Jade Ensemble
WHO WE ARE
Jade Ensemble is a multifaceted creative musical enterprise based in the United States. We provide elegant music for special occasions, or even just for fun! We also love teaching students of all ages and abilities.
What People Are Saying
Thank you, it was so great to have you with us. Your music was wonderful!! What a gift you have!! -R.W.
Thank you for adding such a great sound to the wedding music. We really appreciate your time and talent. -E.K.
Thank you so much for the beautiful job you did of entertaining us at our Christmas Tea! Your music was the icing on top of all our goodies. -A.K.
Our Services
-
Jade Ensemble is a professional music ensemble with decades of performance experience. Whether it is a recital, once-in-a-lifetime wedding, personal celebration, annual event, business reception, religious service, memorial service, holiday party, or home concert, our sole focus is on creating the highest-level professional musical performance specifically tailored to your exact needs, personality, and style.
-
We are experts at elegant and fun music for cocktail hours, happy hours, holiday parties, or special receptions, and we will work with you to find the perfect combination of musical selections for your event. Typical selections include classical, Celtic/Irish fiddle, jazz, popular, Broadway, rock, and holiday favorites.
We are also experts at performing at Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, interfaith, non-denominational, non-religious, and same-sex wedding ceremonies, as well as at pre- and post-ceremony receptions.
When you book with us, we will assist you in selecting appropriate music for each part of your event and will work with the event coordinator or officiant to ensure that we have the right musical cues. Please see the Special Event Planning section below for more information.
-
We have been teaching private music students for over twenty years and currently maintain an active teaching studio for violin and viola students of all ages and abilities. Please see the Teaching Studio section below for further information.
-
With decades of professional music experience, we absolutely love mentoring people of all ages and abilities regardless of where they are on their musical journey.
Our Artists have decades of professional experience performing in various venues across the United States.
-
A violinist/violist for over 40 years, Jade Ensemble founder LYDIA SI-NGAW LUI (she/they) has performed extensively throughout the U.S. and Europe with such artists as Yo-Yo Ma, Luciano Pavarotti, Mstislav Rostropovich, and Seiji Ozawa, and with such ensembles as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Palm Beach Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Michigan Opera Theatre (now Detroit Opera), Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, Washington Concert Opera, Washington Cathedral Choral Society, Michigan Opera Works, Opera in the Ozarks, Miami City Ballet, Minnesota Sinfonia, Tanglewood Music Center, Aspen Music Festival, Los Angeles Sound Circle, Spoleto Festival USA, and the New World Symphony. They have also performed at Walt Disney Concert Hall as part of the Los Angeles Philharmonic's Green Umbrella series and been featured on both National Public Radio and Minnesota Public Radio. They have even performed with The Sweet Colleens, the Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience, The Who, and at Christina Aguilera's wedding in Napa Valley, California.
Lydia holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Michigan, a Master of Music degree from the University of Southern California, and a Master of Arts degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota; their teachers and mentors include such eminent artists and pedagogues as Mary West, Sally O'Reilly, Paul Kantor, Andrew Jennings, Charles Castleman, Lyndon Johnston Taylor, and Cho-Liang Lin. They have won first prizes in the Schubert Club, Thursday Musical, Music Teacher's National Association, and WAMMA competitions, as well as the Edwin Norberg Prize from the Young People's Symphony Concert Association (YPSCA).
Currently, Lydia is an active performer and teacher in the Twin Cities, Minnesota, and Washington DC areas. In their spare time, they can be found traveling the world or finding delicious places to eat.
-
Cellist NICOLE HANSON STRYDOM (she/her) received her undergraduate degree and Performer’s Certificate at the Eastman School of Music and her master’s degree at State University of New York-Stony Brook. Nicole has participated in the London Masterclasses, International Musicians’ Seminar Prussia Cove, The Banff Centre Chamber Music Residency, and the Sarasota Music Festival, among others. She received a silver medal at the Stulberg International String Competition and won the Young People's Symphony Concert Association (YPSCA) competition. Her teachers included Peter Howard, Steven Doane, Colin Carr, Ralph Kirshbaum, Hans Jorgen Jensen, and the Emerson String Quartet. She has played in masterclasses for Yo-Yo Ma, Truls Mork, and Timothy Eddy. Nicole has performed as a solo artist and chamber musician at Weill Recital Hall and Carnegie Hall, soloed with the Minnesota Orchestra, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and the Minnesota Sinfonia, and appeared as a guest soloist on A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor. Nicole also holds a law degree and was a partner in the corporate department at a large Minneapolis law firm before going in-house to serve as Deputy General Counsel at a Fortune 200 company in town. When she is not playing cello or practicing law, she practices gayageum and spends time with her menagerie, including her husband, Hanno Strydom, two boys, two dogs, and a rotating assortment of foster dogs.
SPECIAL EVENT PLANNING
-
We determine our rates based upon your particular event details. As such, we generally need additional information from you before we can provide you a quote. Typically we charge a flat rate per hour per musician, and we frequently review our rates to ensure that they are reasonable in the Twin Cities, Minnesota area.
With respect to the number of musicians, we tailor our instrumentation based upon the type of event and your preferences. Our core group consists of a violinist and cellist, but we regularly perform with guest artists, including other violinists, violists, cellists, flutists, or pianists. In other words, we can perform as a duo, trio, string quartet, or even a larger ensemble if you prefer. We are also comfortable collaborating with other musicians (for example, singers or family members who are musicians).
-
We recommend that you fill out the Contact Us box below with the pertinent details of your event (e.g., date, time, and location). Once we receive your message, we will contact you as soon as possible to provide you with a booking form to complete a quote. If you decide to book with us, we will work with you directly to tailor our services to your specific needs and preferences.
-
In some situations, yes; however, we may have to charge an additional fee. We have many titles in our working library, but if your request is not within our current repertoire, we would need to obtain the appropriate sheet music and arrange it for our ensemble. The exact fee would be determined based upon the difficulty of procuring and arranging the sheet music.
-
Yes; however, we do have a few requirements to ensure the safety of our valuable wood instruments and the highest-quality performance. These include full shade, no precipitation, and temperatures between 65-85 degrees. Also, given the risks to our instruments resulting from performing outdoors, our rates would have to be adjusted.
TEACHING STUDIO
-
Yes! We maintain an active teaching studio for violin and viola students of all ages and abilities. At the moment, we have limited openings for students at various times throughout the week.
-
We determine our rates based upon your level of experience and location (in the event you wish to have in-home lessons). As such, we will usually need additional information from you before we can provide a quote. That being said, we typically charge a flat rate per hour per lesson, and we offer lessons in 30-minute, 45-minute, and 60-minute increments. Please note that we frequently review our rates to ensure that they are reasonable in the Twin Cities, Minnesota area.
-
In order to take lessons, you will need a violin or viola and a bow that is appropriate for your specific physical size. You will also need an instrument case, shoulder rest, and rosin. Rental or purchase packages can be found online at Shar Music or at the following shops in the Twin Cities, Minnesota area:
Initially, it is best to go to a local shop and try out a few instruments and bows so that they can be sized correctly and matched to your personal taste. No matter where you find your instrument and bow, you should ask to borrow them for a short trial period so that you can bring the selected instrument and bow to a lesson before you make your final decision. That way you can be sure that you are selecting the most appropriate instrument to match your physical size and ability.
In addition, once we have begun lessons, we will work together to determine which lesson books or sheet music would be the most appropriate. Such music is generally affordable and easy to order online.
-
We recommend that you fill out the Contact Us box below with your preferred lesson schedule, location, and specific learning needs. We will then contact you as soon as possible to provide you a quote and inform you of our Teaching Studio policies. If you decide to sign up for lessons, we will then work with you to develop an individualized teaching plan that best addresses that your particular intentions, interests, abilities, and needs. Often this is a blend of Suzuki and traditional methods, although for young beginners, the Suzuki method may be the most effective approach. For older students, we typically adapt a more traditional approach using a combination of basic etudes paired with repertoire from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Contemporary, Jazz, Fiddle, Broadway, or Pop repertoire - whatever type of music most interests the student. Ultimately, our goal is to develop an enthusiastic and engaged 21st Century musician.
What More People Are Saying
H. has really enjoyed having you as his teacher this year! He has improved so much!! Thank you!! -S.E., parent of H.
Thank you so much for playing at our wedding. It made it so much more special. -N.D. & R.D.
Thank you so much for joining us for our marriage celebration. We were so excited to have your beautiful music as part of our ceremony. We truly appreciate your contribution to our day! -A.S.
