Laura Melnicoff - Versatile Cellist

I’m great for events that aim for gleams of polish. I’m also great at life cycle events where emotions are high and welcome music that will embrace them. Some of my favorite gigs were for fans of classical music, who simply wanted me to play their favorites while they had a private family dinner; another was a private recital in a beautiful backyard for a birthday party. I only need a chair and about 4 feet around me to make a stage, and a whole new dimension to your space is conjured with live cello music. With a little more space, I can bring a friend or three, and provide an ensemble.

I am a professional cellist who loves being able to show up to parties and provide the magic of music. My event gigs have taken me to every stage of the life cycle, which has been a wonderful privilege of my life. Weddings, funerals, birthdays, baby showers, bar and bat mitzvahs, engagements, and more.

My artistic projects have taken me around the world and on incredible stages, such as Carnegie Hall, the Music Hall of Williamsburg, Frankfurt Alte Oper, Heichal HaTarbut Tel Aviv, and the airwaves of WQXR. I am classically trained, and that language will always be my home, but I have also had klezmer, experimental, folk, and pop rock projects.

The cello has an amazing repertoire and sound all on its own, as well as playing nicely with others. I am happy to play by myself, or put together a fantastic ensemble for your event.

The cello is a naturally acoustic instrument, with a powerful sound all its own. For very large indoor events, events in which I will be playing alongside crowd conversation, or for outdoor events, I can provide my own top-of-the-line microphone to connect to an amplification system.

My only requirements for staging are an armless dining chair, and a radius of about 3 feet around me to avoid collisions with my bow.

For outdoor events, I can play at temperatures above about 55 degrees, out of direct sunlight, and no rain. My instrument is made of fine wood that can be a diva about moisture.