Available to book from POA. For an accurate quote please make an enquiry.
I am a very versatile cellist with many years of solid gig and weddings experience. I play from baroque music to modern day hits, including latin american, tango and well known songs, and make use of professional backing in the original orchestration of the said band. I play special requests as well, and can alternate a gig between cello and alto saxophone. Should you require more musicians, I can easily play with collegues who include violinists and piano or keyboard, and more.
= areas covered (up to 100 miles)
= free travel (up to 20 miles)
I have roughly 12 hours of music ready for performance, including (but not limited to), the following;
ABBA - most songs, Josh Groban such as You raise me up
Bryan Adams - most songs such as 'Everything I do' etc
Ed Sheeran - most songs such as Photograph etc
Frank Sinatra - most songs such as 'Fly me to the moon' etc
The Beatles - most songs such as Yesterday, Michelle, Penny Lane etc
Neil Diamond - most songs such as Sweet Caroline etc
Stevie Wonder songs, Joe Cocker songs, Elvis - Can't help falling in love etc etc etc
Queen - such as 'We will rock you', Elton John,
Andrea Bocelli, Julio Iglesias, Whitney Houston, Dean Martin, Sting, Rod Stewart, Led Zeppelin etc etc
Barbara Streisand and many more similar artists' songs
Alicia Keys, Mammas and the Pappas, Leonard Cohen, Gerald Marks, Ray Charles, Celine Dion, Bette Midler (The Rose)
Baroque, Classical and Romantic period music,
e.g. Mendelssohn and Wagner Wedding marches,
Pachelbel Canon, Bach Arioso, Air on a G string and many many more wedding ceremony repertoire pieces
Classical such as Saint-Saens The Swan, Schubert, Schumann,
Old Movie Music, such as;
Over the Rainbow, Sweet Georgia Brown, Manha de Carnaval, Misty, As time goes by etc etc etc
Latin American such as Besame Mucho, tangos such as 'Scent of a Woman', Sway etc etc
Italian music such as Sole Mio, Fuiculi Funicula, Tornia Sorriento, Bella Ciao song etc etc
More Lating music such as Brazilian Jazz, Girl from Ipanema, etc etc
Other music includes, but not limited to Gershwin, Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, (of the older genres), and many more ...
I need access to an electrical socket, at least 2 x 2 metres space, a 'dining room' type chair without arm rests and one parking space
I need to know the closest off loading area to the actual area where I will be playing.
I bring my own sound equipment.
I can play tracks through my sound system that are in line with the songs that I will be playing.
Russel Kaplan auctioneers on their viewing evening for their Summer Wunderkammer Auction. I played acoustically and filled the entire building, both floors, with carefully selected music which enhanced the high value auction items displayed to the public and their clients.
I love playing for all types of events, with weddings being amongst my favorites, both ceremony and photos + receptions
I have played for weddings and other gigs since the early 2000's. I started playing with a formal, serious classical quartet in 1995, and gained incredibly valuable experience and insight. With this quartet, I learnt to play concerts and background music, as we expanded into lighter music as the years went by, but always remained a classical serious quartet at the time. (violin 1, violin 2, viola and cello). Over the years I have played for two orchestras and various other serious and gig ensembles.
For me, the love song from Cinema Paradiso is one of the greatest songs, although there are so many and it is so hard to choose. I have been mostly influenced by classical cellists all my life, such as Rostropovitch, Jacqueline du Pre, Heinrich Schiff and more.
I am set up and ready to start playing at least half an hour before the time that I have to. I can do different sets, and very often continue playing for the time that I am booked. If I am booked for two hours of background music, for instance, then I play for two hours usually. I enjoy keeping the energy and the sound going.
absolutely, but I do need a backup plan in case it starts raining, as I have electrical equipment, and my favourite cello is an old cello that was made in 1832. My cello is somewhat fragile when it comes to rain.
My clients come first, and I enjoy working with them in finalising exactly what they would like me to play.
They simply love me .... I usually have many guests making eye contact with me and showing me a sign of approval.
Too many to count with approximately 55 gigs worth of backing tracks
Russel Kaplan Auctioneers
Olives and Plates
Summer Place
Northcliff Boutique Hotel (Kranz Hotel)
Morell's
Wedding ceremonies and drinks background music, many various venues over the years
most of the Muldersdrift wedding venues
various restaurants
Russel Kaplan Auctioneers
Olives and Plates
Summer Place
Northcliff Boutique Hotel (Kranz Hotel)
Morell's
and other venues in and around Johannesburg and Pretoria
Wedding
Party
Private Event
Corporate Event
Hotel / Restaurant Event
Bar / Venue Event
Funeral / Memorial
Wedding Proposal
Concert
Religious Event
Recording Session
Virtual Event
Charity Event
Christmas Party
New Year's Eve
Classical
Film / TV
Musical Theatre
Medieval / Early Music
1920s Music
1930s Music
1940s Music
1950s Music
1960s Music
1970s Music
1980s Music
1990s Music
2000s+ Music
Jazz
Cabaret
Dixieland / Ragtime
Latin Jazz
Swing
Christmas
Gospel
Pop
Vintage
Rock
Classic Rock
Brazilian
French Music
German Music
Italian Music
Jewish / Klezmer
Latin
Tango
Instrumental
100% acoustic (no power)
DJ / background music options
PA / sound system included
Uses backing tracks