Ellen Gould
- Cincinnati, OH
- Singing Guitarist
- 7 Verified Bookings
Nancy K. said “Ellen played for my sons rehearsal dinner. She was fantastic! She talked to me ahead of time to get songs arranged and planned out. Many of the people…”
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Classically trained in piano and violin since 1995 and with a degree in piano performance, I love bringing the ambiance of live music to wedding receptions, business events, dinner parties, cocktail hours, and other special occasions.
Emily was absolutely perfect for out wedding. We didn't want a DJ or dancing, just some nice background music during our reception of drinks, appetizers, then meal. She was sooo nice and we picked out a few songs but asked her to put together her own selection. She brought her own keyboard/piano and speaker since the venue didn't have one. We could not have been happier, our wedding reception was perfect!
Emily could not have been a better communicator and her attention to detail is impeccable. She is also an outstanding piano player! Just beautiful. Cannot recommend highly enough.
When the lady and I began planning our wedding, the only aspect of it for which I was immovable was having a pianist. Under no circumstances did I want a DJ ruining my wedding. This was the most important part of the wedding to me. Music is everything -- it sets the mood of your wedding and reception, it makes you feel a certain way, and it makes your guests feel a certain way.
I searched the internet high and low, finally sending Emily an email. It was an instant connection. Emily is very talented, but also very knowledgeable. I myself was classically trained on the piano from a young age, toured in a couple rock bands, and minored in music in college. The lady and I are also season ticket holders to the symphony. As such, Emily graciously allowed us to be a part of the music selection and ordering.
I'm not sure what this experience is like for other couples, but Emily allowed us to have great input into planning the music. We went back and forth selecting and ordering the music; we offered a lot of suggestions on specific songs and how the overall feel/phases of the day would go while she would say yay or nay, fill in gaps we missed, and offer her own suggestions based upon her vast knowledge and experience.. She learned new music for the occasion, including a special arrangement just for our first dance and for the Bride's entrance. She played classical music, jazz standards, Broadway, pop songs, and hybrids. She intermixed all the styles seamlessly.
The result was magical. I started crying from the first note of the prelude, and I know my Elisabeth felt like the classiest and most special woman ever. There is a lot of that day that has become fuzzy in the months since, but I will always remember the music -- the way I felt that day in the ambiance that Emily created, and the way I still tear up just remembering it.
Planning a wedding sucks. Vendors do not care about you, they care about making money. The live on their own timelines and generally do not respond to you. Our caterer was prompt with communication, but we were still just a number. Emily, however, cared. She was prompt in her communications; she always remembered our names (that sounds dumb, but other vendors didn't), and she was genuinely excited to play our music at our event.
Emily, thank you.
Emily played for our parents' 75th wedding anniversary. Our guests really enjoyed her music. She added "their" song, Always, to her repertoire and played it as they "walked down the aisle" with their walkers to renew their vows at an outdoor gazebo. It was very touching, yet fun and upbeat. Emily was so easy to work with from start to finish, adding multiple family favorites to her repertoire for this very special day. Her music added a gentle ambiance to our outdoor event at Polen Farm in Kettering. You'll love everything about Emily and her piano! Thank you, Emily.
Emily did a great job playing for our Christmas party.. Needless to say , she enhanced the dinner and made it special for all those attending. this was our second time using her and hope to use her more in the future
Emily made our party "merry and bright" by playing beautiful classical, jazz and Christmas songs in the background. We couldn't have asked for a better pianist and more beautiful music. Plus...as if that wasn't enough, she made the party super fun when we sprung "corporate musical chairs" on her. Without skipping a beat, she took control of the game and had 50+ adults marching around tables to her music, laughing the whole time as they clambered for chairs and prizes. She did a great job making it fun and memorable!
I had the pleasure of working with Emily for a wedding this past summer. She was the pianist and I was the vocalist. I could not have asked for a better person to work with! Emily is not only professional, organized, and extremely talented, but is so easy and joyful to work with. I could tell she put a lot of time into planning and looking at even the smallest details. Her performance was beautiful. She is obviously very experienced and loves what she does. She was willing to travel for the wedding and also to have a rehearsal a couple weeks before the wedding to ensure all was in order. She was prompt with communication as well. I will definitely be calling Emily for any future weddings and would love to work with her again. I highly recommend Emily to play at your wedding or any other event!
Emily provided the music for our Catholic wedding ceremony in July 2016. She was such a professional: she was always prompt with her responses to our (many) questions, provided wonderful selection recommendations to assist us, and coordinated everything with our Priest. We were planning out wedding in OH from our home in MA, and she offered to hold Skype meetings with us, too.
Emily played beautifully on our wedding day and gave us a wonderful surprise: a full listing with all of the music she played throughout our wedding so that we could remember our special day.
We would highly recommend Emily and her services. She is a talented artist and wonderful to work with. Thank you, Emily!
My daughter asked me to find a pianist for her wedding knowing I would try to find the best of the best which is exactly what we found in Emily of In Good Hands Piano! Emily was very professional and responsive from the initial information seeking email all the way through the wedding date. She knew exactly when to follow-up to get the music decided without making anyone feel any pressure. Her vast experience was very helpful to my daughter in choosing the music and in hindsight she would pick the exact same songs again. Emily's music fit perfectly with the ceremony and the best way I can describe it is simply the best! I have another daughter that will be getting married in the future and we already have the best pianist picked out, Emily from In Good Hands Piano!
We were so pleased we found Emily online and had her provide the music for our mother's Memorial Service. She provided suggestions for pieces which were very helpful. Emily was both professional and compassionate as we planned the service and right from the start, I felt very comfortable with her and her prices were very reasonable. She arrived before the service with plenty of time to test out the piano and ended up playing longer than we originally thought due to some late guest arrivals. Her music was both appropriate and beautifully played. After the service, she was so cordial with the guests - almost like one of the family. My mother would have loved to meet her and hear her play.
Everything about working with Emily was a complete pleasure. Not only is Emily very sweet and easy to work with, but she was very professional and most importantly she is a wonderful pianist. I hired Emily to play the piano as background music during my daughters wedding reception, we received so many compliments from friends and family who enjoyed her lovely music. I highly recommend hiring Emily for your special event.
Emily did a wonderful job playing at our corporate event (300+ in attendance) and working with her was a pleasure. She was very punctual and professional. She also chose the perfect music to set the mood - everyone loved her playing!
Emily recently played the piano at my wedding ceremony. She was absolutely fantastic throughout the entire process (planning and actually playing). She quickly and eagerly learned songs that I requested and played them even better than I imagined. She was professional, polite, very nice, and very quick to respond to any form of communication. She's also a VERY talented musician! I have been recommending her to everyone I have talked to since the wedding!
Emily played at my father's memorial service. My father loved music, especially old jazz standards. I wanted someone who could play a hymn and then play for the cocktail hour afterwards. Emily was wonderful! (I'm from NYC, so I'm pretty picky.) Not only is she a VERY talented musician, but she was a pleasure to work with. I've worked with many musicians at various events and I can tell you Emily is top-notch!
Emily Noatch gave an incredible classical piano concert at Mount Pleasant Retirement Village! She came prepared and played for the entire hour program. She is very talented and the residents were in awe of her talent. She is very professional and wonderful to work with!
Emily played during a cocktail party in our home. Her musical selections (holiday and jazz standards) were just what we needed to set the right mood for our gathering. Her playing was wonderful -- a class act.
One word, incredible. I wanted to propose to my girlfriend and knew she liked classical violin music. So, I contacted Emily with only three days in advance. She agreed to do it and even helped me chose the songs she could play. Emily truly made the moment a perfect moment. She was very professional courteous and seemed like a happy person that you would not mind sharing an important moment in your life with. Thanks Emily.
Emily Noatch was the perfect special touch to our treasured weekend with my aging mother and 4 sisters. Emily surpassed our expectations. She arrived at my home 15 minutes early, taking a sincere interest in meeting everyone. She came prepared with a program of the classical selections that she thoughtfully chose from a variety of time periods and composers. As she played, my 82 year old mother slipped into heaven. Emily played with passion. She was delighted to chat between pieces if we had questions. She made my old piano sound new. I recommend Emily for any and all types of special occasions. You truly will be in good hands! Kathleen Garnica, Springboro, OH
Price Range: $150-$500
Gig Length: 30 - 180 minutes
Languages: English
Emily Noatch has been studying music (piano and violin) since 1995, and knew from a young age that she wanted to pursue music. She discovered a passion for both teaching and performing, and in 2007 began teaching private lessons while beginning her undergraduate degree in Piano Performance at The University of Akron.
In 2012, Emily graduated with a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance and a certificate in Piano Pedagogy while studying under Professor Philip Thomson and Dr. Mayumi Kikuchi. During that time she performed in multiple events, including the University’s All-Steinway Campaign, Composer’s Forum, and three solo performances.
In 2012, Emily won the undergraduate Concerto Competition. As a result, she performed Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue for piano and orchestra at the EJ Thomas Performing Arts Hall in Akron, OH. To view more of her performances, simply go to www.youtube.com/emilynoatch.
Emily continues to pursue her passion of sharing music by playing for weddings and other events in the Dayton, Cincinnati, and Columbus areas.
If you would like live piano music but your event venue doesn't have a piano on premises, I can provide a keyboard for an additional minimal fee.
September 23, 2022 • 7:00pm - 10:00pm | Wedding Reception |
August 20, 2022 • 7:00pm - 9:00pm | Wedding Ceremony |
August 18, 2019 • 1:00pm - 4:00pm | Anniversary Party |
December 22, 2018 • 7:00pm - 9:30pm | Christmas Party |
December 19, 2017 • 6:00pm - 7:30pm | Dinner Party |
February 28, 2015 • 6:00pm - 9:00pm | Wedding Reception |
June 28, 2014 • 11:00am - 12:30pm | Wedding Ceremony |
For samples from my repertoire, please visit (link hidden)
My background is classical with influences from the likes of Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Rachmaninoff, and Liszt, but I've always had a love for jazz and blues with influences like Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, and Tony Bennett. I love playing classical or jazz piano for events... let me know what YOU love!
If venue is providing the piano, please ensure that it has been recently tuned, and all the keys and pedals are functional. This will ensure a positive experience for both audience and musician.
If event is held outdoors, please ensure that there is a flat area, protection from the elements, and an electrical outlet within reasonable distance for musician to set up digital piano.
Nancy K. said “Ellen played for my sons rehearsal dinner. She was fantastic! She talked to me ahead of time to get songs arranged and planned out. Many of the people…”
Christine H. said “I hired one of their violinist's to play at my wedding. She was very professional and did a wonderful job. I received lots of positive feedback about…”
Usagi C. said “We enjoyed listening to Kay’s music, and her music selections are perfectly suited to our grandma’s 80th birthday party. We would love to have her again…”
Jim E. said “We hired Jonathan for our Christmas party. His selection is terrific and he is extremely talented. We really enjoyed his company, our guests loved him.…”