I am a classically trained professional violinist who performs at a variety of venues and events including weddings, proposals, birthdays, tea parties, corporate events, orchestra concerts, solo recitals, etc. I would love to cater exactly to the specific and unique requests you may have. I take great joy in providing an experience that leaves my clients fulfilled and beyond satisfied! I hope to make your day as special as you imagined it!
I am blown away at Jonathan's talent. He listened to our needs, provided the romantic energy we were striving for and was on point for every song and every detail. This venue was in a concrete wine cellar - not always easy to work with, yet Jonathan nailed it in terms of sound and ambiance. His passion was felt by all and we thoroughly enjoyed his presence. My only regret is not booking him for 6+ hours! You'll never get tired hearing him perform
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Wow thank you so much Sabina!
I loved playing for your wedding, the setting was just magical. Thank you for having me take part in your special and memorable day.
I wish you and your husband all the very best!
Jonathan played two pieces at my father’s interment service, which was held outside in the church cemetery. Jonathan was always responsive as we discussed the plan in advance, and he was punctual, personable and professional. He played the solo violin pieces beautifully. It was everything I had hoped for. I would hire Jonathan again in a heartbeat.
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you Mathias for such kind words! It was great to meet you and your family and learn about your father's legacy. Thank you for having me take part in this special and memorable service.
Jonathan's performance was absolutely stunning! Guests from our event could not get enough of his playing, the dance floor opened on his first chord!
He is an absolute delight to work with, superb and timely with communicating and is by far one of the most talented people I have met! Everyone asked about him throughout and well after his performance!
Hiring him will be the best decision you make!
He was very responsive, timely, and musically talented!
Even guided us with our song choices offering help along the way
Jonathan is great & would recommend to anyone.
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you so much Aous! I appreciate your kind words, it was wonderful performing for everyone in such an elegant and classy venue!
Just a tremendously talented young man with an attitude so positive. Working with Jonathan was a pleasure and all night I received compliments on how wonderful he plays. A must have at your next function.
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you for such kind words, Anthony! It was a pleasure to perform for you and all your guests. I loved the atmosphere, very memorable!
First of all Jonathan is incredibly talented, so for that reason alone we decided to hire him to perform at my husband’s 40th birthday.
We requested an electric violin performance along to popular music, a few specific songs and then we collaborated on what Jonathan suggested.
He’s professional, responsive, friendly, and collaborated perfectly with our dj, chatting with him a couple times to plan the evenings performance. Our friends loved the performance and even want to hire him for their own parties.
Thank you Jonathan for helping create the most memorable evening for my husband, he was so happy he almost cried!
Photos from this event
We hired Jonathan to play at our wedding in June. Jonathan was absolutely fantastic, we requested a few songs for the wedding and Jonathan send us mini clips of everything for us to review. Everything sounded great and on the day of Jonathan showed up early and ready to go. Super friendly and professional and the his playing was beautiful, all of the guests had great things to say about it!
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you so much for your kind words Faraz! It was a great pleasure and memorable experience performing for your wedding! My very best wishes to you and your wife!
What a wonderful show they put on for my parents. They have dementia and to see how my mom in particular lit up when the music started to play is a moment I will always treasure. We will be hiring Jonathan and his cellist again for sure. They were perfect.
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you so much Denyse! It was such a special experience performing for your parents and we're so grateful for the opportunity!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Jonathan helped me create an unforgettable and unique experience for my family, I cannot thank you enough!
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you so much Noman! It was an honour to perform for your family
I was very happy with Jonathan’s attention to details, his punctuality and great work. I would highly recommend his services.
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you for your kind words Mani, I was honoured to take part in such a memorable proposal!
Jonathan gave us a perfect performance and our customer love it.
Highly recommend it.
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you so much Vian, it was a pleasure and honour!
I am one of his students, I basically play some songs and we learn a-lot of stuff.He is so far one of the best teachers!
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you so much for your kind review, Ian!
Jonathan is so talented and amazing!!!!! Everyone enjoyed his performance at our party and he was so accommodating to all our needs and requests! Will definitely book him again :)
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you dear Pala, it was an absolute pleasure and I was honoured to be a part of such a fun celebration!
Jonathan was accommodating, professional, and such a breath of fresh air to work with, withstanding the minimal time given to him. He did an outstanding violin rendition of my late father's favorite hymn "How Great Thou Art". It was perfect.
Great performer! Come on site ahead of time and prepared. He even did a Chinese song for us.
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you so much Tom, it was a pleasure performing for all the lovely guests!
Jonathan was so kind and professional from day 1 to the wedding day. We couldn’t have asked for anything better! The music sounded amazing and Jonathan made everything go so smooth and easy.
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you for the kind words Faraz, it was such an honour to perform for your wedding ceremony in a beautiful setting. I hope the rest of your day was a fantastic celebration and my very best wishes to you and your wife!
Jonathan played the prelude, ceremony and postlude. His performance captured the love, and was the perfect atmosphere for our vow renewal. He was very professional right from the beginning. Thank you for making our day that much better.
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you so much Riko! It was such a heart warming and genuine ceremony it was an honour to take part in it.
Thank you so much for being flexible and accommodating for this special occasion. She was completely shocked and did not know what was going on until I pulled out the ring LOL.
Sincerely,
Vincent
Johnathan is amazing. He makes my family gathering with wonderful memories, very good conversation about music history. I request the songs, he prepared nicely. He adds some extra related. The mini concert at home is a good idea, lively.
I chose Jonathan To help make a special night with my husband even more special. Jonathan was a very kind, accommodating and very professional. Jonathan also went above and beyond to find a singing pianist with a voice that fit the songs that I requested to be played perfectly. The violin was played with so much feeling and emotion it added absolutely the best details to the evening.
My husband and I thank you very kindly for making this such a special night!
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Dear Amanda,
It was such a memorable evening and a real joy to perform for you and your husband!
I am SO happy all the details came together and we were able to capture the mood you had envisioned.
Thank you so much I really appreciate your sincere and kind words and I wish both of you much happiness and many more special nights!
The violin was a perfect touch to the ceremony
Jonathan was available at very short notice for a professional cocktail event. Guests were mesmerized by his virtuous performance and his charisma. Jonathan was able to capture the atmosphere of the evening in beautiful elegance and we all felt we had been part of a very special evening. Thank you, Jonathan!
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Dear Christian,
I am
so grateful to have taken part of this memorable evening in such a spontaneous way! Thank you kindly, I truly appreciate your words and support of live music!
He was prompt, super easy to coordinate with, learned new songs for our wedding day and made the ceremony much more special. Every complimented his skills. Very well done!
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you so much Jordan! It was really a pleasure to be part of your special day. I wish you the very best!
The music as my ceremony was just the way I envisioned it thank you so much!!
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Im so happy to hear that, thank you Ashley! Congratulations!!
Jonathan was absolutely amazing during our wedding reception! Performed very well during our cocktail hour by playing from a list of songs that we had gone over prior to. Remained professional throughout the entire process. Overall wonderful experience, would definitely book again! Thanks Jonathan!
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you so much Mani! It was a pleasure working with you and a real joy to perform for such a beautiful celebration. Congratulations!
I had Jonathan on my husband Remembrance Day yesterday.
It was for a not happy occasion, but
He did an amazing job.
On time, perfect presentation, very professional did what we discussed before.
I got a lot of credit from our guests, for managing to have him.
So I want to share this admiration with Jonathan.
Thank you. 🙏🙏🙏
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you so much Malihe for your kinds words. It was such an honour to be a part of your husband's beautiful memorial service. My condolences to you and your family and I wish you much comfort and peace.
Jonathan was the best addition to our private event. He arrived on time, was extremely professional and his talent was extraordinary. We absolutely would hire him again.
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
I am so happy to hear you and your guests enjoyed the music, Ashley. It was a real pleasure and thank you for having me!
Honestly, I personally didn't get much of a chance to enjoy Johnathan's performance at our wedding, but I heard a lot of good things about him from our guests. What I do know is that, he was able to play the songs that I requested for the procession and recession, which were mostly, RNB BALLADS and something I had a hard time finding in a violinist throughout the booking process. He was very flexible and able to accommodate my request! 10/10
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you so much for taking the time to write a very kind review, Courtney!
It was a real pleasure performing the unique song selections for your wedding and I wish you the happiest future with your husband!
Jonathan was very professional. He showed up on time and played our requested songs. We received several compliments from our guests regarding Jonathan's beautiful rendition of 'Yesterday'. Thank you, Jonathan!
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you for your kind words, Kandya! I really loved learning and performing 'Yesterday'.
Johnathan was incredible! He was a big hit. He played all the requests he received from my guests. He’s very talented.
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you for your kind words Tamar, I had a truly wonderful time! I hope your father had a fantastic birthday!
Jonathan was a well appreciated addition to our event. We look forward to the next opportunity he can come to play for us.
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you for your kind words, Alex! Congratulations on a lovely wedding and looking forward to collaborate again soon!
Will definitely hire again in the future
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you so much brother
Jonathan is an amazing person. He got to the venue on time, was dressed for the occasion & gave a beautiful performance that set the tone for the rest of the evening. Thank you very much Jonathan for making our special day such a romantic experience!
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you so much Michael! It was a pleasure and honour to be part of your lovely evening. Wishing you and your family all the best and much happiness!!
Jonathan was professional, on time and delivered an amazing performance. The repertoire he chose was perfect for our event. Anyone in the GTA should jot hesitate to snatch him up. He is a wonderful musician.
Right from the beginning Jonathan was incredibly responsive and professional. We booked him for our wedding ceremony and everyone loved him. He plays so beautifully! It made our ceremony so special and really set the mood.
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you, Ravelle!
It was a pleasure to perform at your wedding. I enjoyed playing your unique song choices! Congratulations!
Jonathan played amazingly and was very easy to work with. You cannot go wrong choosing Jonathan for your event.
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you, Preet. It was my pleasure. Congratulations on a beautiful proposal!
We hired Jonathan to play the violin at our wedding's ceremony for an hour, and I'm very happy with his performance. Even though our wedding was in a different city than his, and despite the fact that the weather wasn't the best, he was at the venue well ahead of the time he was scheduled to play at. He's also a very polite gentleman!
Prior to the wedding day, he contacted me and offered a list consisting of a very wide range of songs for me to select so that he'd play them at the ceremony. He said he'll also take any other song requests I might have for him.
I only asked for Canon in D to be played for the bride's entrance, and left the rest up to him. Could not have been happier with his selections and performance.
Thank you Jonathan.
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you so much for your wonderfully kind review, Setareh. Congratulations on your lovely wedding and all the best to you and Pedram as you build your future together!
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
My pleasure, Laith. Thank you!
I booked Jonathan for a surprise proposal a few days before the actual event. He was very accommodating and adjusted his schedule to attend the event. He was very quick with responses and he truly cared about making the proposal a special one. He played a rendition of La Vien En Rose and A Whole New World and it was truly beautiful. I would book Jonathan again in a heartbeat and I am so grateful that he performed at the proposal!
Thank you for helping us make our day special.
Jonathan's performance was very moving and perfect for the somber affair. He was accommodating, agreeing to perform on short notice and continuing to play while we waited for the minister to arrive (she was 30 minutes late).
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you Leah for your sincere and heartfelt wishes. It was an honour to contribute for your sister's memorial. Your card was also very thoughtful and appreciated.
Jonathan was very easy to work with - flexible, reliable and offered a wide repertoire of songs. I would definitely recommend him.
Jonathan played our outdoor wedding ceremony at the Scarborough bluffs this October. Jonathan was amazingly accomodating and professional from the start. He had a very extensive list of songs to choose from and even offered to learn a few new ones on request. Everyone at the ceremony loved his playing. He was even so patient with us after we were late 20 minutes for our ceremony! Jonathan is highly recommended.
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you for your kind words, Jonathan. It was a pleasure to be a part of your special and memorable day. Congratulations!
Jonathan was a pleasure to work with. Very professional, and organized. We would definitely consider hiring him again in the future.
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
My pleasure, Dominique!
Congratulations on your beautiful wedding.
I hired Jonathan to play at my surprise proposal, and definitely made the day special and unique. He was very responsive and played some of my requested songs very well. Highly suggested for your event!
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you so much, Rohit! It was a pleasure to be a part of your proposal and im very happy it went well! :)
Jonathan was responsive, punctual and professional. Music sounded fantastic and I am very glad to have chosen him! Recommend.
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you, Serge! It was my pleasure. Congratulations!
I am so incredibly happy with my decision to book Jonathan for my wedding! Everyone loved the performance. Jonathan had learned my Afghan song so quickly & went out of his way to find the backtrack for it. He played beautifully for my entrance & first dance. He is extremely talented!
Jonathan has been very accommodating, professional & easy to work with, making the chaotic wedding planning process so much easier!
HE IS A MUST HAVE AT YOUR EVENT! I would recommend him to everyone hosting a wedding/event!
Jonathan is nice, on time and plays very professional. We really enjoyed the music and appreciate his performance on our wedding!
Nice person, wonderful music.
An amazing player and a very great guy! He learned the two songs I requested in 2 days. He was also a big help with input with my engagement making the moment that much more special.
EVERYONE BOOK JONATHAN NOW!!
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
It was absolutely my pleasure, Nick! I was thrilled to be part of that special moment. Congratulations to you and your fiancè!
Jonathan provided attentive feedback via prompt responses to our questions prior to the event. He's a talented violinist who provided a smooth and flawless delivery. We would definitely work with Jonathan again!
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you, Saman! It was a pleasure to be a part of your beautiful wedding celebration!
Jonathan was fabulous for my clients wedding proposal. They loved him and he played songs that meant a lot to them!
So professional and great to work with. Will hire again for sure!
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you Tara, it was wonderful to work with you and your team!
Our whole family has been talking about how talented Jonathan is. He was super professional, easy to work with & always quick to respond to emails, and arrived at our wedding early. We were blown away by his performance. Thank you, Jonathan!
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you, Kaitlin! It was a pleasure to be a part of your beautiful wedding. Congratulations!
Excellent. Very professional. Communicated and organized everything in advance. Arrived earlier than scheduled start time. Played every song to perfection. Dressed to impress. Was kind and genuine. HIGHLY recommend. Thanks Jonathan
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you, Daniela. It was my pleasure to take part in your lovely and memorable ceremony.
Jonathan was amazing to work with. I was planning a proposal for my girlfriend and having Jonathan was the main event. He was very responsive before the event as I was figuring out the details. I changed the plan a number of times and Jonathan put up with all of it. The day of the event due to a few circumstances beyond my control, Jonathan was very flexible, accommodating and even helped with a few things.
He is extremely talented and performed very well. Apart from his high skill level, he was also a pleasure to chat with and have a quick bite with following the event.
Thank you Jonathan!
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you for your very kind words! It was my pleasure to work with you and i'm thrilled that it went well!
EASY TO DEAL WITH SUPER CHILLED AND SO NICE
Thanks again Jonathan for you amazing performance at our wedding! Our guests can't stop raving about how beautiful the ambiance was that you helped create for our ceremony. They also loved that you were able to play the variety of different music, from classical to even the new age Frank Ocean that some of the younger crowd loved as well. Can't wait to see all the video footage!
I would definitely recommend Jonathan for any event your having especially weddings, he'll definitely surpass any expectations you may have. Very easy to work with, personable, professional and passionate at what he does!
Thanks again, all the best in the future!
P.S. I'm sure you'll be getting some referrals for the upcoming weddings in our bridal party!!
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you so much Kadeem and Kimberley. It was a real pleasure to work with you and a delight to be a part of your special day.
Jonathan did an amazing job at our wedding ceremony. We received tons of compliments and couldn't be happier. He was also really easy to correspond with. Definitely would recommend!
Jonathan was excellent and very accommodating . He would play all of our requests and performed it beautifully. I would hire him again.
Excellent song selection. Early arrival and very reliable. Highly recommend and will use again.
He came early and was up for a somewhat complicated arrangement in order to make my marriage proposal go great. Thanks, Jonathan.
Jonathan was exceptional. Although it may seem a strange request, we asked Jonathan to play at my Grandmother’s funeral. She started playing the violin when she was 3 and would have loved they way Jonathan played. I found him delightful to deal with, he was very professional throughout.
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you for your kind words, Blair. It was my pleasure.
Jonathan was amazing!! The ceremony music was as perfect as we'd hoped it would be. He was so accommodating and professional. Thank you!!
Jonathan was entertaining,engaging and very professional. We would have him back again at any event
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you, Sally! It was a pleasure to perform at your son's wedding. All the best.
It was a pleasure meeting Jonathan. Right from the time he sent a quote up to the day of his performance, Jonathan was quick in responding to questions that I had and was always cooperative and helpful in providing suggestions. His performance at the party was amazing! He was punctual and arrived at the appropriate time to make his grand entrance as planned. All our guests were impressed with his talent and professionalism. His repertoire of tunes was great, especially the Bollywood ones! I would definitely recommend Jonathan to others and will call on him for future events. Thanks Jonathan for making my wife's 50th birthday surprise a truly memorable one!
Jonathan was a pleasure! Arrived on time, was warm & friendly ..but when he took out his beautiful violin.. the evening came alive! They say a violin has a voice & Jonathan can take that voice & wrap it around you in a way you could only experience in a live performance!
Photos from this event
Jonathan was amazing. He played anything requested of him, played along with the Dj to the bride and grooms first dance and was very professional despite last minute changes to songs. Do not look anywhere else! Hire him!
Maria - Wish upon a bliss weddings and events
Jonathon was suppose to start playing at 4:00pm, he didn't arrive until 4:25pm, very dissapointed he didn't give himself enough time to be at the venue considering it was a wedding and the ceremony was suppose to start at 4:30 pm. His music was beautiful though.
Dave and Jen
this was the first time I had ever booked anyone off of gig salad, and from the moment i met Jonathan I was blown away, he was so professional and his talent was amazing. We hosted a tea party to benefit the Alzheimer's society of Toronto and he beautifully serenaded the ladies while they had their lunch. It was truly a special treat to have Jonathan play for us. I would definitely book him again for our next event!!!
Response from Jonathan Garabedian:
Thank you for your kind words, Vanessa. It was a pleasure to perform for a wonderful event and such a great cause!
Best wishes,
JG
Jonathan was very helpful with music selection
He played beautifully on my wedding day.
Jonathan was absolutely wonderful! We were so happy to have him as part of our son's baptism. All of our guests could not stop giving complements on how talented and wonderful he was. Thank you so much Jonathan for allowing us to hear beautiful music on such a special occasion.
Thank you so much Jonathan!!! You we're great and made the party an event!!!!
Price Range: Contact for rates
Gig Length: 30 - 180 minutes
Languages: Armenian
Unions: AFM
A solo violin performance played acoustically
Born in Los Angeles and raised in Toronto, Jonathan began to play the violin at the age of seven. Having a love to perform from a young age, he gave his first solo recital at the age of eleven. Throughout his years of dedicated training, Jonathan has studied with Raisa Magarshak, Jeewon Kim, Paul Zafer, and Ilya Kaler. He has also participated in master classes for Joseph Silverstein, Martin Beaver, David Zafer, Berent Korfker, Claude Richard, Elizabeth Wallfisch, as well as the Vermeer, Tokyo, Turtle Island, and Avalon String Quartets. He has performed with orchestras and chamber ensembles throughout Canada, USA, Brazil, United Arab Emirates, Hungary, Ukraine, and Serbia. Most recently he played with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the only program of its kind affiliated with a major American orchestra, as well as Orchestra London, North Bay Symphony, and the National Academy Orchestra of Canada. Jonathan has had the privilege of collaborating with musicians such as Yo-Yo Ma, Ricardo Muti, Jaap van Zweden, Carlos Miguel Prieto, John Nelson, and Alain Trudel, to name a few. Jonathan earned a masters degree in violin performance from DePaul University School of Music in Chicago and also received a bachelors degree in violin performance from the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music. During the summers he has participated in the Brott Music Festival, Orchestre de la Francophonie, and Camp Musical des Laurentides. Jonathan is passionate to share his love of music with people of all ages and backgrounds; especially the Armenian community. He has had the opportunity to perform recitals for Armenian functions in Toronto, Montreal, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
***Please note***
1. With my current schedule and availability I will only be able to consider events up to 6 months into the future.
2. For events outside of Toronto there will be a travel fee based on the distance travelled.
3. For events in the U.S.A there will be an additional fee for border crossings and distance travelled.
4. If the event is outdoors it is very important that the musicians have the option of being covered and kept out of direct sunlight and/or rain.
While we personally don't mind getting a little wet or tanned, our wooden instruments are very fragile, expensive, and can be easily damaged.
5. We often play in large and unique venues that can be crowded with many people mingling (cocktail hours especially) so it is important that each musician has atleast 1 arms length of space around him/her in each direction in order to avoid colliding with anyone as we play.
Thank you for your consideration and understanding!
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