Quality music for all your occasions.
Professional quality music tailored to your event and your budget, VERSA STRINGS boasts a variety of ensembles and musical genres. From the classic string quartet to customizable ensembles featuring harp, flute, trumpet, and more. We perform classical, jazz, and contemporary pop music.
Our musicians are classically trained professionals with years of experience, ensuring the highest quality performance for your event.
VERSA STRINGS is available for weddings, corporate events, and private parties in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.
-How do we go about booking Versa Strings?
You can use the contact form to submit a request or email us at versastrings_gmail.com.
You can also call 940.231.9280 or 940.231.8580.
We do require a $100 deposit to reserve your date and time.
-Do you play with other musicians?
Yes. If you have a family member or friend who would like to sing something accompanied by strings, we'd be more than happy to arrange something.
-Do you play outdoors?
Yes. We will play outdoors provided that our musicians are not exposed to direct sunlight or inclement weather.
- My fiance and I have a special song. Can you play it at our wedding?
Of course! Given enough time, Versa Strings can customize most songs for a specific ensemble.
-What are your prices?
We offer reasonable and competitive prices. Fees vary on the size of the ensemble and the length of time played. Contact VERSA STRINGS for a quote catered to your event. Our ensembles perform a wide variety of music from traditional classical to jazz to contemporary pop music. For a full list of ensembles available, please contact VERSA STRINGS.
-Do you attend the wedding rehearsal?
All of our musicians are seasoned professionals with years of experience. It typically is not necessary to attend a rehearsal. Our musicians arrive early to the event to discuss details with the wedding coordinator and/or officiant.
VERSA STRINGS is proud to combine quality with affordability. Our musicians are professionals with years of experience playing weddings and other events throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth area. We offer various combinations of ensembles to suit your event and your budget.
String/Mixed Quartet $500 $300
-2 violins, viola, cello
-trumpet, violin, viola, cello
-flute, violin, viola, cello
String/Mixed Trio $400 $225
-violin, viola, cello
-trumpet, violin, cello
-flute, violin, cello
-piano, violin, cello
-piano, flute, cello
String/Mixed Duo $300 $150
-violin and cello
-flute and cello
-violin and piano
-cello and piano
-flute and piano
-violin and guitar
-flute and guitar
-vocalist and piano
Solo Instrument $225 $100
-violin
-viola
-cello
-guitar
-flute
-piano
-trumpet
String/Mixed Quintet $600 $375
-2 violins, viola, 2 cellos
-flute, 2 violins, viola, cello
-trumpet, 2 violins, viola, cello
Solo Harp $350 $150
-harp
Harp Duo $500 $250
-harp and violin
-harp and cello
-harp and flute
Harp Trio $600 $300
-harp, violin, cello
-harp, flute, cello
String Octet $950 $600
-5 violins, 2 violas, cello
-4 violins, 2 violas, cello, bass
Traditional Wedding Music
Seating of the Family
Bach- Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
Bach- Air on the G String
Vivaldi- Largo from Winter
Procession of the Attendants
Mouret- Rondeau
Pachelbel- Canon in D
Purcell- Trumpet Tune
Procession of the Bride
Wagner- Bridal Chorus
Clarke- Trumpet Voluntary
Lighting of the Unity Candle
Lloyd-Webber- All I Ask of You
Bach- Arioso
Recessional
Mendelssohn- Wedding March
Handel- La Rejouissance
Handel- Hornpipe from Water Music
Classical Favorites
Rondeau from "The Fairy Queen"
Suite from "Abdelazer"
Mouret- Rondeau from Premier Suite
J.S. Bach- Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
Sheep May Safely Graze
Air on the G String
Brandenburg Concerto No. 2
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5
Concerto for Two Violins
Ave Maria (arr. Gounod)
Schubert- Ave Maria
Du Bist die Ruh
Charpentier- Te Deum
Handel- Selections from Royal Fireworks
Selections from Water Music
Entrance of the Queen of Sheba
Largo from "Xerxes"
Concerto Grosso in Bflat Major
Mozart- Divertimento in D Major
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
March from "Marriage of Figaro"
Andante from Piano Concerto 21
Alleluia from "Exsultate Jubilate"
Ave Verum Corpus
Vivaldi- Selections from The Four Seasons
Gloria
Boccherini- Minuet
Debussy- The Girl with the Flaxen Hair
Claire de Lune
Franck- Panis Angelicus
Dvorak- Romance
Massenet- Meditation from "Thais"
Beethoven- Ode to Joy
Offenbach- Bacarolle from "Tales of Hoffman"
Elgar- Salut d'Amour
Puccini- O Mio Babbino Caro
Mascagni- Intermezzo from " Cavalleria
Rusticana"
Albeniz- Tango
Gardel- Tango "Por una Cabeza"
Contemporary/Pop Favorites
Norah Jones- Come Away with Me
Black-Eyed Peas- I Gotta Feeling
Snow Patrol- Chasing Cars
Eurythmics- Sweet Dreams
Coldplay- In My Place
Viva La Vida
Clocks
The Verve- Bitter Sweet Symphony
Eric Clapton- Wonderful Tonight
The Beatles- Eleanor Rigby
Let It Be
All You Need Is Love
Shania Twain- From this Moment
Josh Groban- You Raise Me Up
Louis Armstrong- What a Wonderful World
Frank Sinatra- The Way You Look Tonight
As Time Goes By
Moon River
My Funny Valentine
Night and Day
New York, New York
It Had to Be You
Selections from "Westside Story"
One Hand, One Heart
Tonight, Tonight
Maria
From "Titanic"- My Heart Will Go On
Zaret & North- Unchained Melody
Ben E. King- Stand By Me
Elvis Presley- Can't Help Falling in Love
Etta James- At Last
Irving Gordon- Unforgettable
Disney Favorites- Colors of the Wind
A Whole New World
A Dream is a Wish
Can You Feel the Love Tonight
Selections from "Phantom of the Opera"
-Music of the Night
-All I Ask of You
The Monkees- I'm a Believer
Cole Porter- All Of You
Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
I've got you Under My Skin
I Love You
What Is This Thing Called Love
Begin The Beguine
I Get A Kick Out Of You
I Concentrate On You
Gerswhin- The Man I Love
Embraceable You
I Got Rhythm
Swanee
Someone To Watch Over Me
"We couldn't be happier with the music Versa Strings provided for our wedding mass. The string quartet's playing was so musical. And the trumpet, Emily, added so much to the processional and recessional. It was such a relief to know that our ceremony music was in the most capable and dependable hands of Versa Strings. Our wedding guests are still telling us how beautiful the music was. I highly recommend them for your wedding!"
-Joaquin & Sarah
7/9/2011
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"Versa Strings provided the music for our wedding in June, and it was one of the best musical experiences I've ever had. The string quartet played beautifully, and many guests commented afterward that it was the best wedding music they had heard. Our wedding started a bit late, but the musicians were so good that the guests didn't even notice the wait! Versa Strings are talented and professional, and I highly recommend them to anyone planning a wedding."
-Carlos & Janice
6/4/2011
"Versa Strings provided a string quartet during our ceremonial services. The timing and tempo was flawless and really set the tone for the event."
-David & Angie
8/20/2010
"I highly recommend Versa Strings for any wedding or event in need of a string quartet.
A professional musician in a family of musicians, the music was the one area of the wedding about which I was not willing to compromise or take risks (groom speaking, here). My wife and I asked for specific pieces in certain places, and just nice filler music in others.
Our selections included J.S. Bach (very standard wedding repertoire) and Bernstein (not as much your "normal" wedding tunes) but Versa Strings handled all our requests with polish and ease. The music sounded beautiful, well-timed, and many who attended have since made a point to compliment how nice the music sounded.
I am grateful for being able to truly enjoy the music at my own wedding."
-Sam & Jordon
6/12/2010
"I really appreciated the professionalism and flexibility that was provided. I did not want the traditional songs that are normally played at a wedding and they were willing to work with me. They even provided me with a few suggestions, which I went with. They were very understanding when I changed my mind and were very helpful. The quality of music is extraordinary, but they are very affordable. I wish I could get married every year just to have them play at my wedding. I am glad that I had the opportunity to work with these amazing musicians. They made a lasting impression on me."
-Kristin & Eric
5/10/2010
"The music added so much to our special day! It was truly memorable!
-Karen & Rob
6/13/2009
"The guys came right on time, they were very professional. They played beautifully and for an extended amount of time as the beginning of the ceremony ran very late. I was very pleased with the service and would highly recommend them!"
-Matinka
7/6/2007
Eric Smith has made himself known throughout the United States as a multi-faceted musician performing across styles from early music to contemporary genres.
As an orchestral musician, Eric has performed with the East Texas Symphony, Irving Symphony, Abilene Philharmonic, Shreveport Symphony, and the El Paso Symphony, where he won a position at the age of 16, performing for two seasons under the baton of Maestro Gurer Aykal.
An avid chamber musician, Eric has given guest artist recitals across the United States at festivals and concert series including the Crested Butte Music Festival (CO), Bechstein Hall Chamber Series (AR), and the Lake Lewisville International Chamber Series (TX). As cellist of the Amir Quartet, Eric spent two seasons as artist-in-residence at the Strings in the Mountains Music Festival (CO), where he performed with artists including violinist Andres Cardenes, bassist Daxun Zhang, the Miami String Quartet, and members of the New York Philharmonic.
In the field of early music, Eric regularly performs baroque cello and viola da gamba with period instrument ensembles and choirs across the US and abroad. He has collaborated with ensembles including Dallas Bach Society, Orchestra of New Spain, Texas Early Music Project, Fleur-de-LYS, Denton Bach Society, Highland Park Chorale, South Dakota Chorale, and the Denton Bach Players, for which he is a founding member. He has performed at the Boston Early Music Festival, American Renaissance and Baroque Music Festival in Bolivia, and the Institute for North American Studies in Peru.
As a guest artist and teacher, Eric has given recitals, masterclasses, and coachings at the University of Texas at Austin, University of North Texas, Texas Woman's University, Southwestern University, and frequently serves as a guest clinician in schools across the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
Eric attended the University of North Texas studying cello under the tutelage of Eugene Osadchy and early music with lutenist Lyle Nordstrom, where he was honored as a Winspear Scholar. Eric also attended the International Baroque Institute at the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, Massaschusetts where he studied baroque cello with Phoebe Carrai. Eric has also studied viola da gamba with world-renowned gambist Mary Springfels.
Miguel Cantu IV is originally from Edinburg, TX, where he was a member of the Valley Symphony Orchestra. He has formally studied viola at Michigan State University, University of Texas-Pan American, and the University of North Texas. His principal teachers include Robert Dan, Marcus Smolensky and renowned pedagogue Susan Dubois.
As a music educator, Miguel has taught in Grand Prairie ISD as Mariachi Director at Adams Middle School and Truman Middle School. He has also taught violin and viola in Lewisville, Denton and McKinney school districts.
As a mariachi violinist, Miguel was a member of U.N.T.'s Mariachi Aguilas and is a founding member of Mariachi Quetzal. In addition to Versa Strings, he currently plays violin and viola as a regular member of Lyric Stage in Irving.
Shawna Hamilton has received her Bachelor and Master degrees in Music Performance at the Universtiy of North Texas where she studied the cello with Eugene Osadchy. While working toward her degrees, she won the U.N.T. Concerto Competition in 2001 playing Beethoven's Triple Concerto, and in 2005 performing Dvorak's Cello Concerto.
She has participated in music festivals including the Texas Music Festival, Niagra International Chamber Music Festival and Mimir Chamber Music Festival.
Ms. Hamilton has played with the National Repertory Orchestra and currently performs with the Dallas Opera Orchestra, East Texas Symphony Orchestra and other ensembles in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
Maria Harman is adjunct professor of flute at Texas Wesleyan and Southwestern Adventist Universities. She is an active soloist, clinician, adjudicator and chamber performer having given masterclasses and performances in Europe, Asia, Mexico, and throughout the United States. She has been a prizewinner in the National Flute Association (NFA) Young Artist and Masterclass Performers Competitions as well as the MTNA Collegiate State and Regional Woodwinds Competition. Maria has been a featured performer and presenter at NFA Conventions in New York City, Anaheim, Albuquerque, and Kansas City as well as at the International Arts and Humanities Conference in Honolulu, Hawaii. She enjoys championing new music and has premiered works by Daniel Chan, Jiyi Choi, Manami Hayashi, Cholho Kim, and Mark Scott. As a clinician, Maria recently was part of an Indiana Arts Council Grant where she was invited to give a masterclass in Bloomington.
Maria is a published author in Southwestern Musician, the National Association of Wind and Percussion Instructors, and the Texas Flute Society Newsletter. As Editor, she serves as a board member of the Texas Flute Society. Maria has also interned with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, in Washington, DC.
Maria earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Augustana College and a Master of Music degree from the University of North Texas. She is ABD in her pursuit of a Doctor of Musical Arts in flute performance at the University of North Texas. She was a Priddy Fellow in Arts Advocacy and Leadership and a four year flute teaching fellow at UNT where she instructed Texas Academy of the Arts and Sciences (TAMS), undergraduate and graduate students in applied flute, chamber music and was the director of the UNT Flute Choir. Her flute instructors include Mary Karen Clardy, Elizabeth McNutt, Patricia Masek, and Sue DeHaan.
Angela Harvey grew up in Ft. Worth, where she began studying the cello at the age of 9. Angela graduated from the University of North Texas Magna Cum Laude in 2005 with her Bachelor of Music Performance (cello) and Bachelor of Music Education. During her time at UNT, Angela studied cello with Eugene Osadchy and taught in the UNT String Project under the direction of Karrell Johnson. Angela performed with a large variety of ensembles such as the UNT Symphony, Chamber, and Opera Orchestras and the UNT Jazz Strings.
Angela was a member of the Seasons String Quartet; finalists in the college division of the Chamber Music International Competition in Dallas. Angela has also performed with area orchestras such as the East Texas Symphony Orchestra and the Abilene Philharmonic.
She has also performed on recordings and in live concerts, such as two live appearances with hip hop recording artist Kanye West. Angela completed her student teaching in the fall of 2005 and currently teaches orchestra in the North Texas area.
Travis Daniel Hernandez is a native of Corpus Christi, TX., where he graduated from W.B. Ray High School in 2007. While in high school, Travis and another colleague established the Maxim String quartet and performed regularly for wedding ceremonies and church services. Since then, other engagements have included the Coastal Bend Youth Symphony Orchestra, Del Mar College Chamber Orchestra, Kingsville Symphony Orchestra, and San Angelo Symphony orchestra.
While in Corpus Christi, Travis studied violin with Achille Di'Russo and Todd Ehle. Presently, Travis is working toward his Bachelor degree in Music Education from the Univeristy of North Texas. At UNT, Travis has studied violin with Dr. Igor Borodin, Dr. Rossitza Goza, and is currently studying under Dr. Felix Olschofka.
Jocelyn Hund began playing weddings professionally in the Dallas area in 1995 and is a musician of great versatility. She has studied bluegrass fiddle with Ed Caner and jazz improvisation with Art Lande in Boulder, CO. Also, while in Boulder, Hund was guided in her chamber music studies by the Grammy-winning Takacs String Quartet while earning a Bachelors degree in Music at the University of Colorado.
Before moving back home to North Texas to pursue her interest in classical and jazz performance, Hund attended the Park City Chamber Music Festival, Aspen Music Festival, and the Crested Butte Music Festival as both a student and performer.
Jocelyn Hund holds a Masters in Music from the University of North Texas and currently is a member of Symphony Arlington and the Garland and Las Colinas Symphony Orchestras.
Sarah Knuth hails from Anamosa, a small town in eastern Iowa. Sarah earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and Music at Luther College and graduated with a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance at the University of North Texas, where she studied with Dr. Linda Di Fiore. A classically trained singer and violinist, she has performed with professional orchestras, choirs and opera companies throughout the Midwest and Texas including the Fort Worth Opera Chorus and Orpheus Chamber Singers.
Ms. Knuth currently teaches in Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD as a choir director at Vivian Field Middle School. She is also a founding member of Mariachi Quetzal with whom she performs regularly.
Katrin Meidell, violist, was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, where she began playing violin at age 5. Shortly thereafter, her family moved to the greater Boston area, where she continued her musical studies.
She received her Bachelor of Music, Magna cum laude, from Boston University, where she studied violin and viola performance with Dana Mazurkevich and Michelle LaCourse. In conjunction with her musical studies at Boston University, Dr. Meidell also received a Bachelor of Arts in psychology. Dr. Meidell earned her Master of Music from the New England Conservatory of Music with academic honors, where she studied with and served as Teaching Assistant to violist Carol Rodland. Recently she completed her Doctorate of Musical Arts degree at the University of North Texas, where she studied viola performance with Dr. Susan Dubois and music and medicine with Dr. Kris Chesky.
In addition to being a highly sought-after private instructor, Dr. Meidell teaches violin and viola at Texas Woman’s University and regularly performs orchestral and chamber concerts throughout the greater Dallas metroplex.
Emily Pivoda was born and raised in Uvalde, TX. She holds a Bachelor of Music Education with a minor in Spanish from the University of North Texas.
Emily began her mariachi studies at the age of 14, playing trumpet with Mariachi Tradicion Mexicana de Uvalde High School, where she studied under Jorge Vargas. She began playing the guitarron at the age of 15, and continued her studies at U.N.T., where she performed with Mariachi Aguilas and Mariachi Inolvidable. As a founding member of Mariachi Quetzal, Emily performs on both trumpet and guitarron.
Emily currently teaches in Grand Prairie ISD as the Mariachi Director at Arnold MIddle School and Adams Middle School.
Kristi Tollefson is originally from Fargo, ND, where she was a member of the Fargo-Moorhead Symphony for six years. She received a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN and a Master of Music Education degree from the University of North Texas, where she studied violin with Dr. Igor Borodin. While at U.N.T., Kristi served as the Master Teacher for U.N.T.'s String Project.
Prior to moving to the Dallas/Fort Worth area, Kristi lived in McAllen, TX for nine years, where she taught orchestra and served as Principal Second Violin of the Valley Symphony Orchestra. She plays violin and viola, and teaches orchestra, mariachi and A.P. music theory at Paschal High School in Fort Worth. In addition to playing with Versa Strings she is a member of Mariachi Quetzal.
Veronika Vassileva began playing violin at the age of seven at the Musikschule der Hofer Symphoniker in Germany studying with her father Peter Vassilev. She started competing at the age of ten and won first prizes at the annual national competition Jugend musiziert for solo and chamber music for five consecutive years.
Her concerto debut was in Germany with the Hofer Symphoniker at the age of ten performing Bruch Concerto in G minor, followed by a concerto debut in France with the Lille Symphony Orchestra and in Bulgaria with the Russe Symphony performing Vieuxtemps Concerto No.5 and Mozart Concerto No. 5, respectively.
Veronika participated in numerous master classes given by Dr. Maja Glezarova (Russia), Dr. Felix Andrievski (United Kingdom), Vasko Vassilev (Spain), and distinguished Professor Igor Ozim (Switzerland), as well as Almita Vamos, Taras Gabora, Robert McDuffee, and Ilya Kaler (United States).
In 2002, Veronika chose to come to the United States in order to study with Professor Julia Bushkova. In January 2003, she won the First Prize of the annual Concerto Competition of the University of North Texas as the first ever freshman in the history of the College of Music . From Spring 2005 on for two years she was the co-concertmaster of the University of North Texas Symphony and Chamber Orchestras under Maestro Anshel Brusilow.
In the Summer of 2005, she was the violist of the Amir String Quartet in Residence for the Strings in the Mountains Festival, where she also took viola lessons from renouned professor Ytzhak Schotten ( Michigan ) and violin lessons from New York Philharmonic concertmaster Michelle Kim.
In the Summer of 2006 she attended the Manchester Music Festival in Manchester, Vermont, and was invited to go on tour with the Manchester Chamber Orchestra in every fall after.
Veronika has been playing with many part-time orchestras in the past few years and has a diverse experience in doing so, some of them, as a contracted regular member, include Plano Symphony Orchestra under Maestro Hector Guzman, East Texas Symphony Orchestra under Maestro Per Brevig, and Richardson Symphony Orchestra under Maestro Anshel Brusilow.
In May 2007 Veronika received her Bachelor in Music cum laude from the University of North Texas studying with Julia Bushkova and Igor Borodin. In June 2009 she graduated with a Master of Music with distinction from the DePaul University of Chicago studying with Ilya Kaler. Again, when competing for the annual DePaul Concerto Competition in 2008, she won and performed Botessinis Grand Duo Concertant with the DePaul Chamber Orchestra in March 2009.
Also while in Chicago, she was a regular member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago - the Chicago Symphony Orchestras training orchestra - under Maestro Cliff Colnot and Maestro Bernard Haitink, where she was appointed assistant principal second violin during the 2008/2009 season.
Currently, Veronika is working on her Doctorate of Musical Arts on viola. She is also a freelancing musician in the DFW area and her work includes regular membership with the Richardson Symphony Orchestra, as well as performing with Plano and East Texas Symphony Orchestras. Besides her classical music interests, Veronika has played in UNT jazz bands, with Mariachi Aguilas. She is also a sought after violinist and violist on local pop and rock band recordings; some of these include Andrew Tinker, Snarky Puppy, Oso Closo, and Robert Gomez.
Eric Smith
940.231.9280
Miguel Cantú IV
940.231.8580
versastrings_gmail.com
