Wedding Violinist & Pianist in Westchester County

Julie Schatz performs Westchester County weddings from Brooklyn studio base, covering country clubs, historic estates, and house-of-worship ceremonies from Yonkers and Bronxville north through Tarrytown, Scarsdale, Rye, Bedford, and the Sound Shore. Featured venues include Tappan Hill Mansion in Tarrytown, VIP Country Club and Glen Island Harbour Club in New Rochelle, Reid Castle at Manhattanville College in Purchase, Church of the Holy Family in New Rochelle, and Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills.

What Westchester couples are asking for right now

Westchester weddings often run more formal than the city. Country club ceremonies on a lawn or terrace lean classical at the prelude and processional (Canon in D, Air on the G String, Salut d'Amour) and then move into the cinematic modern catalog for the bride's entrance (A Thousand Years, Make You Feel My Love, Speechless arranged for solo violin). Cocktail hour shifts to jazz piano in an adjacent indoor space, then most receptions hand off to either a band or a DJ. The most-booked Westchester configuration is solo violin for the ceremony plus jazz piano for cocktail hour, sometimes paired with the Soul Shades violin-and-piano duo for couples who want the duo's fuller sound across both moments.

Logistics for Westchester weddings

Westchester is in the zone-pricing tier. Travel from Brooklyn is a routine same-day round trip with arrival timing built around peak-hour traffic on the Hutchinson or the Saw Mill. Country clubs in Westchester almost always have indoor cocktail and reception space, with a separate outdoor ceremony location 50 to 200 feet away; that means a second setup in the same booking. Julie's portable PA covers both the outdoor ceremony and the indoor cocktail switch without renting house sound. For ceremonies at historic estates and stone-walled venues like Reid Castle or Blue Hill at Stone Barns, acoustic violin carries beautifully without amplification at smaller guest counts.

Common questions about Westchester bookings

How much does a Westchester wedding violinist cost?

Westchester falls in the zone-pricing tier. Solo violin ceremony coverage starts at $745, the most-booked ceremony + cocktail hour package is $1,100, and the full-day soloist (ceremony + cocktail + dinner) is $1,950. The Soul Shades violin-and-piano duo starts at $2,550 for a Westchester ceremony or $3,350 for ceremony + cocktail. Hudson Valley venues further north (Beacon, Rhinebeck, Cold Spring) are custom-quoted. See full rate sheet →

What Westchester venues has Julie performed at?

Across the county: Tappan Hill Mansion (Tarrytown), VIP Country Club (New Rochelle), Glen Island Harbour Club (New Rochelle), Reid Castle at Manhattanville College (Purchase), Church of the Holy Family (New Rochelle), and Blue Hill at Stone Barns (Pocantico Hills). The full venue list is on the venues page. If your Westchester venue is not on the list, send an inquiry; Julie regularly performs at first-time venues in the area.

Can you play an outdoor ceremony at a Westchester country club or estate?

Outdoor Westchester ceremonies are a regular part of the calendar. Country club lawns, terraces, and Hudson-facing patios all work; acoustic violin carries cleanly outdoors at smaller ceremonies, and a battery-powered amp is part of standard setup for ceremonies above about 80 guests or for windy waterfront sites like Glen Island. Wireless lavalier mics for officiants and vows are included on request.

Do you cover church and synagogue ceremonies in Westchester?

Yes. House-of-worship ceremonies are a regular part of the calendar, including past performances at Church of the Holy Family in New Rochelle. Religious ceremonies have their own pre-service rehearsal timing and music director workflow; Julie arrives early enough to coordinate with the clergy or organist and reviews any restrictions on amplification or repertoire before the date.

Can one musician cover both ceremony and cocktail hour at a Westchester country club?

That is the most-booked Westchester configuration. Solo violin for the ceremony on the lawn or terrace, then a quick reset to jazz piano or violin-and-keyboard for the indoor cocktail hour. One musician means one load-in, one point of contact for the venue coordinator, and one combined fee instead of two separately booked ensembles. The reception band or DJ typically takes the room from there.

How far in advance should we book a Westchester wedding violinist?

For Saturday weddings in peak season (May through October) at popular country clubs and Hudson-side estates, 6 to 12 months out is typical. Off-season dates, Sunday weddings, and intimate weeknight ceremonies often book on much shorter timelines, sometimes 3 to 4 weeks. The earlier the inquiry, the more flexibility on custom song arrangements and ceremony rehearsals.

Do you also travel further north into the Hudson Valley?

Yes. Hudson Valley weddings further north than Tarrytown (Beacon, Hudson, Rhinebeck, Cold Spring, and Orange County venues like Falkirk Estate in Central Valley) are custom-quoted with travel time factored in. See the Hudson Valley page for more on those venues, or send a quick inquiry with your specific location.