Corporate Event Musician & DJ in NYC

Bookings from $2,200 for a 3-hour set. Julie Schatz is a versatile NYC-based musician built for corporate calendars: solo violin for cocktail receptions, jazz piano for seated dinners, and hybrid DJ + live violin sets for after-dinner dancing — often across the same event, from one artist. Recent bookings include a $5,500 private engagement in Watermill (Hamptons) for a 3-hour violin + DJ set, and in December 2025 sharing a bill with house music pioneer Crystal Waters at a corporate event hosted by tech executive Charles Phillips. Music-industry credentials: featured by Ninja Tune (Soul Shades project, 10M+ combined views), Splice contributor, and Roland endorsed artist.

Where Julie plays inside a corporate event

Most corporate bookings need music to shift in feel across the evening, and event planners typically hire multiple acts to cover it. Julie can cover all of it with a single load-in and one point of contact for the coordinator:

Arrivals / registration / cocktail reception — solo violin, unamplified or lightly amplified. Sits under conversation without competing with it. Sets a considered, cinematic tone as guests walk in.

Seated dinner or program — jazz piano, low volume. Standards from the American songbook, contemporary reworks, or original piano compositions. Works for both formal galas and executive-dinner intimacy.

Awards ceremony, keynote, or product reveal — walk-on music, transitions between speakers, live musical stings, mood music under video segments. Wireless setup fits into most house AV systems via XLR.

After-dinner dancing / afterparty — the hybrid DJ + live violin set. Real strings played live over house, hip-hop, R&B, pop, and afro house. Different from either a standard DJ or a wedding band — closer to a live-remix performance. This is the format the Watermill Hamptons booking used.

Recent corporate and private-event bookings

A partial list, kept updated as the calendar fills:

Watermill, NY (Hamptons) — private engagement, 3-hour violin + DJ hybrid set. Booking value: $5,500.
December 2025, NYC private corporate event — shared a bill with house music pioneer Crystal Waters. Event hosted by enterprise software executive Charles Phillips.
Bayzara Festival, Keansburg NJ — September 2025 festival slot.
Manhattan private events, Long Island estates, and corporate rooftop bookings across the last two seasons — venue names omitted for client discretion.

Professionalism corporate coordinators care about

Corporate bookings are different from weddings — the pain points event planners care about aren't "will they play our first dance," they're "will this go smoothly." Julie is set up for the corporate expectation stack:

NDA-friendly. Julie signs event NDAs when a client requires discretion — comfortable with private-client, hedge fund, family office, and executive booking privacy norms.

Insured. General liability insurance available on request; certificate of insurance issued within 48 hours to any venue that needs one.

AV-team compatible. Feeds cleanly into house PA via wired XLR, or brings a self-contained rig if the venue doesn't have production. Loops the venue AV lead into a pre-event soundcheck when possible.

Dress code aligned. Default is black formal (long black dress or all-black tailored); alt options include cocktail attire, semi-formal, or brand-color coordination for activations. Confirmed at booking.

Punctual and reliable. On-site 60 minutes before scheduled start for the hybrid DJ + violin rig (45 min for solo violin/piano). Direct phone contact with the coordinator throughout, not routed through management.

Pricing framing for corporate

Corporate bookings are priced by event, not per-hour zone tier (that structure fits weddings, not corporate). A typical NYC corporate booking runs:

Solo cocktail reception (violin OR piano, 1–2 hours): from $1,200. Ideal for 30–120 guest cocktail receptions or program-adjacent music.
Cocktail + dinner (violin then piano transition, 2–4 hours): from $2,400. The most-booked configuration for executive dinners and smaller galas.
Hybrid DJ + live violin reception set (3 hours): from $2,200. Reception-only bookings — the closest equivalent to hiring a DJ, with the live-performance layer built in.
Full-day corporate coverage (cocktails + dinner + hybrid reception): custom-quoted, typically $4,500–$8,000 depending on hours, venue distance, and rider requirements. The recent Watermill Hamptons booking at $5,500 falls within this range.

Custom song learning is available (+$200 per song, 2-week lead time minimum). Brand-jingle arrangements, walk-on themes, and product-reveal cues are quoted separately based on scope.

Common questions from corporate coordinators and planners

What types of corporate events do you play?

Executive dinners, holiday parties, corporate galas, product launches, brand activations, panel and conference receptions, hedge fund and family office private events, and after-party bookings tied to industry conferences. The most common formats: solo violin during cocktail arrivals, jazz piano through seated dinner or program segments, and the hybrid DJ + live violin format for after-dinner dancing. Not currently taking large-scale (500+ guest) convention keynote bookings — Julie's sweet spot is 30–300 guest corporate events where music quality is noticed by attendees.

Do you sign NDAs for private client events?

Yes. Julie regularly signs event and client NDAs, including for private-client, family office, hedge fund, and executive-hosted events. Standard turnaround is same-day signing once the NDA and event details are shared. This site lists specific venues and clients only where discretion isn't a concern; sensitive bookings stay off the public credit list.

Do you carry general liability insurance?

Yes. General liability insurance is in place and a certificate of insurance (COI) is issued within 48 hours of a venue request — most NYC event venues require this before load-in. Additional insured coverage naming the venue and/or hosting company is available on request at no extra charge.

Can you feed into house sound / coordinate with our AV team?

Yes. Every corporate booking includes wired XLR outputs that feed cleanly into house PA systems, plus wireless mics for speeches and program segments if the venue needs them. Julie loops the venue's AV lead into a pre-event soundcheck at no extra cost, and can work off a program run-of-show provided by the event planner or production company. For venues without production, she brings a self-contained rig (professional DJ controller, portable full-range PA with subwoofer, in-ear monitoring, electric violin).

What's your standard dress code and appearance?

Default is black formal — long black dress or all-black tailored — appropriate for most corporate galas and executive dinners. Alternate options include cocktail attire, semi-formal, brand-color coordination for product launches or activations, or specific dress-code alignment requested by the planner. Confirmed and locked in at booking.

Do you travel outside NYC for corporate bookings?

Yes. Long Island, the Hamptons, Westchester, Northern NJ, and Fairfield County CT are regular booking zones. The recent Watermill (Hamptons) private booking was a 3-hour set at $5,500 including travel. Farther destinations (Boston, Philadelphia, upstate NY, DC) are custom-quoted based on travel, per-diem, and load-in requirements.

How much does a corporate event musician cost in NYC?

Corporate bookings start at $1,200 for a 1–2 hour solo set (violin or piano) at a NYC cocktail reception. A $2,400 range covers cocktail-plus-dinner coverage (violin transitioning into piano). The $2,200 starting price applies to a 3-hour hybrid DJ + live violin reception set. Full-day corporate coverage (cocktails + dinner + hybrid reception) typically runs $4,500–$8,000 depending on hours, venue location, custom song learning, and any special production requirements. The recent Watermill Hamptons private engagement at $5,500 falls into this range.

Can you handle walk-on music, keynote transitions, and program cues?

Yes. Corporate program work is a distinct part of the booking: walk-on themes for keynote speakers, transitional music between panel sessions, live musical stings for awards presentations, and mood cues under video segments. Julie works off a run-of-show provided by the event's production company or planner, with in-ear cueing when needed. Custom walk-on themes or brand-jingle arrangements are quoted separately based on scope.