James Violin
- St Petersburg, FL
- Violinist
- 42 Verified Bookings
Jennifer O. said “My apologies for being tardy on this review. I hired James for a second time to perform a small intimate gathering at my home. As always he, arrived early,…”
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I cherish the emotions and the connections brought about by music. My forte is classical violin, but I also love to play piano, guitar, and sing. I have performed at numerous events in the Seattle, Tampa, and Pennsylvania, including weddings, orchestral performances, and talent shows. After earning my Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance and Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering from the University of Washington, I moved to Tampa, FL for medical school at the University of South Florida (USF). I am currently in Tampa for diagnostic and interventional radiology residency.
My husband and I are so thankful we chose Samson to play the violin at our wedding! He communicated well and was very friendly! He played the songs we requested beautifully!! Thank you Samson for making our wedding more special!!
Samson did an amazing job and would recommend him to anyone. He was on time, prepared and very pleasant. He is an awesome violinist and add the perfect touch to our event. Thank you Samson :)
Samson was the perfect choice for entertainment at our corporate function. He engaged the crowd and made the night very memorable. I will definitely be calling him again.
Response from Samson Lu:
Thank you so much Julie! I had so much fun. Thanks for being a fantastic host. Looking forward to the next time!
Samson Lu
Samson was perfect for our event. He played piano in one room which was off to the side of the party for a while then took his violin and played among our guests. Once the party got later in the evening he broke out his guitar for a sing-along. Perfect!
Response from Samson Lu:
Thank you Jordan! You have a lovely and talented family and group of friends, it was fun hanging out after! Happy holidays!
Samson Lu
Samson did a terrific job at our bar association party. The music selection was entirely appropriate and provided the perfect ambience. Samson was punctual and communicated very well throughout, despite a couple issues on my side of things. And he's a very nice young man! Highly recommend.
Response from Samson Lu:
Thank you Gus! It was a fun event, you were all very nice. And thanks for the really good food too! Happy holidays.
Samson Lu
Nothing but the best all around! If you are looking for a violinist, Samson is the person you should use. Nothing but praise and respect for their skill and professionalism. I will be reaching out again in the near future should you be available.
My proposal was one that will never be forgotten. Seeing the smile on my fiancée’s face as we danced to Samson’s renditions of various hits made it a night to remember and a moment that we will both forever cherish.
We want you there for our wedding!
Thank You for displaying your amazing talent! Highly Recommended!!
Response from Samson Lu:
Thank you so much Corey! It was all so genuine, and it was clear you deserve each other. I’m fortunate to have been a part of your celebrations, and I can’t wait for the wedding :)
Samson Lu
Samson is a beautiful person with wonderful talent. Every guest loved him and his ability to play music which is a gift from God.
Response from Samson Lu:
Thank you Thomas! Congratulations to you both and to your families! What a perfect, beautiful wedding. Thank you for having me be a part of it.
Samson Lu
Thank you so much for being absolutely perfect in every possible way! Thank you for responding so quickly to all of my messages! Thank you for playing every one of my requests! And thank you, thank you, thank you for making my birthday party so special and unforgettable! You played so beautifully I am moved to tears just watching the videos of last Saturday. And on top of all that you are just a super cool dude! My guests were very impressed as well! I hope to have another chance to hear you play again! ❤️👏🏼Thank you!
My partner was over the moon with Samson. His music lit up her soul. It was played so well and Samson was very professional and friendly. Definitely worth inviting to any kind of party occasion to fill the room up with Oohs and Ahhhs (Or even just as background music which he ended up doing while we ate our food). 5 Stars for sure! He was Great!
Cannot wait for the next event Samson can play at! That's if some big company hasn't recruited him for $$$$$$ :D
Response from Samson Lu:
Thank you so much Sean! What a lovely evening you had planned. Thanks for letting me be a part of it!
Samson Lu
My boyfriend surprised me with Samson for a marriage proposal, Samson played tale as old as time beautifully. He was very professional and friendly. We definitely look forward to him playing at our wedding.
Response from Samson Lu:
Thanks so much Megan! Congratulations again on your magical engagement! Looking forward to seeing you soon.
Samson Lu
Samson was amazing! He played whatever song we requested. Genuinely nice man. We invited him to stay and eat with us and he was so humbled about that and dealing with the craziest people in my family! I am glad we went the extra mile and hired him.
Response from Samson Lu:
Thank you so much Rachel! It was a beautiful ceremony, and thank you for inviting me to dinner!
Samson Lu
I cant thank this guy enough. He played guitar and sang brilliantly. I and my girlfriend were shocked to see how professionally he dealt everything. Even though I wasn't there he didn't showed a sign of hesitation and I really admire his attitude towards this. Surprisingly he played every song I asked for and nailed it. Thank you so much Samson, really looking forward to collaborate with you again in future.
Response from Samson Lu:
I'm glad it all worked out Abhinay! I think she was really happy with everything too =) Hope to hear from you soon.
Samson Lu
Samson is an extremely professional and talented young performer. He played our Catholic Mass wedding on 6/6, and was the subject of many compliments afterwards - in particular, how much the violin filled the room with sound, from just one person. The tasteful performance was made better by Samson's experience, which meant that I did not need to do much preparation for him - he knew the cues, the individual songs were spot-on, and everything went off without a hitch. If asked by a peer for wedding ceremony performance music, I would strongly recommend Samson. He was easily the best value of our entire wedding, delivering tenfold for his fee. This one's a no-brainer - get on his calendar now!
Response from Samson Lu:
Thank you for the compliments! I appreciate your feedback Trevor. It was a pleasure to perform at your ceremony.
Samson did a ceremony for me and he was literally jaw dropping amazing. He was asked to play some classical, jazz & contemporary. I highly recommend him. He was on time, pro, and ever so elegant.
Response from Samson Lu:
Thank you Deena! Your gig was so fun! I very much enjoyed playing with the other musicians. Hope to work with you again.
Samson far exceeded our expectations. He played the violin and guitar beautifully. He accommodated our many family requests without complaint. He sang along with playing his guitar which many of our guests enjoyed. We were thrilled to have him help make our day special. Amazing!
Response from Samson Lu:
Thank you Stephanie for inviting me to play at your wedding! What a wonderful day it was. All the best to you and Kori!
My wife Tracie and I booked Samson for our wedding on 10/19/13. He was prompt and professional throughout and exceeded our expectations! He played all our requests and was accommodating to everything we suggested. Several of our guests took note of his polished musicianship, including my sister who is a professional music teacher and flutist. We were very pleased indeed and highly recommend Samson!
Response from Samson Lu:
Thank you for having me at your wedding Michael. All the best to you and Tracie!
I recently hired Samson for my wedding ceremony, and could not have been more pleased with the outcome. Samson was quick to respond to any requests or questions I had, and provided a superb level of detail with those responses.
He was also extremely flexible and adaptable with my requests. I was looking for one specific song to be played during the ceremony, and it was not in his existing repertoire. Not only did Samson learn the song in two days, he recorded himself playing it and e-mailed me the recording to make sure it fit what I was looking for. It sounded like he had been playing it for years!
On the wedding day, he was on time, played everything that had been previously discussed expertly, and was extremely professional. He was an outstanding addition to our day, and I can't recommend him enough.
Response from Samson Lu:
I very much appreciate your feedback, Eric! It was a pleasure working with you. The ceremony was amazing, with the most perfect sunset in the background. You were all very gracious hosts; thank you so much for the delicious dinner!
My husband and I hired Samson for our wedding this past month. We had him booked for 2 hours, just the ceremony and the cocktail hour, and he was absolutely wonderful. Very punctual, incredibly professional (wore the most wonderful tux!), and his playing of the Wedding March sounded like it was a recording off of a CD. We requested a few songs to be played at our cocktail hour, and he played every one of our requests through either violin or guitar (he has a beautiful voice). Every single person at our cocktail hour and ceremony said something wonderful about him to me. I would recommend him to my very best friend with enthusiasm.
Thank you Samson, you made my day so much brighter and I was that much more at ease knowing what good hands we were in.
Response from Samson Lu:
Thanks for all those encouraging comments Shannon! It was a pleasure to be a part of your special day!
This young man is exceptional. His bio is very impressive but wait till you hear him play. I have experience with other violinists/ musicians in the past, and Samson has gone way beyond my expectations. He is very professional and excellent in communication. I found him on Gig Salad shortly before my party- the violinist I hired to play for my sister's birthday party cancelled less than a week before the function. He contacted me immediately after my inquiry- and the rest is history... I was very impressed with how he made everything possible in so short notice. He played all of my requested music ( he has tons of selections of various genres ). He even played Edelweiss with my 9 year old daughter - which made our night much more special and personal... Towards the end of the party- he brought in his guitar and sang a handful of pop songs. I can't say enough for this amazing young man. His edge: willing to negotiate, varied music genres ( from classic to pop, Pachelbel to Jason Mraz, violin to acoustic guitar ) --- all greatly delivered!!! His soulful pop voice is such a pleasant twist from his classical background, which made it more fun for the younger ones. My teenage son was really impressed. Over-all, I'm kind of glad the violinist I originally hired ditched me - I found a much better performer - 5-star all the way!!!!
Response from Samson Lu:
I'm very happy you found me Liza! I had a blast, and am glad to have been a part of the celebration. I especially enjoyed playing with your daughter; as I mentioned before, she is very skilled considering the short time since she started playing!
My husband and I hired Samson Lu to play at our wedding in November. Samson took the time to meet with us prior to the event and show us his work. He played the violin brilliantly! We later learned that he also plays the piano and sings as well. We had him do all three during our ceremony and we were very pleased. Not only is Samson extremely talented, he is also prompt and reliable with such a pleasant personality. We will be recommending Samson to everyone we know.
Response from Samson Lu:
Thanks so much for the feedback! I had a lot of fun playing at your ceremony!
Price Range: $150 & up
Gig Length: 30 - 240 minutes
Languages: Chinese, English, Spanish
My most common gigs are weddings. I usually play during the prelude, as people are getting seated, during the processional, recessional, and any special ceremonies in between, and then a few additional songs for the postlude as people are leaving and celebrating.
Other events include corporate parties, engagements, anniversaries, birthday parties, and other special events. I have also regularly performed violin, piano, voice, and guitar at an Italian restaurant in Seattle (Ristorante Doria - food is delicious!). I'm very open to working with other musicians.
I am currently a diagnostic and interventional radiology resident at the University of South Florida (USF) in Tampa, FL. As a resident, my schedule tends to get filled rather quickly, but I am always passionate about music. However, given the current COVID-19 pandemic, I will be more selective in my gigs and will only perform at outdoor events for the time being.
I was born in China and came to the United States at the age of three to join my parents on Long Island, NY. Shortly thereafter, my father began teaching me violin. Music has since been shaping my life. I was concertmaster of my high school orchestra in Tri-Cities, WA, played in the local Mid-Columbia Symphony Orchestra, and continued to study violin at the University of Washington in Seattle.
I found a passion for health early in my college experience as a volunteer violinist at the University of Washington Medical Center. Through this experience, I had the opportunity to play music for patients, all the while gaining wisdom from them. These moments of personal connection made me believe that working in the healthcare field was something I would be energized to do for the rest of my life. I subsequently began working in an HIV virology lab and was accepted into the Bioengineering Department, ultimately researching a potential diagnostic for Alzheimer's disease. While the diagnostic did not come to fruition, I learned a lot about research processes and still enjoy the difficulties and rewards of bioengineering research.
I also developed an interest in public health, global health, and international development in my undergrad years. After coming to USF, I became highly interested in pursuing interventional radiology as a specialty, which is essentially minimally invasive image-guided surgery. Outside of medicine and music, I enjoy playing badminton, table tennis, basketball, and going to the beach.
My most recent violin teacher was Ron Patterson, a phenomenal violinist who was a student of Jascha Heifetz. I've met many other inspirations along the way, and have expanded from strictly classical to many different musical styles, including pop, musicals, operas, R&B, and a little jazz and bluegrass. I love playing with other musicians, so let me know if you want to jam sometime!
Note: Please let me know if you want me to play outside. I do not play in extreme weather conditions (e.g. hot and humid, extreme cold, etc.)
I have a keyboard and electric acoustic guitar that I can bring with me.
April 23, 2022 • 5:00pm - 7:00pm | Wedding Ceremony |
December 19, 2020 • 6:30pm - 7:30pm | Surprise |
January 17, 2020 • 6:00pm - 8:30pm | Corporate Event |
December 14, 2019 • 7:00pm - 10:00pm | Christmas Party |
December 12, 2019 • 6:00pm - 9:00pm | Nonprofit Event |
August 31, 2019 • 8:00pm - 8:30pm | Surprise |
May 12, 2019 • 3:00pm - 3:45pm | Birthday Party |
July 07, 2018 • 6:00pm - 7:30pm | Wedding Ceremony |
June 30, 2018 • 6:00pm - 8:00pm | Birthday Party |
May 05, 2018 • 7:00pm - 7:15pm | Surprise |
December 09, 2017 • 6:30pm - 8:30pm | Birthday Party |
September 19, 2017 • 9:00pm - 10:00pm | Birthday (Adult) |
February 23, 2016 • 10:30am - 10:45am | Birthday (Adult) |
Below is a non-comprehensive sample of songs and pieces I am comfortable performing. If songs or pieces are followed by brackets, it means I'm also comfortable performing them on the instruments within the brackets.
Violin:
Antonio Vivaldi - The Four Seasons
Camille Saint-Sans - The Swan
Celine Dion - Because You Loved Me
Clean Bandit - Rather Be Ft. Jess Glynne
Coldplay - A Sky Full of Stars
Disney:
- A Whole New World [piano & voice]
- Beauty and the Beast [piano & voice]
- Can You Feel the Love Tonight [piano & voice]
- I See the Light [piano & voice]
- Somewhere Out There [piano & voice]
- Under the Sea
Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud [piano & voice]
Edith Piaf - La Vie en Rose
Eduardo di Capua - O Sole Mio
Edward Elgar - Salut d'Amour
Elvis Presley - Can't Help Falling in Love [piano, guitar, & voice]
Etta James - Misty Blue
Francesco Sartori & Lucio Quarantotto - Con Te Partiro (Time to Say Goodbye) [piano]
Fritz Kreisler:
- Liebesfreud
- Liebesleid
- Schon Rosmarin
Giacomo Puccini - Nessun Dorma
Johann Pachelbel - Canon in D
Johann Bach:
- Air in D
- Sonata No. 1
Josh Groban - You Raise Me Up [piano & voice]
Jules Massanet - Meditation (from Thais)
Manuel Ponce - Estrellita
Mariah Carey - Hero [piano]
Mithoon - Tum Hi Ho
OneRepublic - I Lived [piano, guitar, & voice]
Phantom of the Opera:
- All I Ask of You [piano & voice]
- Angel of Music [piano]
- Music of the Night [piano & voice]
- Think of Me [piano & voice]
Pyotr Tchaikovsky - Melodie
Rogers & Hart - You Took Advantage of Me [piano]
Sam Smith:
- I'm Not the Only One [piano & voice]
- Stay With Me [piano & voice]
Sound of Music - Edelweiss [voice]
The Beatles:
- Yesterday
- All You Need is Love
Teresa James - Yours, Mine, & Ours [piano & voice]
Vittorio Monti - Csardas
Wolfgang Mozart - Symphony 40 in g
古巨基 - 好想好想 [piano & voice]
孙楠 Ft. 韩红 - 美丽的神话 [piano & voice]
容祖儿 - 挥着翅膀的女孩 [piano]
Piano [voice means singing at the same time]:
AJ Rafael - We Could Happen [guitar & voice]
Andrea Bocelli - Vivo Per Lei [voice]
Brian McKnight - Back At One [voice]
DJ Sammy - Heaven [voice]
Elliot Yamin - Wait For You [voice]
Five For Fighting - 100 Years
Frdric Chopin - Fantasie Impromptu
Jesse McCartney - Because You Live [voice]
Jim Brickman Ft. Wayne Brady - Beautiful [voice]
John Legend - All of Me [voice]
Jon McLaughlin:
- Beautiful Disaster [voice]
- Human [voice]
- Until You Got Love [voice]
Mandy Moore - Only Hope
Mark Schultz - Walking Her Home [voice]
Michael Buble - Haven't Met You Yet [voice]
R Kelly - I Believe I Can Fly [voice]
Samson Lu - The Future is Ours [voice]
Steven Kravis - Through the Kaleidoscope
Taeyang - Wedding Dress [voice]
The Calling - Wherever You Will Go [guitar & voice]
Train - Drops of Jupiter [voice]
Usher - Love in This Club [voice]
Vanessa Carlton - A Thousand Miles [voice]
林俊杰 - 사랑해요 (Sarang Haeyo) [voice]
Guitar & voice:
AJ Rafael - When We Say
Bruno Mars - Just The Way You Are
Colbie Caillat - Brighter than the Sun
Coldplay - Yellow
Chris Brown - With You
David Archuleta - Crush
Frankie J - More Than Words
Gabe Bondoc - When You Say (Nine)
Jack Johnson - Better Together
James Taylor - How Sweet It Is (to be Loved by You)
Jason Mraz:
- Geek in the Pink
- I'm Yours
- Ft. Colbie Caillat - Lucky
Jason Reeves - Reaching
Jesse McCartney - Beautiful Soul
Joshua Radin - I'd Rather Be With You
JRA - By Chance
Landon Pigg - Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop
Nickelback - If Everyone Cared
Plain White T's:
- 1234
- Hey There Delilah
Teddy Geiger - For You I Will
Train:
- Marry Me
- Soul Sister
Tyrone Wells - Happy as the Sun
Van Morrison - Sweet Thing
Disney.
Classical music of the Romantic era.
Jazz gurus.
My teachers.
My friends.
Cover if outdoors.
Outlet if I bring my keyboard.
Jennifer O. said “My apologies for being tardy on this review. I hired James for a second time to perform a small intimate gathering at my home. As always he, arrived early,…”
Michael C. said “Francisco played at my mother's memorial ceremony. My dad was a violinist for years and he passed before my mom. Francisco played all of the wonderful…”
Darlene C. said “Jaron was awesome; he called several times prior to our event to discuss all the details and our objectives for this party. He arrived 2 hours early to…”
Adamyz A. said “David was amazing, he really elevated our event & everyone loved his performance!”