Sonata Strings

The Sonata Chamber Ensembles are represented exclusively by Cleveland Music Group. The Sonata Strings includes symphony-calibre performers who also appear as members of our most-requested wedding band, The Orchestra. The strings are often featured strolling at dinner time for charming personal performance.

The String Quartet (traditionally, two violins, viola, and cello, as heard below) is a perfect choice for wedding ceremonies, cocktail hours, or any kind of event where a fine musical presentation would be appreciated.

The Sonata Strings is also available as a trio (two violins and cello) and have performed with various featured instruments, such as flute, trumpet, and harp. Please note that the quartet is recommended for contemporary song choices. Song choices for the duo may be limited due to instrumentation.

• Reviews
• Audio
• Classical Song List
• Contemporary Song List
• Photos

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  Great wedding band

  We had the Sonata Strings Trio play during our daughter’s wedding ceremony and The Element played during the reception. We’ve heard The Element before and as always, they were fabulous!! Erin was very easy to work with leading up to the big day and she was great emceeing during the reception! Everyone had a great time!!

  Ann Geib

  Jul 5, 2019

  Market Square

  Lovely…from communication to sound

  The Sonata Strings Quartet sounded lovely and moved from ceremony to cocktail reception space smoothly.  While I cannot speak for the guest experience, as a planner, Tanis the strings leader was great to work with and organized and flexible on event day.

  Katie Coach

  Jun 21, 2019

  The Great Lakes Science Center

  Amazing experience

  We absolutely loved our experience with Cleveland Music Group. The Sonata Strings Duo were easy to coordinate with and provided beautiful music for our ceremony exactly how we imagined it. DJ Chris Wallace was easy to work with and kept the party going throughout the entire night! The value of the services provided by Cleveland Music Group was appropriate, and we would highly recommend their services to others planning their wedding day.

  Brittany and Graham Schwesinger

  Jun 8, 2019

  Kent State Hotel and Conference Center

  Comments

  The Sonata Strings sounded wonderful and was very professional. Our guests were very impressed.

  Zane and Beth Goodwin

  Sep 22, 2018

  St. John’s Cantius Church, Tremont

  Beautiful music for our wedding ceremony!

  As the bride, I was able to hear the Sonata Strings playing as I was in a separate room before the ceremony and they sounded just wonderful! Leading up to our date, the musicians were very interactive and had no issue in expanding our time a little bit. I will encourage people to keep in mind that without the quartet, the musicians aren’t able to do many contemporary songs, which I wasn’t aware of until a few weeks before the wedding. It was no big deal because the music was still great (and the due was able to accommodate one contemporary song choice!) but other people may like to be aware of that.

  Carly and Michael

  Aug 11, 2018

  The Church in Aurora

  Epic wedding according to our guests…

  If you are looking for a DJ for your wedding in Cleveland look no further than Scott Jones with CLE Music Group. He was truly outstanding. Speaking as the mother of the bride, Scott Jones took over from the moment we ended the ceremony to the end of the AMAZING reception. Our guests NEVER stopped dancing with Scott Jones. The dance floor was enjoyed by young and old alike. He made sure everyone could hear the toasts made to the couple and to highlight the IMPORTANT events. He truly is the guy!

  The Sonata Strings were outstanding, professional, and truly memorable for our daughter’s wedding. John Toula provided guitar music during our cocktail hour. I could not have been more pleased.

  I am a hard to please person (not from Cleveland) and CLE Music Group made me a believer in the gifts of Cleveland. I cannot THANK this outstanding organization enough. All weddings are special, but this was EPIC with the help of CLE Music Group.

  Lee Stanley

  Apr 28, 2018

  Old Courthouse, Cleveland

  Great Groups

  The Sonata String Quartet was a perfect addition to the ceremony. They were on time and professional and played wonderful selections. The reception band Pop Avenue was also a wonderful choice, they played all of the songs we requested and sounded amazing. I would highly recommend both of these acts if you are planning to have live music at your wedding.

  Daniel Cross

  Sep 23, 2017

  Stan Hywet and Tangier

  Incredible choices of artists!

  Both groups were outstanding! Sonata Stings worked with us on musical choices and brought sophistication to the wedding and cocktail hour. The band, Bottom Line, was incredible. They also played at our son and nieces weddings. The band’s wedding party intros are well done and the post dinner music kept people of all ages dancing until closing! Would rehire them for any event at anytime! The guests loved the music whether they were dancing or taking a break!

  Lynn Handke Kristin and Chap Wincek

  Oct 7, 2017

  Country Club

  Perfect addition to our wedding

  We had two acts for the night. We started with the Sonata Strings who played for our ceremony and cocktail hour. It was very easy to work with them on song choices and the timing was perfect throughout. DJ Chris was super easy to work with and had no problem following our requests for songs. He did a great job announcing the important events throughout the night without being overpowering on the mic. His music selection was so good that he kept the dance floor packed all night. We could not have asked for better music for the whole day. I would highly recommend these two acts to anyone in the future. As far as CLE Music Group in general, Erin Rossi helped us with updating contracts and any requests. She always got back to me very quickly and gave great advice when needed!

  Katie Miltner and Chris Hauenstein

  Aug 5, 2017

  Whitehall Columbia

  Wonderful company and so accommodating!

  Our guests loved this string trio. They played all of our songs beautifully. They were very accommodating and made sure we got to hear all of our special songs.

  Mary Beth Mussey & Brad Freeman

  Oct 8, 2016

  Lake Forest Country Club

  Strings & DJ

  We used Sonata Strings for our ceremony and cocktail hour. The string trio was perfect. They were professional, sounded great and were even able to put together a special request song for me (the bride) to walk down the aisle to. It was a great way to add an elegant touch to the start of our wedding day and the guests were impressed! DJ Chris Wallace came in after cocktail hour and was another hit. He again accommodated our requests for a certain genre of music during dinner and moved smoothly through the unique, traditional Polish touches we had requested during the reception. He kept the party going right up until the end while playing a great blend of genres. Using Cleveland Music Group was a great decision and we would highly recommend them to anyone looking!

  Ashley Snider & Daniel Dwyer

  Sep 10, 2016

  Whitehall Columbia

  Simple Perfection

  Cleveland Music Group’s Sonata Strings Duo was simple perfection for our ceremony. They provided the calm, classy backdrop to our big day! The booking process was very quick and easy and the team was very accommodating and very nice!

  Leann and Nick Wegner

  Sep 4, 2016

  Greystone Hall, Akron Ohio

  Beautiful addition to the service

  The Sonata Strings Quartet added a lovely dimension to my daughter’s wedding. I was able to select musical pieces from a list.

  Communication with CLE group was excellent. I tried to communicate with the quartet regarding selection of contemporary pieces but did not hear back from the spokesperson of the quartet until very close to the event. The traditional/classical pieces played were beautiful.

  Mary Morrison (Leigh Morrison & Joseph Kohne)

  Nov 5, 2016

  Cleveland Museum of Art

  phenomenal music

  Our string trio left us speechless. I even had my choir director comment on how professional and talented they were. I was worried at first, but Tanis and crew made lovely music.

  I definitely recommend Mike Gazdak as DJ. We gave him a small amount of information and music selection to work from and he made sure that our dance floor was never empty. A great time was had by all!

  Bethany Willets and Robert Kopis

  Aug 19, 2016

  The Inn at Honey run

  Wonderful!

  Beautiful music. Sonata Strings provided a wonderful backdrop to our wedding ceremony and cocktail hour.

  Amy & Philip Firrell

  Jul 23, 2016

  Glidden House

  Professional and Perfect

  The Sonata Strings were the perfect addition to our church music. They really set the tone for an elegant wedding. They knew all of the music that we requested and made great suggestions. The trio was extremely professional and worked well with the church cantors and pianist/organist. We were very impressed and our guests raved about the music part of the ceremony. I strongly suggest adding the Sonata Strings to your wedding event. They were truly a phenomenal addition!

  Ronald Magliola and Rachel Holden

  Jul 30, 3016

  Saint Malachi Church, Cleveland Ohio

  Great Day!

  We booked ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception music through Cleveland Music Group and every part of our day was fantastic! The Sonata Strings were a beautiful touch to our ceremony and even looked into a special song for us. Jeff Sherman on guitar was a hit at cocktail hour prompting a lot of compliments from guests. Lastly, DJ Eric Smith kept the dance floor going all night with so many fun songs. Everyone we worked with to coordinate at Cleveland Music Group was so helpful and friendly. We are glad we selected them for our wedding!

  Christopher Dierks & Molly Fishell

  Sep 5, 2015

  Chagrin Valley Hunt Club

  Wedding Wow!

  The Sonata Strings set the tone for a romantic modern wedding ceremony. The Bottom Line kept everyone on the dance floor until midnight, they were fantastic and a pleasure to work with. I would highly recommend both of them!

  Vicki Snyder

  Jul 4, 2015

  The Intercontinental Hotel

  Perfect for our Outdoor Service

  The beauty and elegance of the music of Sonata Strings Trio added the perfect element to our outdoor wedding service. It was very easy to select the appropriate music, and it was flawlessly executed. We had a wonderful positive experience.

  Luanne Freedman, Mother of the Bride

  Jun 27, 2015

  Portage Country Club Akron, Ohio

  Our requests included difficult, iconic pieces from the greatest composers. Sonata Strings played them impeccably. It was beautiful to hear our favorite works wafting through the church throughout the ceremony just as we had dreamed.

  Sandra De Balzo

  Aug 25, 2012

  Old Stone Church

  The Sonata Strings Trio did a fantastic job at our wedding. The guests at the ceremony raved about the music and overall experience because of the music. I would recommend this to anyone planning a wedding. Very much worth the cost. They were very patient with me taking care of the balance despite me running around doing other things. It was a blast and I must say the String Trio played a big part in that. Thanks again.

  Nick & Monica Esker

  Sep 3, 2011

  St. John Cantius Church

  I’m glad that we chose Jerry Bruno Productions to provide the music for my ceremony and reception. We had the String Trio for our ceremony and Mary Beth chose beautiful and appropriate music for every part of the ceremony. Our guests were commenting on how much they loved the ceremony music well into the reception. Mary Beth also contacted us before the event to make sure that we were happy with the music she had picked for our ceremony.

  Lauren Conway

  Jul 3, 2011

  LaCentre

  Having a string quartet brought so much extra beauty and peace to our big day. People commented on how soothing and also happy our wedding music was. The strings truly added extra elegance to our special day.

  Amy (Allega) & Joe Dansinger

  Jul 2, 2011

  Cleveland Renaissance

  The music at our ceremony was one of my favorite parts of the day. I could not wait to receive our wedding video so that I could hear it again. We received such wonderful feedback from our guests as well.

  Karin Kurtz VanCure

  Jun 25, 2011

  St. Michael's Church

  From the first email through the wedding ceremony itself, everyone at JBP was fantastic to work with. I had a few odd requests for wedding music, and they turned out better than I could have asked for! I received so many complements from guests. Wonderful job! Thank you!!

  Lisa Sherman

  Jun 18, 2011

  Weymouth Country Club/Fox Meadows

  The Sonata Strings exceeded my expectations. Bill was easy to work with to plan the ceremony music. It was definitely one thing I didnt have to worry about on my wedding day because I knew they had it handled. Thank you!

  Mia (Sobotka) & Adam Morris

  Jun 11, 2011

  Portage Country Club

  The string quartet turned our wedding ceremony into such a magical moment. They sounded beautiful! We had so many compliments on what an amazing ceremony we had, thanks to them.

  Colleen Sadie

  May 21, 2011

  St. Albert the Great

  The music was an important part of the wedding ceremony and was perfect; the guests at the wedding reception raved about theband.

  Jane Beese (Ellen Beese & Nicholas Young)

  Mar 26, 2011

  Union Club

  All the musicians were WONDERFUL and really made my wedding day special! Everyone was extremely professional and easy to work with! All the guests thought Sonata Strings were very sophisticated and classy, the pianist for the cocktail hour was fabulous,Sophisticated Swingwas great during dinner and after dinner a lot of the guests loved to dance to their music and theDJ Mark Guthriewas wonderful! He kept us dancing well past the time we were supposed to stop!

  Molly Patton

  Feb 12, 2011

  Ritz-Carlton

  Beautiful – made my daughters wedding a classic.

  Toni Wick (Tiffany Wick & JT Williams)

  Oct 10, 2010

  Hillbrook Club

  Even with all the last minute scramble due to weather on our wedding day, the string quartet did a great job adapting and still played very well.

  Genell Zink & Timothy Ritley

  Aug 14, 2010

  Glenmoor Country Club

  We hired Jerry Bruno musicians and DJs for each part of our wedding day – Sonata Strings Trio for the ceremony, a pianist for the cocktail hour, andDJ Mark Guthriefor the reception. All were fantastic and made the day very special.

  Emily (Bonath) & Alan Allred

  Aug 14, 2010

  Hilton Garden Inn Twinsburg

  Sonata Strings were excellent. Michael was very professional and courteous, the music was beautiful and added to the mood of the ceremony. Thank you!

  Irene Yee & Jess Gibson

  Jun 27, 2009

  Severance Hall

  Jerry Bruno Productions was wonderful start to finish. The Sonata Strings made our outdoor ceremony extra special.

  Ashley (Cerny) & Chris Dolar

  May 30, 2009

  Lakewood Country Club

  Michael’s suggestions and advice were great. We knew a few pieces that we definitely wanted, and he recommended a few others to fill in the gaps, while still fitting in with the overall mood of our wedding. Would definitely recommend the string trio to our friends.

  Sarah (VanderSchel) & Kevin Law

  May 23, 2009

  Pilgrim Lutheran Brethren Church

  Beautiful, wonderful!

  Beth DeBaggis

  May 22, 2009

  Holy Angels Catholic Church

  Thank you for the gorgeous music you provided at the Wheeler/Rice wedding.

  Phil & Lisa Rice (Laura Wheeler & Stephen Rice wedding)

  May 16, 2009

  Blair Center

  The Sonata Strings with Trumpet perfomance at my wedding was absolutely beautiful! They made the ceremony memorable and were extremely professional to work with. I would recommend Bill Merimee & the Sonata Strings Trio to ANYONE!

  Laura (Sahlani) & Dan Dietzel

  Oct 11, 2008

  Cleveland Renaissance

  We had comments from many wedding guests about how much they enjoyed the string quartet music. The bride is happy and I am pleased with their overall performance.

  Helen Bergmann

  Jul 12, 2008

  Hope Christian Church

  We received nice comments on the beautiful music at the wedding ceremony. It made the ceremony more memorable.

  Pam Stephens

  Jun 21, 2008

  St. Rita's - Solon

  The string trio played beautiful music at our wedding.

  Michelle Smith

  May 17, 2008

  Shoreby Club

  We wanted people to forget their troubles and the outside world and enjoy the fine feast and spirit of the season. They did that perfectly!! The transition was facilitated by the beautiful music. It is too bad they were booked back to back. We would have liked them longer.

  Kim Whary Holiday Party

  Dec 15, 2007

  Private Residence

  They were perfect! Exactly what we were hoping for with our ceremony music.

  Annie (Ferry) & Michael Kiser

  Oct 27, 2007

  Grand Pacific Chapel

  The Sonata String Trio was superb!

  Megan Vacha

  Sep 29, 2007

  Sheraton Suites in Cuyahoga Falls

  I am just returning from honeymoon and wanted to let you know how much I appreciated your musical talents! The Purple Rain was a hit (especially for those who knew me well) as was Lets Go Crazy. Thank you for having an open mind and making this happen. These touches really made the day ‘ours.’

  Adrienne Boissy & Peter Rasmussen

  Sep 8, 2007

  Hillbrook Club

  We hired the string trio for our wedding and could not have been happier. Their performance was outstanding. Everyone raved about the music. They thought it was wonderful and we did too.

  Jeff Lunger & Stephanie Sulka

  Sep 1, 2007

  English Oak Room

  Sonata Strings did a great job adding that extra touch of elegance to our ceremony. We received so many compliments about how great they sounded.

  Rikki Haberny & Tim Rychel

  Sep 1, 2007

  Windows on the River

  I could not have asked for anything more. The Sonata Strings Quartet were amazing!

  Maria Jakovich

  Aug 25, 2007

  The Astrodome

  Many of the guests asked if they could have a copy of all the Sonata Quartet’s music played during the ceremony. Unfortunataely it was not recorded! Michael put much effort info fulfilling special requests. Wonderful work!

  Jill Spriggs

  Aug 18, 2007

  St. Joseph Church

  The Sonata String Trio are amazing! Being the sole music of our wedding ceremony, they provided our family and friends with beautiful classical melodies that left them humming throughout the night! Extremely professional, extremely courteous-overall perfection!

  Nick Lakostik & Lyndsey Pruett

  Aug 4, 2007

  Aurora CC

  The string quartet was the highlight of our ceremony. I can’t say enough about how beautiful they sounded.

  Carrie Mannis & Tom Tylicki

  Jul 21, 2007

  The Federated Church

  I just wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed the Sonata Strolling Violin Trio at my daughter’s wedding. They were fantastic-very professional and the music was beautiful! We had so many compliments from family and friends. My only regret is that we didn’t have them for longer!

  Kim Bellisimo (Jaclyn Bellisimo & Matt Ziders)

  Jul 14, 2007

  Congress Lake CC

  We received many compliments on Sonata Strings. Their presence at St. Elizabeth of Hungary was perfect. The strings filled that beautiful church with the reverence it deserves. The Ave Maria brought tears to many eyes, Catholic or not.

  Tina Smith (Kristin Thompson & Ryland Smith)

  Jul 6, 2007

  Windows on the River

  The music was beautiful and had people complementing it all night.

  Jessica Tresko & Henry Webster

  Jun 17, 2007

  DeLuca's Place in the Park

  The trio was great. The group incorporated all of my requests as well as offering great suggestions that were really helpful.

  Alicia Thomas & Richard Barr

  Jun 2, 2007

  Amasa Stone Chapel (Case Western)

  Thank you so much for making our wedding so special. The music just added to the overall atmosphere.

  Jennifer Marian

  Jun 2, 2007

  Botanical Gardens

  They were absolutely amazing! They were everything I imagined and more! They made our wedding day extra perfect!

  Erin Seimetz

  May 19, 2007

  Glenmoor C.C.

  The trio did a beautiful job at my wedding ceremony. They played my special requests, and helped me to select recessional music. I was very happy with them – highly recommended!

  Megan Geist & Zane Kelley

  Oct 21, 2006

  Myers University Club

  Thanks for making my wedding beautiful!

  Melody Flory

  Oct 7, 2006

  St. Martin's

  Thank you so much for adding a VERY special touch to our wedding day. We will definitely promote your services to other people we know.

  Rich & Stefani (Sawczak) Svoboda

  Sep 30, 2006

  Chester Christian Center

  Words cannot describe the enormous sound produced by these delicate strings [trio]. Absolutely breath-taking. Melodies that I will cherish for years to come still linger in my mind.

  Joyce Edington

  Sep 23, 2006

  Cleveland Renaissance

  All of our guests mentioned how pleasant and beautiful the string quartet played. Michael was very helpful with his professional manner and knowledge. Our expectations were truly exceeded.

  Amy Smith & Les Tipping

  Sep 16, 2006

  St. Peter's Catholic Church

  I had the quartet and they helped to make my wedding ceremony amazing. I got so many compliments on the music. They couldn’t have done a better job.

  Erin Berger

  Sep 16, 2006

  St. Mary's Church in Mentor

  Please pass on my sincere thanks to Mike and the rest of the quartet. They were beyond amazing last night at my wedding, I can’t thank you guys enough. Thanks for making my ceremony special!

  Erin & Jonathan Kramer

  Sep 16, 2006

  St. Mary's Church in Mentor

  The Sonata String Trio were easy to work with and they sounded great. They added that extra special something to our ceremony.

  Rebecka Benedict

  Aug 26, 2006

  Marriott Key Center

  Thank you for the beautiful performance! You helped set an elegant tone for the entire wedding and reception.

  Jennifer Eklund

  Aug 5, 2006

  Kirtland Country Club

  The performers did a tremendous job and were certainly a highlight of the wedding. The guests are still talking about it. Very elegant.

  Joann Cobb

  Aug 5, 2006

  Mooreland Mansion

  Added an extra touch of elegance to our special day. The group kept great lines of communication with me. A great addition to your company!

  Delilah Nunez

  Jul 28, 2006

  St. Peter's Catholic in Lorain

  The trio played beautifully at my wedding. They lived up to every expectation I had and I will definitely tell more people about your wonderful services!

  Carrie Toma (Balk)

  Jul 15, 2006

  Marriott Key Center

  The best. End of discussion.

  Joanna Peca

  Jul 15, 2006

  The Courthouse

  …helpful in arranging the ceremony and helped relieve any anxiety about timing of the ceremony through their professionalism and willingness to discuss ideas.

  Ellen Busse

  Jun 24, 2006

  The Country Club

  Thank you so much. Being prompt, professional, and well-dressed added to the beauty of our special day.

  Sharon Fischer

  Jun 2, 2006

  Mon Ami

  We used the Sonata Strings for our wedding on May 6th and they were incredible! Everyone said it was the most elegant wedding ever and I know that the music they played really put the icing on the cake.

  Kim & Frank Zemla

  May 6, 2006

  Baldwin-Wallace College Chapel

  We were unsure of who to get to perform at our daughter’s wedding, but we definitely made the right choice…extremely professional.

  Colleen Doerrer

  May 6, 2006

  First Christian Church, Medina
  
  
• String Quartet Classical Samples

  String Trio Classical Samples
  

  
  String Quartet Contemporary Samples

• SonataSongList
  
• Sonata Strings Songlist 2017
  

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  Wedding ceremony trio: Cello/violin with Pianist Matt Skitzki