Will Hayes, Cellist

Addison, IL

$300 minimum base rate

Travels up to 200 miles

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The Swan

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String Duo

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Trios

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Trios

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Troy Music Hall

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Accompanying Singers

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Quartets

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Trios

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Duets

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Chamber Ensembles

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With Piano

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String Trio on Lake George

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Symphony Cellist

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As Seen on TV

Overview

Curious about just how reasonably priced having fantastic live music at your special occasion can be? Want to really WOW your guests with the music for your wedding prelude, ceremony, cocktail hour, reception or corporate event? Looking for cello, violin, string duo, string trio, string quartet, or some other combination of instruments? If you would like the very best music money can buy, I look forward to hearing from you. Will Hayes, Cellist & Violinist


Reviews

24 reviews

Small thumbnail image for reviewer Olivia L.

Olivia L.

August 30, 2025

Absolutely remarkable!!

Will was the absolute best work work with, my husband and I hired him and his violinist for our wedding and it was purely gorgeous! All our guests loved it just as much as we did! Highly highly recommend adding them to your wedding day 🥹💕

Hired as: Classical Duo


Small thumbnail image for reviewer Jeremy R.

Jeremy R.

July 27, 2025
Verified review

Absolutely amazing!

We (me, my fiancé and the wedding guests!) can’t say say enough about Will and team! They were super helpful from the moment of booking all the way through to our wedding day! We gave them a playlist with many standards and also some songs they hadn’t ever played. They went above and beyond to learn the new songs for the wedding day and covered every song on the l
playlist!. The wedding day itself was absolutely amazing and the music was perfectly executed for the procession and cocktail hour. Thank you very much and we highly recommend Will for any event you need professional string support for !

Hired as: Classical Duo


Small thumbnail image for reviewer Sarah B.

Sarah B.

July 13, 2024
Verified review

Best cellist and violinist duo we could have asked for

Will went above and beyond and took any song requests we had and played them beautifully. He was very flexible to our needs. We couldn’t recommend the duo more

Hired as: Classical Duo


Small thumbnail image for reviewer Nicole M.

Nicole M.

July 18, 2023

Amazing Cellist!

We had Will play for our wedding in Lake Placid and he was amazing! When we moved the ceremony time up by an hour to try to avoid the rain he was able to make it work which was great. He traveled a bit of a distance to be there and he played for our ceremony in the early afternoon and then again at our cocktail hour later that evening. He was super easy to work with and offered suggestions of songs he could play for the ceremony and cocktail hour but let us send him a playlist of our own as well. He must know just about anything because he played classical and some more popular upbeat melodies. I would 100 percent recommend working with Will if you’re looking for a cellist to play at your wedding or any event!

Hired as: Cellist


Small thumbnail image for reviewer Cindy W.

Cindy W.

January 24, 2023

Great Teacher

Mr. Hayes is a wonderful and patient teacher. He offers alot of different techniques to help with learning the Cello. We enjoy our lessons with Mr. Hayes!

Hired as: Cellist

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Booking information

Price range: $300 minimum base rate

Languages: English

Gig length: 60 - 3000 minutes

Unions: AFM

What to expect

I enjoy being easy to work with, from responding to communications rapidly, clearly and concisely, to doing what I promise, e.g. - reliability, punctuality, doing my "homework." I place utmost importance on being precise with my music-making, in well-subdivided rhythmic vitality and sensitivity to intonation in the context in which I'm working, while conveying emotions informed by the composition I'm performing. I value quality over quantity, integrity in finances, and forming lasting relationships in my growing network of like-minded professionals.

About

Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music graduate
Past student artist at Chautauqua Institution, NY, and Aspen Music Festival, CO
Performed live in concert with big name entertainers such as Rod Stewart, Eileen Ivers, and Johnny Mathis
Freelance cellist with 30+ years experience in auditioned orchestral positions across the country
Past certified public school music educator
Private lesson teacher (all strings)
Active AFM union member in Albany, NY and Schenectady, NY locals

Additional booking notes

I need enough light to see music, if not being performed from memory; however, I have my own stand light, if needed.

Services offered

Past booked events

August 2025

23

Saturday

Wedding Ceremony

3:30pm - 4:30pm

Troy, NY

July 2025

26

Saturday

Wedding Ceremony

5:00pm - 7:00pm

Lenox, MA

April 2025

29

Tuesday

Funeral/Memorial Service

12:30pm - 1:30pm

Westford, NY

05

Saturday

Wedding Ceremony

5:00pm - 5:45pm

Saratoga Springs, NY

June 2024

22

Saturday

Wedding Ceremony

4:30pm - 5:30pm

Manchester, VT

08

Saturday

Wedding Ceremony

4:00pm - 5:00pm

Florence, MA

August 2022

20

Saturday

Wedding Reception

5:00pm - 7:30pm

Albany, NY

May 2022

13

Friday

Wedding Ceremony

2:30pm - 4:00pm

Glens Falls, NY

September 2021

18

Saturday

Wedding Ceremony

12:30pm - 2:30pm

Queensbury, NY

August 2021

20

Friday

Wedding Ceremony

5:00pm - 6:00pm

Saratoga Springs, NY

June 2021

27

Sunday

Wedding Reception

3:00pm - 5:00pm

Woodstock, CT

November 2020

21

Saturday

Wedding Ceremony

1:30pm - 3:00pm

Northville, NY

October 2019

05

Saturday

Wedding Ceremony

6:00pm - 6:30pm

Poughkeepsie, NY

August 2019

03

Saturday

Wedding Ceremony

12:00pm - 2:00pm

Troy, NY

August 2018

18

Saturday

Wedding Ceremony

2:00pm - 3:30pm

East Berne, NY

June 2018

23

Saturday

Personal Occasion

6:30pm - 7:30pm

Saratoga Springs, NY

02

Saturday

Wedding Ceremony

2:30pm - 5:00pm

Williamsburg, MA

October 2017

24

Tuesday

Wedding Ceremony

6:00pm - 7:00pm

Saratoga Springs, NY

14

Saturday

Wedding Ceremony

4:00pm - 5:00pm

Weathersfield, VT

Influences and inspiration

All the excellent cellists and violinists of the past inspire and inform my playing.
I appreciate good music of many genres.

Setup requirements

chair and music stand would be nice, but not necessary

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