A Singing Pianist for Stockton and Modesto Weddings, Holiday Parties and Events

Stockton and Modesto have no shortage of weddings, winery parties and company dinners, but a lot of couples and planners in the northern San Joaquin Valley still assume live music means a full band or nothing. If you're planning a wedding in Stockton, Modesto, Manteca, Tracy, Turlock or Ripon, or a holiday party for your team this December, here's how a singing pianist covers the day and how I'd plan it with you.

What a singing pianist brings to a Valley wedding

A singing pianist is one person who fills every quiet stretch of the day with live music, then hands the room off to the dance floor. I've played 500+ weddings, and the plan I use most often looks like this:

• Ceremony. Soft instrumentals while guests find their seats, then your processional arranged for piano and voice and timed to your wedding party's walk.
• Cocktail hour and dinner. Standards, Motown, Billy Joel, Elton John and modern pop played in my own style, at a volume where people can still talk.
• First dance. I can sing your first-dance song live, so it feels like your song and not a recording.
• Reception. I also DJ and MC, so one person handles the grand entrance, toasts, cake cutting and the last dance.

With 2,000+ songs to draw from, I can usually play what your guests ask for, and those requests tell me what the room wants for the rest of the night.

Planning notes for Stockton and Modesto venues

Heat and shade. Valley afternoons run hot from June into September. For an outdoor ceremony, ask your venue where the shade falls at your start time, and push the ceremony later if you can. Your guests will thank you, and so will the piano.

Power and placement. I bring my own professional stage piano and sound system, so you don't need a piano at the venue. Vineyards, barns, golf courses and backyards just need power within reach of the spot you pick.

Wind and the Delta breeze. Evening wind off the Delta can pick up fast near Stockton and the river towns. Setting up near a wall or a tree line keeps the sound full and out of the wind.

Sound limits. Many neighborhood and country venues have noise rules or a hard end time. Live piano is easy to scale, so I set the volume to the room and respect the venue's curfew.

If your venue is up toward Lodi's wineries or out in the Delta, my wedding piano in Lodi and the Delta page has more detail. Heading east into the foothills instead? See my Gold Country wedding piano page.

Holiday parties and company events

December is the busiest month of the year for office parties, and Friday and Saturday nights book first. For a company dinner or client night, solo piano keeps the room warm while people eat and talk, and later I can lift the energy with requests and sing-alongs. For an after-party, my signature piano karaoke puts your team on the mic with live piano behind them. My corporate event piano and private party services spell out what's included.

Reading a crowd is the whole job. As a former San Jose Sharks organist, I played 500+ NHL games and the NHL All-Star Game, and that's where I learned when to keep things easy and when to bring a room to its feet.

Hear me live this month

Stockton and Modesto are right in the middle of my regular rotation. This month I've got public nights at Woodbridge Crossing in Woodbridge on November 21 and Stogies Lounge in Lodi on November 28, both a short drive up from Stockton. From Modesto, it's an easy trip up to Copperopolis, where I play Drifters Marina & Grill at Lake Tulloch on November 12, 19 and 26. My upcoming shows page always has the latest dates, and my reviews page has what couples and hosts have said.

Want a bigger party? For a reception that turns into a full sing-along, I can bring a second player for a two-piano show with Modern Dueling Pianos. Planning in Sacramento instead? Here's my take on Sacramento weddings and holiday parties, and for general tips, see how to hire a singing pianist in Northern California.

Book a singing pianist in Stockton or Modesto

Send your date, venue and which parts of the day need music through my booking form, or call or text (408) 203-5563.

Frequently asked questions