery is a highly-skilled group of professional, classical musicians whom I would recommend to anyone!

Megan H

7/28/2021

Musical Discovery Chamber Players are the BEST! We had the string trio play at our wedding in April 2021 and they were amazing! They really made the ceremony so beautiful. They pla...

yed during our ceremony and during cocktail hour. We loved the mix between classic and contemporary songs they played and received so many comments from guests about how great they were! They were so kind and easy to work with as well. They really made our wedding so special and exceeded our expectations. I cannot recommend Musical Discovery Chamber Players enough!!

Kelsey J

7/26/2021

Great musicians, easy to work with, and beautiful selection of music. We got married during COVID and the were extremely flexible with changes and we couldn't have picked a better ...

group to work with!

Jenny M

7/26/2021

Highly recommend! They were fantastic to work with and had so much variety on which songs I could choose. The string trio really set the tone for the ceremony, and they did a wonde...

rful & beautiful job!

Paige B

10/20/2020

After discovering this group and the Austin Bridal Extravaganza, we had them play at our wedding in Austin. As a vendor they were extremely kind and professional, had a quick respo...

nse time and confirmed everything we wanted. They were extremely gracious with need to reschedule our wedding three times due to COVID. They were a joy to have at our wedding, I can not recommend them enough!

Sarah W

10/13/2020

They were magnificent! They did the music for both our ceremony and cocktail hour. Everyone loved it :) We had traditional Irish music for our church ceremony, would definitely re...

commend to anyone looking to add a unique touch.

Logan G

5/24/2020

All I can say is wow! They are excellent musicians and played very elegantly! Arrived in plenty of time to warm up and play for the ceremony

Meg G

3/16/2020

Musical Discovery completely exceeded our expectations! When my husband and I asked the string quartet to learn a piece of music for the bridal processional, John went above and be...

yond to ensure it was exactly what we wanted. The quartet's song list is so extensive that my husband and I only struggled to narrow down what we wanted them to play! Our guests enjoyed the mix of classical and contemporary music.

John V

11/10/2019

We didn't originally plan to have a violin/chello duo for our wedding, but it became a must have when we saw them playing while looking for vendors at a wedding expo! They acquired...

the rights to the song we wanted during our processional/recessional and it turned out perfect. They were very easy to work with, couldn't recommend more!

Rosemary K

10/08/2019

Such a wonderful touch added by these musicians! Jill was a great communicator, provided a list of songs to work from, and happily added another we requested. We are so happy we c...

hose this group!

Response from Musical Discovery Chamber Players on 10/09/2019

Thank you Rosemary!We loved adding special music for the ceremony.

Olivia R

6/27/2019

I first saw Musical Discovery Chamber Players perform at a local bridal expo and knew right away that I had to incorporate them into our wedding ceremony. The entire booking proces...

s was easy, thorough and affordable. Having just a solo violinist added a personal touch with our song choices and an elevated guest experience. It was beautiful and I highly recommend to anyone considering live music at their wedding or gathering! Thank you MDCP for being such a special part of our big day.

Alexandra G

6/13/2019

We were lucky to count with Musical Discovery Chamber Players' String Quartet during our ceremony and cocktail hour - our experience could not have been better! First, Jill and her...

team were just lovely. Super easy to work with and helpful when it's time to pick ceremony songs. Calling the musicians 'talented' is an understatement - the music was absolutely perfect, and I am so glad we made the decision of having this fabulous quartet be part of our day. They added an extra element of emotion and beauty to our day that we didn't think possible. If you're considering hiring a quartet, congratulations, you don't have to look any further! Could not recommend more!

Rose K

6/03/2019

We had Annette Eicker Cellist for our wedding. She was Fantastic. I don't know how many times I mentioned this throughout the wedding. I am so glad to have had at least a moment to...

say thank you to her personally during the ceremony! Honestly, both my husband and I have really high expectation for music due to our musical background and I was skeptical to hire any musicians, but guess what! She blew my mind! Thank you so much, Annette! For a star off, I was later told that the musician was not informed that the ceremony is outside despite several emails to discuss the spot for the cellist to sit since they are careful about their instrument with the sun. I was surprised to hear this. Everything went well nonetheless.

Response from Musical Discovery Chamber Players on 06/03/2019

Rose I am so pleased that you loved Annette, what's not to love right? She is an amazing ...

cellist. It is with regret to see a star off. I have looked through all ten emails we exchanged and do not see a mention about the outside ceremony. As the weather is such an influence here in Austin, it is an important factor we clarify before wedding date. Most important for you is the music! You loved it and so did your guests.

Megan F

5/25/2019

We had two string players at our small family wedding and they did a beautiful job! They were easy to work with, professional and the music was perfect!

Debbie A

5/13/2019

The Players were on time, professional and the music was beautiful! They were a pleasure working with during the planning process and were very efficient.

Brook J

5/07/2019

Perfect!!! Easy to email/get ahold of. Their website is great with song lists, examples, videos of them playing. They showed up on time, planned timing with my coordinator for song...

timing, brought the two microphones we requested, and sounded great! I’m so happy 1- we decided for live music for the recessional and processional, 2- we went with this company they made it so easy!!

Response from Musical Discovery Chamber Players on 05/11/2019

Loved your wedding! Thank you Brook!!

Julia H

3/19/2019

Jill and her quartet did a beautiful job playing for our outdoor wedding. We requested special music, and they learned it and played it flawlessly. They also had an extensive repet...

oire of various styles to look through and took all of our requests. I would highly recommend Musical Discovery!

Jessica G

3/05/2019

We had this group of incredible musicians play at our ceremony this past Fall. As little as I remember personally (as the bride just in a daze the entire time!), my guests could no...

t speak more highly of how beautiful it all came together. From the moment they walked into the ceremony and the trio we hired played soft and subtle music while everyone sat, they truly set the mood for the evening. We chose current hit songs for the family and wedding party to walk down to, and even though our choices weren't initially listed, I reached out to Jill and she said no problem - they had just added our choices to their list. It was perfect! Always super communicative and positive. Thank you for setting the scene for our perfect day. Can we do it all again!?!?

Joanie T

2/26/2019

It was wonderful working with Jill and her team for my wedding. She was great at communicating and provided helpful suggestions for selecting my ceremony music. She really made it ...

a breeze! Not to mention, the music was simply beautiful. I highly recommend for any future brides!

Polly T

2/22/2019

Wonderful people, stunning music! They played at the church of my daughters wedding and it really made the wedding so memorable. They also played at her bridal shower and so many g...

uests remarked on how classy and amazing they were. Highly recommend

Carol M

1/21/2019

They were great! Beautiful covers of contemporary songs and even learned a new piece for me to walk down the aisle to. Very easy to communicate with Jill as well! I recommend going...

to a Bridal Extravaganza so you can meet them in person and hear them play before booking.

Response from Musical Discovery Chamber Players on 01/21/2019

Thank you Shannon!! You and your wedding were so beautiful! We loved your special musica...

l request, Certain Things!

Cassie W

1/03/2019

These guys are awesome. We had a string quartet for our ceremony and they handled everything perfectly. We even asked for a custom arrangement of a really obscure song for my walk ...

down the aisle and it turned out so beautiful. Cannot recommend them enough!

Alexis R

12/14/2018

I got married back and 2016 and can't believe I am just now putting up this review!! Jill and her team were INCREDIBLE! I have sent all of my engaged friends her contact informatio...

n. The contact leading up to the wedding was awesome and prompt, her list of songs was BEAUTIFUL, and the day of was so special! Very much a fan and worth every penny.

Devika M

12/07/2018

Their performance was just perfect and they were very helpful in making our special day memorable with their music. Great service and Jill was wonderful with her communication with...

us!

Tom D

10/31/2018

I would highly recommend Musical Discovery Chamber Players. I picked them to play the ceremony music for our wedding as a string quartet, and they were great! Jill was great to wor...

k with and very flexible as I changed my mind several times on the music. They have an extensive list of music to choose from, and for the one piece we wanted that they didn’t have, Jill had it arranged for a small extra fee. During the ceremony, they played beautifully, and it really added something special to the ceremony. Thanks Jill for helping to make our wedding so great!

Kimberly F

10/30/2018

I hired Musical Discovery Chamber Players after speaking with several different music groups around Austin. They played all of my ceremony music and for our cocktail hour as well....

They were affordable and very easy to work with. They also play beautifully and are wonderful musicians! Jill was so accommodating to my ideas and very flexible. Their repertoire selection contains a wide variety of music including a popular selection as well as classical. You are sure to find the perfect songs on their list. Jill was very helpful at recommending selections and suggesting pieces I hadn’t thought about but fit flawlessly with our ceremony. The group new exactly when to start and stop without cue throughout he ceremony. They helped to make my wedding day unforgettable and added the special touches I didn’t know that I needed!

Kendra Q

10/29/2018

Musical Discovery was the best decision we made for our wedding ceremony music! Jill was very nice and professional and we were able to pick the songs we wanted to hear. Our guest ...

are still raving about their performance! Some of our guest were asking “how did they get the classical version of this song?” They were THAT good!! We plan to book them again for another event! A great choice.

Whitney R

10/24/2018

I can’t recommend Musical Discover Chamber Players enough for your wedding! We hired their four string quartet and they were wonderful! Jill Dalley was one of the most prompt and p...

rofessional wedding vendors that I worked with throughout my whole wedding planning experience. She made this part of wedding planning easy which is a blessing when you have so much to plan. She responded to all of my emails very quickly and provided a lot of information. Their performance was beautiful on our wedding day and made our ceremony and cocktail hour feel very special. We had a cold front come through on our wedding day and it was an outdoor ceremony, but they played through the cold like champions never missing a beat! They have a beautiful selection of classic pieces to choose from and also some really fun ones! We had them play the Game of Thrones theme song during our cocktail hour and it was a big hit; my friends still talk about that one! I highly recommend Musical Discovery Chamber Players for their extraordinary talent and professionalism.

Aranza M

10/23/2018

We had the honor of having Musical Discovery Chamber Players on our wedding on September 15th, 2018. We hired a string duet ( Cello and violin) and they were the most amazing beaut...

iful touch to the ceremony! Having live musicians really changes the whole mood of the ceremony. Makes it more magical and personal. We had to push the ceremony like 40 min later because of the rain and they were so so amazing and helpful! They had to play extra time while guest were waiting untill the rain ended and they did it with the best attitude and professionalism. Jill Dalley is beyond amazing, we made all our coordination with her and she was always super helpful, she provided a list of music they have and offered to even learn new songs if that's what we wanted. She is very easy going and made the process very smooth. Don't think twice. You definetly need musicians for your ceremony! Really changes the whole mood. People keep telling me " Woow. Your musicians where amazing " made the moment way more magical just to have them. Totally recommended Aranza

Response from Musical Discovery Chamber Players on 10/23/2018

Thank you Aranza! We loved your wedding! Thank you for sharing your experience. It is di...

fficult to convey how live string ensembles bring so much emotion, elegance and romance to a wedding - thank you for expressing it so well. All the best!

Angel Y

10/23/2018

Jill and her team are great to work with! They made our planning process very easy by giving us options to choose from. Jill talked to me on the phone to understand the styles of m...

usics we love and made sure that the pieces her team played are suitable to our wedding style.

Barbara C

10/12/2018

Musical Discovery was a true discovery! Our 50th wedding anniversary party was made perfect by their wonderful performance. A good friend had written a piece of music for our wed...

ding processional and we hadn't heard it in 50 years. Jill knew a person who could transcribe the music for a quartet. They played the music behind the slide show of our wedding and our life. The quartet was so professional! They were excellent musicians and played for two hours as our guests mingled and then ate dinner. To say we were pleased would be such an understatement. Thanks MDCP!

Gabriella S

6/20/2018

I couldn't imagine my wedding ceremony without a string trio. When I met Jill at the Bridal Extravaganza and heard the MDCP play one of my favorite pieces I knew it was meant to be...

. Working with Jill was so easy and she always responded to any and all emails in a timely manner. On our wedding day the church ceremony music couldn't have been more beautiful. Hire the Musical Discovery Chamber Players of Austin. You won't regret it!

Natalia C

3/27/2018

Easiest part of the wedding planning was hiring Jill and her players. Barely had to think about it – sent my music choices and payment – and when I walked into the church that day ...

the most beautiful music was already playing. We got a lot of remarks from guests about how beautiful the music was. Thanks Jill!

Whitney R

3/22/2018

Musical Discovery did such a beautiful job at my wedding! I had a Disney theme and they played some of my favorite Disney songs! They where so accommodating and so helpful, I highl...

y recommend them! Thanks so much Musical Discovery for doing such an amazing job!

Angela E

3/01/2018

What a wonderful experience we had with Jill and the Musical Discovery Chamber Players! During the year of planning the wedding, Jill was always quick to return my emails and pati...

ent to answer my many questions. She was also helpful with picking out the music. On the day of the wedding, the musicians arrived early as planned, set up, and began playing right on time. They sounded heavenly! We had several guests comment on how beautiful the music was. I think having these musicians there helped to make the day the perfect day is was! I would highly recommend the musicians!!

Ivy R

2/26/2018

Wonderful! As I was planning my wedding from another state, my parents went to the Bridal Extravaganza and met the quartet. They were so wonderful and easy to work with. They have ...

such a big repertoire, so we really got to customize the whole event. Just great!

Contact

(737) 235-9797

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Musical Discovery Chamber Players

John M Holguin

Owner

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