Chris Cooley - Wedding & Event Pianist
Overview
Experienced NYC-based pianist offering elegant live music for weddings, cocktail hours, and private events. With classical training and years of performing experience across a wide range of styles, I provide refined, tasteful music that enhances the atmosphere without overpowering it. Whether you’re looking for classical repertoire, American songbook standards, or contemporary favorites, I tailor each performance to fit your event seamlessly and make the experience feel effortless and memorable.
Reviews
2 reviews
Lisa W.
April 23, 2026Amazing pianist!
Chris has been coming to the retirement care community where I work a few times now. The residents fell in love with him his first day here. Since then, they always ask when he's coming back. Chris is extremely talented and professional. His classical playing is top notch. We always look forward to him coming back-highly recommended!
Hired as: Classical Pianist, Pianist
Tom D.
April 21, 2026Fantastic event
Chris was an expert musician who entertained us beyond our expectations. He was very personable and yet professional. We will definitely request that he play for us again.
Hired as: Pianist
Booking information
Price range: Contact for rates
Languages: English, Italian
Gig length: 5 - 600 minutes
What to expect
Chris Cooley provides elegant live piano music for weddings, cocktail hours, receptions, private parties, and fine dining environments. His style is rich and sophisticated, and his repertoire includes American songbook standards, light jazz, and classical selections, performed seamlessly from memory to create an elegant and welcoming atmosphere.
About
Pianist Chris Cooley has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and in many of New York City’s premier hotels and restaurants. He is experienced in both formal events and relaxed social settings, and adapts his playing style to suit the occasion.
Originally from Florida, Chris has been based in NYC for over 25 years, working steadily as a freelance cocktail pianist, music director, arranger, church organist, wedding pianist, and accompanist to all types of singers and instrumentalists. He has played for numerous opera and chamber music programs in Italy, Austria, Germany, and the U.S. Chris holds music degrees from Florida State University, University of Texas at Austin, and a doctorate from Manhattan School of Music.
Additional booking notes
The venue must have a piano, which can be acoustic or electric. Sorry, but I cannot provide an instrument. If you are willing to rent a piano or keyboard for your event (at your expense), I would be happy to assist you with this.
Services offered
Set list
STANDARDS (American Songbook):
Ain't Misbehavin'
All the Things You Are
All the Way
Almost Like Being in Love
And This is My Beloved
April in Paris
As Time Goes By
Autumn Leaves
Autumn Serenade
Bewitched
Bill
Blue Skies
Can’t Help Falling in Love
Can't Help Lovin' That Man of Mine
Cheek to Cheek
Close to You
Crazy
Crush on You
Deep Purple
Embraceable You
Every Time We Say Goodbye
Falling in Love Again
Falling in Love with Love
Fly Me to the Moon
Folks Who Live on the Hill, The
Garden in the Rain
Girl from Ipanema
Give Me the Simple Life
Happy Days Are Here Again
Harbor Lights
Heather on the Hill
Hello, Young Lovers
Hey There
Hopelessly Devoted to You
I Get Along without you Very Well
If Ever I Would Leave You
I'll Be Seeing You
I'm Always Chasing Rainbows
It Had to Be You
It Might as Well Be Spring
It Never Was You
La vie en rose
Love is a Many Splendored Thing
Look for the Silver Lining
Love, You Didn’t Do Right By Me
Lush Life*
Make Believe
Man I Love, The
Man that Got Away, The
Manhattan
Misty
Moon River
Moonfall
More*
My Funny Valentine
My One and Only You
Nature Boy
Night and Day
Not While I’m Around
Old Devil Moon
On the Street Where You Live
Only You
Over the Rainbow
Overjoyed
Pennies from Heaven
People
River Is So Blue, The
Romance of a Lifetime
Second-Hand Rose
Send In the Clowns
Sisters
Smile
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
Someone to Watch Over Me
So in Love
So Many Stars
Some Enchanted Evening
Speak Softly Love
Spring Is Here
Stardust
Stranger in Paradise
Summer Knows, The
Summertime
Tenderly
They Can't Take That Away from Me
They Say It's Wonderful
This Masquerade
This Nearly Was Mine
Three Coins in the Fountain
Till There Was You
Try to Remember
Unforgettable
What a Wonderful World
What Are You Doing the Rest of your Life?
What I Did for Love
What's New?
When I Fall in Love
When I Marry Mr. Snow
When October Goes
Where Or When
White Cliffs of Dover, The
You Make Me Feel So Young
You're the Top
Young at Heart
Younger Than Springtime
CONTEMP./POP:
Ain't no Sunshine When She's Gone
Always a Woman to Me
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Can You Feel the Love Tonight
Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You
Evergreen
Goodbye, Norma Jean
Greatest Love, The
Hello (Neil Diamond)
How Deep Is Your Love
I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues
Imagine
Just the Way You Are
Killing Me Softly with his Song
Let It Be
New York State of Mind
Nobody Does It Better
Piano Man
Rocket Man
Savin' All My Love for You
Up Where We Belong
Way It Is, The
Way We Were, The
Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow
Wind Beneath My Wings
Yesterday
You Are So Beautiful
You Are the Sunshine of my Life
You Don’t Bring Me Flowers
You've Got a Friend
Your Song
LITE CLASSICAL:
Andante spianato, Chopin
Chemins de l’amour, Poulenc
Clair de lune, Debussy
Dein ist mein ganzes Herz, Lehar
Etude in A-flat major, Chopin
Etude in E major, Chopin
Gymnopedie, Satie
Impromptu in G-flat major, Schubert
Lakme Flower duet, Delibes
Liebesleid, Kreisler
Liebestraum, Liszt
Lilacs, Rachmaninoff
Meine Lippen, Lehar
Merry Widow Waltz, Lehar
Minute Waltz, Chopin
Non ti scordar di me
O mio babbino caro, Puccini
Quando m'en vo, Puccini
Te quiero, Lecuona
Waltz in E-flat major, Chopin
Waltz in C-sharp minor, Chopin
Wien, du Stadt meiner Träume
Influences and inspiration
I grew up learning the discipline of classical piano, but also played by ear and loved pop music and old song standards. In my classical playing I loved the virtuoso Romantic composers, especially Rachmaninoff and Chopin. I was lucky that I had a piano teacher who was also an arranger and improviser, and he gave me various "crossover" pieces - Gershwin's own piano version of The Man I Love, the original piano solo Deep Purple, old movie music like Addinsell's Warsaw Concerto, Charles Williams's The Dream of Olwen, Roger Williams's virtuosic Autumn Leaves, which I played in a high school talent show. By the time I was 18, I knew enough of this music to be a cocktail pianist, and I started playing gigs. As I went through college as a classical pianist, I played for lots of opera singers, and when they did musical theater songs "for fun" or as an encore, I kept adding songs to my list. When I got to NY in the 90's, my first regular job was at the elegant restaurant One If By Land... Various cabaret singers would come in, hear me, and ask me to work with them, and I ended up arranging the music for a Bing Crosby revue show. With another friend, I put together a Rosemary Clooney show. My vocabulary of jazz harmony and sophistication have continued to grow, always guided by my ear, my emulation of music and artists I love, and my original love of the rich Romantic piano sound.
Setup requirements
Piano or keyboard