Reviews of Michael Shingo Crawford | Tokyo Violinist

Michael is not only an incredible violinist, he went above and beyond by learning a song that we requested. As soon as he started playing it, both me and my dad burst into tears… My wedding was at a tricky venue and Michael went out of his way to get there and while I didn’t spend much time with him, he was the perfect addition to our special day. He is truly incredible at his craft and was highly professional. I would not hesitate to hire him in the future.

Michael played the sounds beautifully and he had fantastic communication. He was kind to learn 3 new songs and on the day he was great at communicating when all was set up and ready. He was also great at recommending areas we could host the event. I would happily use his services again and absolutely recommend to others. Great job Michael, thank you.

Recently engaged Michael for a proposal service and couldn’t be more pleased. He was professional, punctual, and made the entire process completely worry-free. Everything was handled smoothly, with clear communication and a pleasant demeanor throughout. We confirmed all the key details—attire, location, and song choice—within just 2–3 email exchanges, which made planning incredibly efficient. What truly impressed me was his musical flexibility: I requested just one specific song and only sent a YouTube cover version. On the day itself, Michael played it flawlessly on the spot, capturing the exact emotion I had hoped for. Execution was prompt, seamless, and fuss-free. Highly recommend Michael for anyone looking for a heartfelt, stress-free, and beautifully executed proposal experience.

Michael Shingo played so beautifully at my wedding that he deserves more than 10/10! He is super talented and professional, even if I had to change some musica he was open to the changes, besides that he was always replying super fast and super communicative about the details of our wedding! And even the grandfather from my husband is a professional pianist and complimented him so much to us, that the violinist played so well, and his grandfather has a great taste with music and knows! I recommend him 100%! Thank you so much Michael, you made our day even more special!

Michael put on an awesome show...excellent combo of pieces written by the composer vs rearranged by him. our friends group really enjoyed this performance.

I had the absolute pleasure of hosting Michael in my home for a private concert through a wonderful organization called GroupMuse, which brings classical musicians into living rooms for intimate and accessible performances. He was so great to work with, very professional and punctual. His music talent is just incredible. Very skilled and clearly very passionate about music...from classic pieces to his own compositions. I would be honored to be able to hear him play again.

For my engangement proposal I hired Michael to perform, and what a performance it was. The songs were played beatifully and my girlfriend teared up. I would definitely recommend Michael to make your special moments magical!

Michael is an extremely accomplished and professional violinist. Highly recommended!

Michael is an incredibly talented musician. I’m so grateful he was available to play at my mother’s funeral celebration. I have received many compliments on the tribute to my mom - especially the violinist, Michael.

Michael is truly a professional. He arrived on time and played a variety of songs that made the private dinner I planned with my wife a great evening. I would highly recommend Michael to anyone that has a special event. I will definitely look to us Michael again.

Made my night so perfect I will be using him in the future for sure loved the way he plays thank you Micheal

I hired Michael to play for my wife and I for a romantic Valentines “date night” dinner. He was positively amazing! The night was a surprise for my wife and she was thrilled beyond what I could have imagined.
Michael was quick to respond, easy to talk to and very accommodating. I will say I don’t think I put Michael in a very comfortable setting since my romantic dinner was outside in the snow under heat lamps but I told him it was an outdoor event from the first time we talked and he never hesitated. He simply said “no problem I’ll dress warm.” He was eager to make our experience a great one. He arrived on time and played the whole time with out taking a break.
I had gotten a chef to cook the dinner but Michael was the icing on the cake of the whole experience. He was professional in appearance and certainly professional in his talents. Thank you so much Michael! I would recommend Michael to anyone looking for a violinist to play at their event.

Michael was a special guest for Valentine’s Day for my mother so the whole family came and sat around to watch Michael play the violin. He is kind and explains the music well. He also has original material that is exceptional. Would love definitely recommend

Michael is extremely talented. I hired him to play at my sons funeral and he was excellent

Micheal was amazing at our wedding ceremony. He was punctual, professional, flexible and skilled at his craft. Thank you for adding such elegance to our day.

I hired Michael to play solo violin for my proposal this past weekend. Michael was extremely accommodating and very easy to talk to. He was able to get to the location early and make sure everything was set up. He helped me pick out the perfect songs and unsurprisingly his music was beautiful. He really added brightness to my event and I would definitely hire him again.

He was there right on time, played the promised songs very well. Excellent job.

Michael deserves 5 stars (or more). We hired Michael to play for our ceremony. He is a true professional and his performance was beautiful. I would absolutely recommend him! Michael, thank you so much for making our wedding day amazing! You are very talented. We couldn't be happier how everything went!

Michael was a pleasure to work with. He added such elegance and sophisticated ambience. I will definitely work with him again.

Michael’s performance for my mother-in-law’s birthday was outstanding. He was punctual, well prepared, and very professional. He played outdoors at a retirement community on a warm,humid night, but my mother-in-law’s friends were so entertained by his program that they want him to return! We are so grateful that he brought such great joy to everyone who was there.

Michael was very professional and an excellent musician. Our residents loved his playing and wanted to be sure he could come back! Very nice to work with and very responsive! Highly recommended!

Michael was amazing! I booked him fairly last minute for a last minute ceremony idea and he was on time, professional, patient and talented!! He added a lovely touch to our intimate event!

Michael was wonderful. He arrived at the venue early, set up his music stand, tuned up and was ready to go. He beautifully played the requested pieces. He was knowledgeable in helping me to select an additional piece. I highly recommend him!

Michael played at my wedding ceremony and was amazing!! He was able to play the songs I wanted for different parts of the ceremony and everything sounded beautiful.

Michael played at my wedding this past weekend and did a spectacular job. He was also a pleasure to work with - responsive and professional. Highly recommend!!

Michael was amazing! We last minute had to change locations and he was very responsive and was able to work with us. He’s an incredible musician and I’d absolutely use him again in the future!

Michael absolutely brought such class and elegance to our ceremony and cocktail hour at our wedding!! We loved every minute!! What a great guy to work with !! We were very pleased by his performance!! Thank you so much Michael!!

Michael was perfect. Beautiful music, was there early and was on point. I'll always recommend him.

Michael and the harpist Rebecca did an amazing job! They were such a highlight and so worth every penny. They made our wedding truly special. They covered such a range of music and my guests are still talking about the LOTR cover! I am so excited to see my wedding video to watch them because unfortunately as the bride, I didn’t get to see the entire performance. All of my guests wondered how I landed such world-class talent at my wedding! Definitely book Michael, cut some other budget expense if you need to, bc you won’t regret it! There is nothing as moving as walking down the aisle to a live violin! I wish I could have a second wedding just to watch them play again!

Michael did an amazing job! The music for our ceremony and cocktail hour was beautiful :)

Michael learned 4 New Italian Love Songs to play for my Fiancé & Me in One Day!!!! Absolutely AMAZING.!!!!!!! It was our 1 year Anniversary, and Michael was professional, punctual, played 100% perfect, and gave us a Night to Remember!! Thank You Michael ❤️

Michael did an absolutely phenomenal job. I was completely blown away with his playing ability. I had modest expectations when I used this site, but his skill at playing the violin amazed me. I had asked him to learn two music pieces of music and he played them flawlessly. The pieces were multi-instrumental and he wove in-between the melodies which were usually played by different instruments/vocalists. He also writes and plays his own arrangements that I highly recommend!

Michael did such beautiful work at our wedding ceremony and cocktail hour!! All of our guests are still talking about how amazing the music was. Right before my father walked me down the aisle, he said, "You can tell this musician has been playing for many many years" Michael is extremely professional and accommodating to work with. He is such a rare find, I would recommend him to anyone who is looking for elegance and sophistication at their wedding!

Michael and team performed beautifully at my wedding. He was so easy to work with and I’m so happy with the outcome. Michael is extremely talented; he played a song by request and was well-prepared. Michael is very talented!

Michael was prompt, easy to communicate with, and a very talented performer. He added a touch of elegance to our proposal that will live on in our memories.

Michael just did our wedding ceremony in NJ on Friday 3/19 and was AMAZING! He was easy to work with through planning, responsive, and showed up on time preforming perfectly. Was open to every song I wanted, and even recommended some great options to help us plan. Highly recommend him to anyone looking for a Violinst. 0 complaints - exactly what we were looking for.

During an exciting yet nerve-racking time Michael's calm and confident demeanor gave us such relief. We had a very small yet intimate backyard wedding and Michael knew exactly how to deliver a beautiful and moving performance. True professional! Would hire again in a heartbeat!

Michael was amazing. Our guests were blown away by his talent. Michael played the violin during our ceremony and cocktail hour and we couldn’t be happier with him! He played all of our requests and was a pleasure to work with.

Michael was a pleasure to work with. He was responsive, cooperative and plays beautifully! Two thumbs up!

When I was looking for violinists for my wedding, I ran into the issue of groups only booking out as a quartet. That wasn't in our budget. When we found Michael, I was ecstatic. He was affordable and easy-going, so so talented, and so great to work with. I checked in with him a lot and he had great patience. He came on time and did exactly as we discussed—and even played a song from a movie that I loved. I highly recommend him for your wedding!

Michael was the perfect addition to our ceremony! He has such incredible talent and I couldn’t be any more thrilled with how our ceremony music sounded. Michael has an extensive list of songs he performs on his website, however he was willing to play what ever song we’d request. Having him play made our wedding so much more special and intimate.

Michael is professional and a great violinist player. Because of him my wedding ceremony was such an amazing dream come true and so lovely and classy. I have received so many compliments! I would definitely recommend his service to anyone. Words cannot describe how happy I am I hired him. Again, great violinist!

Michael is greatly gifted, an excellent violinist, always extremely prepared, and most affable.

I've had the pleasure of working on a number of projects in professional capacities with Michael. With confidence I can attest to his professionalism, punctuality, and most importantly his splendid musical capacities. I would highly recommend him for any event or setting in need of a violinist.

I have had the opportunity to work with Michael in a variety of musical capacities. He's my ensemble's core violinist, having performed with us in nearly ever show we've done (from new opera to Schoenberg's 'Pierrot Lunaire'). I've also worked with him in organizing the Temple Composers Orchestra, where he is the concert master. There he helped coach the string section in approaching complex new music and led the orchestra through six premieres. He is incredibly reliable, honest, hard working, always prepared, and has an abounding creative and musical mind. His insight, talent, and dedication make everyone around him better, and I know that if he's in my ensemble, or playing my piece, or writing for my ensemble, the music making will be better. I cannot recommend him highly enough to anyone!

I hired Michael to surprise my girlfriend who I proposed to earlier in the day. He Was very flexible with the sings I requested, flexible with a last minute time change, and came dressed in a very spiffy suit. He slept an excellent violinist and my girlfriend recognized it was a Beyoncé song within 5 seconds. It was a truly memorable experience and my girlfriend was crying the whole time! Would def hire again!

Michael played a wonderful concert at my house. His violin playing was sublime And stage presence engaging. Even my cat was enthralled by his music.

When my wife and I learned about a recital that Michael Shingo Crawford would be performing at the Laurel Hill Mansion in Philadelphia, I called to reserve seats. I had seen several of the videos of his performing and of his compositions, so I was eager to hear him in person. We were very impressed with his exciting, musical playing and were pleased with the varied selections on the program. The large room was filled with an enthusiastic audience, and it was obvious that everyone was enjoying his recital. I highly recommend him!

The Classucal Duo was invited several times to my house and two times to the house of my friends.
We invited Michael Shingo Crawford and his partner to perform for my family and my friends on birthday’s parties, family reunions and engagements.
The musicians not only provided the great repertoire of classical, romantic and modern music but were ready to play any popular songs and pieces “on demand”
The most memorable performance of the duo was a surprise birthday 70-th anniversary of my friend that took place in my house.
Together with the music of Bach, Handel, Schubert, Rachmaninov the musicians played for us the variety of old pop songs. That all made our event unforgettable!!!
I highly recommend the Classical Duo for any kind of home events and celebrations!

Michael showed up on time and did exactly what was asked of him even upon last minute requests and plan changes. I would definitely recommend his service to anyone in need of a violinist, he is very professional and skilled! Book Michael for your next event, I promise you won’t regret it.

5 star experience! I hired Michael to play solo violin to celebrate mine and my fiance's engagement! Not only was Michael a super talented musician, but also was beyond flexible, anticipated my wants/needs, and was super reliable and easy to get a hold of throughout the whole process. The engagement was a winner and in no uncertain terms did Michael add to the essence and wonder of the evening! Would book again in a second. Thanks Michael!!!

I reserve my praise only for musicians of exceptional merit, and I would be remiss if I did not highly recommend this deserving artist. It gives me great pleasure to recommend Michael Crawford for any type of engagement and setting, whether it be a concert which is geared toward regular concert goers or an informal pops concert for first time listeners. I have collaborated with him performing duos in concert as well as conducting him as concert meister in chamber orchestra. He is an outstanding violinist of solo concert hall caliber and is equally at ease in solo repertoire and chamber music, as well as concert meister. The same can be said of his facility in all musical styles throughout the ages. And he is also a highly respected composer as well.

Noteworthy are Crawford’s exceptional talents when collaborating with others. We have collaborated closely in rehearsals and in organizing concerts, and he is versatile, flexible, and creative. His willingness to provide diverse repertoire which is suited to any occasion is invaluable in pleasing average audiences as well as connoisseurs.

Michael Crawford is always dependable, conscientious, and a pleasure to work with. One can always be sure that he will rise to the occasion, having perfected every detail as a strong and solid musician and collaborator

Michael and a cellist he works with performed a Groupmuse in my home and it was a wonderful experience. They played everything from Handel to Michael Jackson and the Beatles (arranged by Michael), and my guests and I really enjoyed it all.

Michael is an excellent violinist and a true professional. I hired him to play a service for me last year, and I will happily hire him again. He handled everything I threw at him (including a lot of penciled-in mapwork) with grace and aplomb, and his playing was exceptional.

Michael was professional and came early to prepare. His music was beautiful and he took very little breaks. He truly made our event special. Thank you Michael. You are fantastic!

Michael and Steve provided beautiful ambience and exceptional musicianship to our wedding! Michaels responsiveness and flexibility made everything easy! Highly recommended!

FIVE STARS! Michael did a wonderful job. We hired him for our wedding and everyone loved it! He added an elegance to the evening and he is a wonderful violinist. Thank you Michael!

Michael arrived early with his cellist. They were friendly, polite and the hit of my dinner party. We had classical music lovers in attendance who were especially overjoyed. Michael played pieces that perfectly fit the vibe of my Victorian Halloween party. He even went over the top and took time to prepare a specially requested piece.

Michael was the ultimate professional: showed up early, set up fast and gave us the time of our lives. His talents are truly magical and I look forward to working with him in the future. Michael, thanks again for helping us with a absolutely beautiful evening

Sadly our event was during some inclement weather. Not only did Micheal make it, he delivered a command performance for all my guests. Professional and skilled. Would highly recommend him.

He showed up Promptly .. every key was on point very kind ‼️ He did exactly what he showed up to do HIS JOB .. VERY SATISFIED I’ll be booking again

He was right on time and very professional. Above and beyond what I expected. Will recommend for sure.

We asked for Michael on a short notice to come for a private event. He was very accommodating with his schedule, and the outdoors event didn’t impact the top quality of his performance. He has both classical and modern songs in his repertoire, everything is with the top class and elegance. Would highly recommend.

I hired Michael to come to my parents’ house as a surprise and play their wedding song on their front lawn for their anniversary. I had also asked him to play a few songs that were not on his usual play list and he learned them in a couple of weeks time and was flawless!!! The surprise and the joy and the excitement that he provided for this experience was the best gift I have ever given anyone! Michael was responsive, prompt and flexible with a rain date. Just an overall amazing experience!

Michael did an incredible job! He was able to play all my requested songs and even offered to learn them if he did not already know how to play. He was very responsive, polite and a pleasure to work with.

Michael beautifully played the violin. He is top notch. He was professional and personable. I highly recommend Michael.

Michael performed at our wedding and was fantastic. Perfect touch. Absolute professional and a gifted violinist who took our song requests and made our wedding even more wonderful. Thanks so much!!

He is very timely and professional! Good on the strings and made the event extra special .

If you would like to hire someone who knows what they're doing and will make your day easy, Michael is perfect.He did everything! I had no worries at all and it turned out great. He was very flexible and patient. I'm very happy that I chose him to be my violinist.

Michael was on time my guest and I were in amazement. He was so talented, I would definitely hire him again.

Michael was phenomenal! He was very easy to work with and coordinate details with. He made great recommendations and his musical talent is outstanding. Highly recommend!

Loved Michael and his selections. He was on time (even early), very talented and we enjoyed his music very much. Would not hesitate to hire him again.

Simply amazing. Michael provided the perfect mixture of music and ambiance to our wedding ceremony. I’d recommended 10 out of 10 times.

Michael was amazing! He came out to Fogo de Chao and played a special song for me and my future wife (as a surprise). He was very flexible, friendly, professional and accommodating. Highly recommended! A+++++

Mike was fantastic to work with. He made our ceremony on 11/6/21 at the please touch museum magical. Thank you !

We knew after perusing his YouTube channel and speaking with him briefly via phone that Michael Shingo Crawford was the perfect musician for our wedding. He was responsive, incredibly talented, and clearly passionate about his work. Michael was generous and accommodating, learning new songs at our request for the processional and recessional and playing outdoors in chilly conditions. The violin/cello duo's elegant performance left an impression on our guests, heightening the emotions of our day in a beautiful way. We will be forever thankful.

He was wonderful! My wife loved his music for her birthday! I will hire him for my next event

Michael Crawford was amazing! He is not only extraordinarily talented, but he was professional to the highest degree. We SO appreciate his performance, insight and kindness.

Michael is an excellent musician and made my sister’s bridal shower extra special. He played a variety of songs that we had requested including one that he learned specifically for our event. He answered all questions in a timely manner and arrived promptly to our venue. His repertoire ranges from classical to modern pieces and we highly recommend him for any event! An absolute joy to listen to. Thank you Michael!

Michael did an amazing job. He is a great and skillful violinist, that showed as he played the classical arrangements for our small dinner party. He made our anniversary a very special event that we and our dinner guests will never forget. Definitely worth the 5 star review. Thank you again Micheal !!!

Michael was simply incredible. His violin playing is exceptional, he was a complete professional in terms of communicating and planning the event, and he was even kind enough to learn our special songs. Highly highly highly recommend!

Michael did a wonderful job, very understanding when it came to the hiccups through the schedule. Not to mention his music was beautiful!

Michael was super professional and amazing to work with! He’s extremely talented and was even willing to learn a specific song for our wedding! So happy we found him! Such a special touch for our wedding day 😊

Michael was great! Really added an element to our event! Everyone complimented him, so nice and played wonderfully!

Michael was AMAZING!!! I booked him for my wedding ceremony and let me just say I couldn’t be more grateful for his presence there and his wonderful performance. He was extremely flexible with our timeline and kept guest entertained while they awaited the fashionably late bride. Having a violinist for my wedding has always been my dream and Michael made that dream come true!

Michael did such an amazing job at our wedding and exceeded all expectations. So many guests were talking about the amazing music he played and it really brought our ceremony to the next level. Michael even came outside to play during our “bubble exit” and did such a wonderful job. Very talented!!

Michael’s performance added to the perfection of my daughter’s wedding. I did not have a chance to thank him in person.
I highly, highly recommend this violinist. Professional, polite, prompt and so very talented!!!!! Thank you so much, Michael!!!!

Michael did an amazing job for my surprise proposal! He was very responsive leading up to the event and he had a great selection of songs to play during they entire time. The best part was he was able to play our song during the actually proposal when I got down on one knee. Thanks Michael for making our moment extra special!

Michael was prompt and professional from the beginning!
He quickly responded to my inquiry and sent over a detailed contract that made us so comfortable in trusting him to be our violinist for our wedding day.
The event was a surprise, and Michael did a great job keeping it that way for us! :)
He played a range from Frank Sinatra, to a song we requested from a personal favorite video game!!!
If you are considering live music for your event, definitely put Michael at the top of your list!!!

Michael was very pleasant and professional to work with. He played as part of a trio for our community's Valentine's event and everyone was impressed by his talent. The music was beautiful and complimented the ambiance of the event perfectly! I highly recommend Michael Shingo Crawford!

Don't let his age fool you – Michael is a virtuoso when it comes to the violin. He possess the masterful balance of technical and emotive and is a gifted composer of evocative, deeply moving pieces.

I had the pleasure of inviting Michael into my home to play a program for a string duet – violin and cello – and at another performance, where I listened to him pair his soulful violin with the voice of opera.

He's communicative and professional, and is going places.

My 34th Wedding Anniversary is tomorrow 8/22/20, and I wanted someone to assist me in creating a WOW Effect, Michael assisted me in creating this Magical Moment for my wife and family.
Michael performance were Grammy Worthy, as he Has My Vote.
I will be calling Michael again, as When You Have The Best, Why Try The Rest..
Thx Michael.

Carl SR