Celebratory Strings
Karen playing for a Make-a-Wish event September 2022
Homestead Meadows near Appleton, Wisconsin - August 2019
Hilton Garden Inn - Sun Prairie, Wisconsin 10/12/19 Photo Credit: Colofuldreams4u.com
Gourmet Wishes 2025 at the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin
Holy Rosary Church in Kewaunee, Wisconsin - August 2019
We were able to play for the wedding of a friend. Congratulations!
Algoma Performing Arts Center August 2017
Union Congregational Church in Green Bay wedding in November of 2014.
Playing from the balcony for a beautiful fall wedding 2015
Hollie and Karen Flute/Violin Duet (Summer 2014)
Overview
Celebratory Strings offers elegant music for special events. Karen Phillips specializes in music which is well-suited for weddings, teas, dinners and other events. Violin solo works beautifully for outdoor events where it enhances the lovely backdrop of nature. Karen is also a pianist and provides the option of a combo of piano and violin solo with prepared keyboard accompaniment. This combo is perfect for cocktail hour, reception or dinner music.
Reviews
29 reviews
James G.
December 5, 2025Fantastic Wedding Musician
We hired Celebratory Strings to play at our ceremony and cocktail hour. Karen was one of the easiest wedding vendors to communicate with throughout our planning stage. She was quick to respond through the months leading up and was incredibly helpful in guiding us in the style we wanted for our wedding.
On the day, Karen arrived early to join us in our rehearsal, crushed the ceremony playing flawlessly and then provided a unique touch in our cocktail hour that guests loved. We really could not have asked for anything more. She is talented and very personable. Would recommend Celebratory Strings to anyone planning an event.
Hired as: Violinist
Celebratory Strings
Thank you! I enjoyed playing for your beautiful wedding.
Lexi G.
October 24, 2025Incredible Talent!
Karen is absolutely amazing! Her music provides such a classy & elegant atmosphere, perfect for any event or ceremony. Not only are her talents extraordinary, but she is the kindest, most generous person you will ever meet! Couldn't ask for a better violinist.
Hired as: Violinist
Celebratory Strings
Thank you so much, Lexi! It was a pleasure to work with you and play for your beautiful event.
Taylor D.
September 11, 2025September Wedding in Wisconsin
I worked with Karen to play at our black-tie wedding ceremony and cocktail hour, and I cannot recommend her enough!! Our ceremony was outdoors, and her piano playing was absolutely stunning—it was the most beautiful addition and truly set the tone for the entire evening. We received so many compliments from our guests about how special the music was.
Karen went above and beyond by learning renditions of two of our favorite songs—“First Date” and “Always” by Blink 182—for the processional and my walk down the aisle. She absolutely nailed them, and the entire process of working with her was so easy. Beyond that, her existing setlist was fantastic, and she was super flexible with which songs to play and when.
Karen is not only incredibly talented but also a wonderful person. 10/10 would work with her again and highly recommend!!
Hired as: Classical Pianist, Violinist
Celebratory Strings
Thank you Taylor! I loved playing for your beautiful wedding. Best wishes to the two of you!
Amelia L. W.
January 7, 2024Can't Recommend Karen Enough
Karen was absolutely incredible and went above and beyond for our wedding!! We asked Karen to play specific songs special to us and she sent us recordings beforehand and then practiced with our friends (singers) before the ceremony!! Karen was so flexible, accommodating, and talented!! Easily one of the best decisions we made for our wedding and we could not have been happier with her services! We were touched by her kindness!!!
Hired as: Violinist
Celebratory Strings
Thank you so much, Amelia! I loved playing for your beautiful wedding and enjoyed accompanying your friends as they sang for your day. Best wishes to you!
-Karen
Joane R.
January 8, 2023100th birthday celebration
Karen was a solo violinist at my mom’s 100th birthday celebration. Karen was amazing! She was so accommodating to what my mom requested. She checked in with me numerous times to check on what we needed. Her musical talent was exemplary. I would highly recommend Karen as a violinist!!
Hired as: Violinist
Celebratory Strings
Thank you! It was a pleasure to play for your beautiful mom, family and friends on such a special day. Best wishes!
Booking information
Price range: $200 and up
Languages: English
Gig length: 30 - 240 minutes
Unions: None
What to expect
Celebratory Strings works well for outdoor settings and in churches or chapels. When I'm playing for a wedding, I typically begin music 20 minutes to a half hour before the service as the guests arrive, providing an interesting element for them to enjoy as they wait for the service. I also play as guests are filing out after the service until the room has cleared, providing a musical finishing touch for your service.
When I play for dinners/receptions/cocktail hours, I bring along my performance keyboard on which I have previously recorded accompaniments and perform violin solo along with the piano to add an extra dimension to the music. Because I am also a pianist, I will often add a few piano solos in the mix to add variety to the set.
About
I have been a violin and piano teacher for many years in the Green Bay area and have enjoyed playing for weddings and other special events for about 15 years. I'm the mom of 5 kids and some of them have performed many gigs with me. I really do love making music and it gives me a lot of joy to share it with others.
Additional booking notes
If there is no piano available at your venue, I am able to provide my performance keyboard for your event. Although it usually isn't necessary, I have amplification equipment for both the violin and piano if that is necessary for your setting.
Services offered
Set list
Following is a list of some of the songs I have played as violin solos for events in the past:
All of Me
All This Time - One Republic
All You Need Is Love-Beatles
Ashokan Farewell
Best Day of My Life-American Authors
Bittersweet Symphony-The Verve
Bless the Broken Road-Rascal Flatts
Bright-Echosmith
Butterfly Waltz -Twilight
Butterfly-Celtic Woman
Can You Feel the Love Tonight (The Lion King)
Can't Help Falling in Love -Elvis Presley
Canon in D-Pachelbel
Choro-Brazilian folk song
Country Road-John Denver
Crystallize-Lindsey Stirling
Eleanor Rigby-Beatles
Everything-Buble
Faded - Alan Walker
Flightless Bird - Iron and Wine
Hallelujah from Shrek
Heart’s Content - Brandy Carlile
Here Comes the Sun-Beatles
Here There and Everywhere-Beatles
Hero- Mariah Carey
Ho Hey-Lumineers
Hobo Blues-Paul Simon
How Far I'll Go-Moana
I See the Light-Tangled
I Will Wait-Mumford and Sons
I Won't Give Up - Jason Mraz
I'll Be There for You -Friends
I'm Yours-Jason Mraz
In Dreams-Lord of the Rings
Inside Your Heaven-Carrie Underwood
Just the Way You Are - Bruno Mars
Let It Be The Beatles
Let It Go - James Bay
Livin on Love-Alan Jackson
Makin' Plans-Miranda Lambert
Marriage D'Amour
Marry You - Bruno Mars
Moonring-Jessie Burn
Once Upon a Dream-Sleeping Beauty
One Hand One Heart-West Side Story
Over the Rainbow
Perfect - Ed Sheeran
Play that Song-Train
River Flows in You-Twilight
Some Nights-FUN
Something Just LIke This -Coldplay
Song of the Caged Bird-Lindsey Stirling
Stars and Butterflies-Pride and Prejudice
Stay - Alessia Cara
Take Flight-Lindsey Stirling
Tale As Old As Time - Beauty and the Beast
Tenerife Sea-Ed Sheeran
Theme from The Ludlows
Theme from the Notebook
Theme from Up
Thousand Years-Christina Perri
Time to Say Goodbye
Titanic Theme
To Where You Are-Groban
Try Everything from Zootopia
Tuck Everlasting Theme
Waterfall-Undertake
When You Say You Love Me-Groban
When You Tell Me that You Love
Whole New World-Aladdin
Wolves-Selena Gomez
You and Me - Jason Wade
You Are the Best Thing - Ray LaMontagne
You Raise Me Up-Groban
You're My Inspiration-Chicago
And the following are some of the songs I have played with prepared accompaniment on keyboard:
Marry You - Bruno Mars
All You Need Is Love - Beatles
Ho Hey - Lumineers
Everything I Do - Bryan Adams
The Dance - Garth Brooks
Eleanor Rigby - The Beatles
Shallow - Lady Gaga
Dancing in the Moonlight - King Harvest
Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin
How Long Will I Love You - Ellie Goulding
My Heart Will Go On - Titanic
I Won't Give Up - Jason Mraz
Bittersweet Symphony - The Verve
Can You Feel the Love - The Lion King
Can't Help Falling in Love - Elvis Presley
Danny Boy - Traditional
Unchained Melody - Ghost
Best Day of My Life - American Authors
Tale As Old As Time - Beauty and the Beast
Marry You - Bruno Mars
Dream a Little Dream of Me - Ella Fitzgerald
The Rose - Bette Midler
Perfect - Wedding Version
You Make My Dreams Come True - Hall and Oates
The Fount - Jimmy Mitchell
New York State of Mind - Billy Joel
Hallelujah - Leonard Cohen
River Flows In You - Yiruma
Falling Slowly - Hansard, Irglova
All of Me - John Legend
Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
Up With End Credits - Up
You and Me - Jason Wade
I Will Be Here - Steven Curtis Chapman
Flightless Bird - Iron and Wine
The Notebook - Theme
I've Dreamed of You - Barbara Streisand
Misty - Ella Fitzgerald
Thousand Years - Twilight
Canon in D
Ode to Joy
You Belong to Me - Jason Ward
I See the Light - Tangled
Thinking Out Loud - Ed Sheeran
Time in a Bottle - Jim Croce
Make You Feel My Love - Adele
Let Me Call You Sweetheart - Oldie
For No One - Beatles
Moonlight Serenade - Glenn Miller
Georgia on My Mind - Hoagy Carmichael
Over the Rainbow - Wizard of Oz
Tennessee Waltz - Patti Page
Here There and Everywhere - The Beatles
Fly Me to the Moon - Bart Howard
Blue Moon - Richard Rodgers
You Raise Me Up - Josh Groban
Hobo Blues - Paul Simon
Just the Way You Look Tonight - Kern
How Beautiful - Twila Paris
Two Sleepy People - Loeser and Carmichael
What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
Blackbird - the Beatles
Your Song - Elton John
I Could Have Danced All Night - My Fair Lady
That's Amore - Warren and Brooks
She's Always a Woman to Me - Billy Joel
It Had to Be You - Oldie
Don't Get Around Much Anymore - Duke Ellington
I'm In the Mood for Love - Mchugh and Fields
Ain't Misbehavin - Fat's Waller
Swingin on a Star - Burke and Van Heusen
I Will Always Love You - Diana Ross
Stardust - Hoagy Carmichael
Sunrise, Sunset - Fiddler on the Roof
Deep Purple - Peter de Rose
Somewhere My Love - Lara's Theme
Ashokan Farewell - Unger
Setup requirements
none
Testimonials
November 22, 2013 Dear Karen, Your wonderful engaging personality toward my Open House guests and my staff blended well with your awesome & almost never stopping professional and artistic performance on the violin. Thank you for helping make our Open House memorable. Dr. Hetz
– Dr. Nolan Hetz of Youthful Endeavors