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Gold Standard Musicians
- St Louis, MO
- Classical Ensemble
- Travels up to 120 miles
- Contact for rates
Overview
Gold Standard Musicians is a group of the very best of the best professionals St. Louis has to offer, working as soloists or collaborating in a variety of small groups. Our most popular ensembles include the Alchemy Trio (violin/cello/piano or keyboard), the Gilded Duo (violin/piano or keyboard), String Duos and String Quartet. We work alongside our clients to realize their creative vision for their events—wedding ceremonies and receptions, dinners, holiday parties, corporate events, banquets, and more! We love making your requests a reality, whether you know what you want down to the last detail or want us to take an idea and run with it. Relax and enjoy. Your event is in the best of hands.
26 Reviews
Johanna played the piano for my mom’s memorial. Her beautiful playing was the perfect way to honor my mother, who was an accomplished pianist herself. Every step of the booking process was seamless, and with Johanna playing, I could close my eyes and imagine my mom enjoying her favorite classical pieces!
Classical Pianist
Response from Gold Standard Musicians:
Thank you so much, Cathi. It was really wonderful playing for you all. It sounds like your mom was a really special person, and it was an honor to be part of her life celebration.
Johanna, pianist and Tova, violinist came to help us celebrate my in-laws birthdays and wedding anniversary in their home. Being former musicians themselves, my in-laws appreciated the fine details only professionals can deliver with great timing and pitch. A wonderful performance and great selection of music tailored to their liking. Thank you for providing an unforgettable evening.
Pianist, Violinist
Response from Gold Standard Musicians:
Yay, thanks so much for having us out, Barbara! It was so fun meeting you and playing for you all! We had a great time.
I had asked for a violinist to visit while family was gathering at my parents home for Mother's Day for a brief period and to play some of my Mom's favorite songs. Amy arrived early and we talked through the entry. Since we're social distancing due to Covid19 and my parents are 84 & 83 years old, family members had hoped to gather in their beautiful yard, but due to cooler temperatures, we had to shift the party to the garage. When Mom realized Amy was playing for her she was overwhelmed with tears. It was a beautiful performance and Amy nailed it! Great memories for the family. Thank you so much for helping out with our special day for Mom. Susan
Strolling Violinist
Response from Gold Standard Musicians:
Thanks so much, Susan! It means so much to us to celebrate these special moments with families like yours. Amy sends her thanks for hosting and also for the cupcake! 😁
A big thank you to Johanna and the Gold Standard Musicians! Louis, Graham, Carlolina, and Ranya performed for my church's Christmas Eve Services. We enjoyed every moment of their beautiful music. They also integrated seamlessly with our church praise band for our praise and worship. They were professional, flexible with last minute changes, and extremely low-maintenance. THANK YOU ALL!!!!
String Quartet
Response from Gold Standard Musicians:
Aww thanks, Ben!! I’m so glad we got to work together. I’ll be sure to pass your kind words along to everyone. Happy New Year!
They were SO good, so professional, and exceptionally talented. We received lots of compliments for our wedding reception.
Classical Duo
Response from Gold Standard Musicians:
Thanks so much, Laura! And congrats on being married!! I wish you two all the very best. It was an honor being part of your wedding day.
Exceeded expectations!
Guitarist
Response from Gold Standard Musicians:
Yay! Thanks Gary! Vincent is awesome, right?? :)
Loved the beautiful music provided to us from this Piano/ violin duo. It was lovely and Johanna was great to work with!
Classical Duo
She was great, played a great variation and a lot of requested material. Everyone was pleased and impressed. Thank you.
Violinist
Response from Gold Standard Musicians:
Thanks so much, Don. I’ll pass on your kind words to Carolina! I hope the birthday lady had a great day!!
Johanna Ballou was a true delight to work with and she played beautifully! Thank you so much for working with us. Your beautiful music was perfect for our event and I would highly recommend you.
Pianist
Response from Gold Standard Musicians:
Thanks, Lori! It was great meeting you, and it was really fun playing for you all!
The addition of the string trio gave us an additional and beautiful way to say ‘goodbye’ and to express our emotions and was a tremendous addition to honor and celebrate our mother’s life. They were amazing and really created a “celebration of life” atmosphere for our mother’s funeral. Highly recommend them.
Patricia Brooks
String Trio
Response from Gold Standard Musicians:
Hi Patricia.
Thank you so much for your kind words. This is exactly what we strive for—I’m so glad you felt the music added poignancy to your mother’s memorial. I wish peace and comfort to your family during this time, and it was an honor to help celebrate her life.
Mat was awesome!
Guitarist
Response from Gold Standard Musicians:
Thanks for entrusting us with your party entertainment, Phil!!
We hired Amy to play modern pop songs during cocktail hour at my husbands 30th birthday. She arrived on time, was very professional and did a great job! It was the perfect addition to the night!
Violinist
Response from Gold Standard Musicians:
Thank you so much, Megan! We love bringing the special touch to birthdays. Thanks for having us out!
Very professional and beautiful pianist! She was willing to learn any piano song that my husband and I wanted during our ceremony.
Pianist
Response from Gold Standard Musicians:
Thank you so much, Molly! I had such a great time playing for your beautiful ceremony and learning your great requests! They’re wonderful additions to my repertoire.
Our violinist,Amy, was truly professional and provided the perfect selections of soothing music needed for our loved one memorial services. Our special request performed during the service was beautifully and elegantly rendered. It was a pleasant and special addition to the service that we will always remember.
Violinist
Response from Gold Standard Musicians:
Thank you so much, Vanita. It means a lot to us to play for memorials like Lisa’s. Thanks for having us and for your kind words. I’ll send them on to Amy.
Music was beautiful, on time and family was very pleased.
Violinist
Response from Gold Standard Musicians:
Thank you, Timothy! Playing music for grieving families is an honor and responsibility we care about so much. Thanks for the opportunity.
She did a great job! She coordinated with the wedding planner, showed up on time and played beautifully! She was amazing!
Pianist
Response from Gold Standard Musicians:
Thank you so much, Jenny! I had a ton of fun playing for cocktail hour at your beautiful wedding! I also had a lot of fun meeting some of your family-they’re super fun and sweet. Congratulations to you and Christopher. All the best to you two!!
Johanna was amazing to work with! She helped us find Violinist Elizabeth for our wedding reception and we couldn't be happier with the results. Both Johanna, when organizing the details, and Elizabeth, were both so professional and wonderful to work with. All the guests just loved hearing the romantic sound of the violin while they mingled during the reception. We got lots of compliments regarding the music. I just want to thank them again for being everything I was hoping for and more! I would highly recommend their services to anyone looking for a musician for their private event.
Classical Ensemble
Response from Gold Standard Musicians:
Congratulations, Katherine and Matthew! It was an honor to be part of your celebration. Thanks for entrusting us with the music, and we wish you all the best in your future!!
Johanna & her violinist were exceptional! Arrived on time, very professional, and played heart out. She is the real deal!
Classical Duo
Response from Gold Standard Musicians:
Thank you, Patrick!! It was so fun getting to meet your family and share music with you all! I hope the rest of your visit is wonderful.
Photos from this event
Johanna was on time, engaging, extremely talented and flexible. She was extremely well received by our guests.
I’d highly recommend her in a heartbeat!
Pianist
Response from Gold Standard Musicians:
Thanks so much, Neil! I had a wonderful time at your party. You and your guests were such fun!
Johanna was outstanding and the music was exactly what was needed for our family event. She is terrific!
Keyboard Player
Response from Gold Standard Musicians:
Thanks so much, Lorraine! It was so fun being a part of your family’s celebration! All the best to you and the newlyweds.
Johanna is an outstanding pianist! She was perfect for my event and I would highly recommend her to others who are looking for a similar service. She was very easy to work with and very professional as well.
Pianist
Response from Gold Standard Musicians:
Hi Tracie! Thank you so much for your kind words. It was a joy playing for your family's special event. I look forward to seeing you all again on the big wedding day!!
Johanna is truly a wonderful and versatile pianist, and her music provided a wonderful ambiance for our event, with selections from ragtime to Broadway to Bohemian Rhapsody! She responded promptly and thoughtfully to all my questions, and she provided a microphone for my family to use upon request. She helpfully provided song lists to give an idea of her vast repertoire, and even learned some new songs that we especially love. We received so many compliments on the music and everyone wanted to know where we found such an incredible pianist! Thank you so much for your wonderful performance--it really was the icing on the cake for our special evening!
Pianist
Response from Gold Standard Musicians:
Thank you, Andrea!
It was a pleasure playing for you and your friends and family. I had a great time and I'm so glad you enjoyed the music. All the best to you, and Happy New Year!
Johanna is a great choice for any event.
Pianist
Johanna played for my daughter's wedding. She was very organized and always responded to my questions. She played everything we asked for. We got so many positive comments on how beautiful the music was at the wedding. I would highly recommend her for your event.
Pianist
Johanna is one of the best pianists I have ever worked with. This summer, a soprano friend and I collaborated with her on a musical theatre project. While she hadn't played our songs before, she dutifully and cheerfully learned 22 new songs to perform. At the recital, many of the audience members commented on her ability to handle all the challenges of some very tricky music. I highly regard Johanna and always want her to play for anything I perform if possible.
Pianist
I own a wedding music company, and hired Johanna to perform a wedding with one of our musicians. She was kind and pleasant, performed each song exquisitely, and epitomized punctuality and professionalism. Highly recommended!
Classical Duo
Booking Info
Price Range: Contact for rates
Gig Length: 20 - 240 minutes
Languages: English
Insurance: $2,000,000 - Next Insurance
Unions: AFM
Website: Visit website
Phone Number: Call
What to Expect
What to expect in the booking process:
-A personal approach to make sure all your expectations are understood and fulfilled. Don't know exactly what you want? I can help!
-Prompt communication
-Attention to detail
What to expect at your event:
-No worries for you!
-Early arrival and setup
-Awesome music!
-We can provide a keyboard if necessary and amplification (we’re off-the-grid, no electrical outlet necessary!)
-Friendly professionalism
About
Gold Standard Musicians are the very best of the best professionals St. Louis has to offer. We work alongside our clients to realize their creative vision for their events—wedding ceremonies and receptions, dinners, holiday parties, corporate events, banquets, and more! We love making your requests a reality, whether you know what you want down to the last detail or want us to take an idea and run with it. Relax and enjoy. Your event is in the best of hands.
Gold Standard Musicians offers an ever-expanding range of instrumental combos to choose from. We can work with your budget and vision to help you figure out what will work best for you.
Let us help you create the perfect musical setting for your event! Get in touch today.
Additional Booking Notes
This will vary depending upon the venue and ensemble/band hired. We can provide amplification for most spaces and audiences up to 300 people. We can also provide amplification services that are "off the grid" utilizing battery and solar power.
Musicians MUST be placed in the shade. Absolutely no performances in direct sunlight will be accepted. Temperatures must be between 60 and 100. No outdoor performances in St. Louis will be accepted between November 1st and April 30th.
Services Offered
Setup Requirements
Shade
Social