La Cocumella
A historic residence with a park and cloister in the Sorrento area, overlooking the Bay of Naples.
Looking for a violinist for your wedding in Sorrento? I accompany ceremonies and receptions live across the whole Sorrento peninsula — from the cloisters of the old town to the citrus gardens, through to terraces overlooking the Bay of Naples with Vesuvius and Capri in the distance.
Sorrento faces a different direction from the Amalfi Coast, and that changes everything. Built on a tuff terrace that breaks off abruptly above the water, the town looks out over the Bay of Naples: from here Vesuvius closes the horizon to the north and Capri appears to the west, so close it seems within swimming distance. It is a geography that produces sunsets unlike those of the Amalfi side — wider, less vertical — and one that drew Grand Tour travellers, writers and musicians for centuries. To marry in Sorrento is to choose that openness: a landscape that does not loom over the guests but welcomes them, and that leaves the music room to breathe.
The Sorrento peninsula has a quality wedding planners know well: it combines the beauty of the landscape with a practicality the Amalfi Coast cannot always offer. Distances are shorter, the roads more manageable, Naples airport is close, and international guests arrive without exhausting transfers. That translates into less compressed days, where the ceremony does not have to chase the timing of the journeys. For me it means being able to devote more attention to the artistic side: calmer rehearsals, carefully shaped transitions, and the chance to follow the couple from the ceremony through to the evening without rushing.
EvoStrings live — ceremony, aperitivo and reception in a single day.
Silent clip.
Sorrento's spaces fall into two families, and each asks for its own approach. On one side are the enclosed, gathered places of the old town — the cloisters, the inner courtyards, the halls of the historic residences — where the natural acoustic is warm and reverberant and the solo violin can play with no technical support at all, with an intimacy open spaces do not allow. The cloister of San Francesco, with its arcades and the greenery climbing the columns, is perhaps the best-known example of this inland Sorrento. On the other side are the terraces perched above the bay, open to the wind and the light, where careful placement and light amplification are needed so the sound is not lost towards the sea.
Then there are the citrus groves, which in Sorrento are not decorative background but a defining element. Many receptions unfold beneath lemon pergolas, among rows that filter the light and scent the air: these are acoustically soft spaces, where the sound is absorbed by the foliage and needs discreet support. In such settings I prefer a warm register and a restrained volume that accompanies conversation rather than overwhelming it. It is a choice that comes from listening to the place, before any question of repertoire.
For the ceremony we build a tailored programme together. The classical repertoire remains the reference for the solemn moments — Bach, Pachelbel, Vivaldi, Schubert — while violin arrangements of pop songs and film scores accompany the more personal passages. In Sorrento the Neapolitan song tradition carries a particular meaning: here it is not a tourist gesture but part of the history of the place, and used with restraint, in an arrangement that avoids folklore, it moves Italian guests and surprises international ones. The entrance, the exchange of vows and the recessional remain the three focal points around which I shape the emotional arc of the ceremony.
After the rite, the violin accompanies the aperitif and the reception following the rhythm of the evening. Sunset over the bay, with Vesuvius darkening and the lights of Naples beginning to come on across the water, is the moment when the music can lift its tone slightly without ever becoming intrusive. Depending on the scale of the event I offer the solo violin, the duo with guitar or piano, or the string trio for a fuller sound in the larger halls and gardens. When the evening continues with a band or a DJ, I look after the handover so the change of register is gradual rather than abrupt.
EvoStrings live — ceremony, aperitivo and reception in a single day.
Silent clip.
Sorrento's spaces fall into two families, and each asks for its own approach. On one side are the enclosed, gathered places of the old town — the cloisters, the inner courtyards, the halls of the historic residences — where the natural acoustic is warm and reverberant and the solo violin can play with no technical support at all, with an intimacy open spaces do not allow. The cloister of San Francesco, with its arcades and the greenery climbing the columns, is perhaps the best-known example of this inland Sorrento. On the other side are the terraces perched above the bay, open to the wind and the light, where careful placement and light amplification are needed so the sound is not lost towards the sea.
Then there are the citrus groves, which in Sorrento are not decorative background but a defining element. Many receptions unfold beneath lemon pergolas, among rows that filter the light and scent the air: these are acoustically soft spaces, where the sound is absorbed by the foliage and needs discreet support. In such settings I prefer a warm register and a restrained volume that accompanies conversation rather than overwhelming it. It is a choice that comes from listening to the place, before any question of repertoire.
For the ceremony we build a tailored programme together. The classical repertoire remains the reference for the solemn moments — Bach, Pachelbel, Vivaldi, Schubert — while violin arrangements of pop songs and film scores accompany the more personal passages. In Sorrento the Neapolitan song tradition carries a particular meaning: here it is not a tourist gesture but part of the history of the place, and used with restraint, in an arrangement that avoids folklore, it moves Italian guests and surprises international ones. The entrance, the exchange of vows and the recessional remain the three focal points around which I shape the emotional arc of the ceremony.
After the rite, the violin accompanies the aperitif and the reception following the rhythm of the evening. Sunset over the bay, with Vesuvius darkening and the lights of Naples beginning to come on across the water, is the moment when the music can lift its tone slightly without ever becoming intrusive. Depending on the scale of the event I offer the solo violin, the duo with guitar or piano, or the string trio for a fuller sound in the larger halls and gardens. When the evening continues with a band or a DJ, I look after the handover so the change of register is gradual rather than abrupt.
Beneath the lemon pergolas the sound softens — and the music accompanies without overwhelming.
Venues and villas
Villa Antiche Mura
A villa with gardens and citrus groves in the centre of Sorrento, an elegant setting for weddings on the peninsula.
Bellevue Syrene
Historic residence overlooking the Gulf of Naples, with some of Sorrento's most scenic panoramic terraces.
On the organisational side I take care of the technical details well in advance: the power supply, the position of the instrument, any authorisation for live music in open spaces and historic buildings, and access times in the restricted-traffic zones of the centre. I always arrive early for set-up and sound checks, coordinating with the venue, the wedding planner and the other suppliers. If you are imagining your wedding in Sorrento or on the peninsula, we can begin with a simple conversation: the venue, the number of guests, the atmosphere you have in mind and the pieces you are attached to. From there we build the soundtrack of your day.
How I work in Sorrento
With the couple and the wedding planner I define the programme for the three key moments of the ceremony and the line-up best suited to the chosen space — cloister, citrus grove or terrace — because each setting has its own acoustic and its own measure.
I arrive early for set-up and sound checks, using light amplification only where it is needed and handling authorisations in historic spaces, so the technical side stays invisible.
What couples say
Outstanding, professional and full of class. We chose Donato and his trio for our wedding and they won everyone over: they understood exactly what we were looking for.
An exceptional person, both as a human being and as a professional. His music made my wedding unique: getting in touch with him is truly worth it.
Watch and listen
Performance videos presenting the repertoire, the arrangements and the different line-ups available.
Christina Perri's A Thousand Years, rearranged and performed live by Trilogy Trio. A demonstration performance recorded in the Basilica di San Michele Arcangelo, Piano di Sorrento.
Pachelbel's Canon in D, Trilogy Trio. Recorded in the Basilica di San Michele Arcangelo, Piano di Sorrento — the video has passed one million views on YouTube.
Save Your Tears for violin and cello, performed by EvoStrings. Filmed on Capri.
An original piece by EvoStrings and Donato Cipriano, recorded aboard a yacht along the Sorrento Coast.
Frequently asked questions
Sorrento and the neighbouring towns — Sant'Agnello, Piano di Sorrento, Meta, Massa Lubrense and Sant'Agata sui Due Golfi — adapting the repertoire and line-up to the venue chosen by the couple.
Yes. I agree placement, timings and any authorisation with the venue and the planner. In cloisters the natural acoustic is excellent and the solo violin often plays with no amplification at all.
Yes, when the couple wants them. I include them in arrangements that avoid folklore, used with restraint: in Sorrento they are part of the history of the place and are appreciated by Italian and international guests alike.
Solo violin for intimate ceremonies and cloisters, a duo with guitar or piano for the aperitif among the citrus groves, and a string trio for larger receptions in the halls and on the terraces.
Check availability
Tell me about your wedding: I will reply personally with a tailored quote.