Michelle Jones

Michelle-Headshot-241x300

Instrument:
Lead Violin

MICHELLE’S SOCIAL MEDIA
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Michelle Jones (aka the Vinylinist®) is an instrumentalist, composer, recording artist (including recording and performing with several GRAMMY® Award-Winning artists), educator, and producer/host of “Note-Worthy with Michelle Jones” (tv talk show).  Scores of stringed instruments come alive in her talented hands when performing on international stages as band leader to the string ensemble and “House Band for City of Orlando” Violectric: Classic Musicians Who Rock®. Audiences are electrified time and time again by her versatility of style and custom arrangements ranging from classical to heavy metal to rock ’n’ roll. She plays a variety of violins and violas to achieve these styles, and performs regularly on some of the world’s greatest stages.

Michelle featured in Orlando Magazine - Nov 201In a recent edition of Orlando Style Magazine, Georyana Santos said, “Combine a mix of Violuminescence™ lighted string instruments with individuals who play killer live musical hits, and you have yourself the string sensation, “Violectric.”

 

 

 

Jones’ accomplishments extend beyond creating Violectric. Most recently, she has been recording, touring and performing as a special guest with Wayne Newton since 2018. Jones and Violectric performed as featured entertainment for Tim Burton and The Neon Museum’s Boneyard Ball in Las Vegas, alongside The Killers and Clint Holmes with his band in October 2019.

Tim Burton 

Jones arranged, recorded and performed a special medley with Violectric for this event for Burton, to which he is quoted as saying, “You wrote that just for me?  It was absolutely beautiful! Thank you!”    

Also in 2018, she recorded with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Jon Anderson (lead singer from YES) on his newest album, “1000 Hands.” Jones recorded with many GRAMMY® award-winning and nominated musicians, including Chick Corea, Robby Steinhardt (Kansas), Jean-Luc Ponty, Pat Travers, Jonathan Cain (Journey), Tower of Power, Michael Winslow, and others.

In June 2018, Jones was named “Guest Performing Artist-In-Residence” for The Neon Museum Las Vegas, and performed a solo sold-out show at the Neon Museum’s NE10 Studio and helped raise over $186,000 for the restoration of the Hard Rock Café Neon Guitar Sign.  She performed with Violectric for the lighting party at Las Vegas’ Neon Museum in March 2019, an event covered by international news media around the globe.  In May 2017, she toured Japan through five cities on a sold-out solo tour. She is also a regular special guest at Comic-Con and national conventions.

Jones continues to perform and tour internationally with artists, and has performed shows with Lady Gaga, Wayne Newton, Brian Newman, Mannheim Steamroller, Page and Plant (Led Zeppelin), Pink Floyd, Frank Sinatra, Jr., Josh Groban, Fernando Varela, Michael Bolton, Peter Cetera and Chicago, Dennis DeYoung and Styx, The Beach Boys, Brian Wilson and Pet Sounds, Smokey Robinson, Beyonce and Destiny’s Child, Anne Murray, Bernadette Peters, Sarah Brightman, Itzhak Perlman, Joshua Bell, and many others. In addition to performing, Jones produces and hosts “Note-Worthy with Michelle Jones,” a talk show dedicated to one artist/act per show that airs on several networks and streaming services.

Through Violectric, Inc., Jones created and established an Educational Program Series with interactive workshops and live concerts for students around the United States and Asia. Violectric Education Programs have included students from McNeese University, Full Sail University, Osceola County School for the Arts, Orange County Public Schools, Clark County Schools, Walton County Schools, Marion County Public Schools, Spartanburg County Schools, BETA Center, and International Schools in China, to name a few.

Michelle presenting at Pecha Kucha Orlando

In her thirty-plus years as an educator, Jones served as an Adjunct Professor of Music at Converse College, Professor of Violin Studies at Suzuki Institute of Maitland, Director of Music for Windermere Community Church Preschool, Music Instructor at Holy Family School, and Music Instructor at the Windermere Academy of Music. She also hosts master classes within the Central Florida public and private schools, and is frequently requested as a guest lecturer at many colleges and universities throughout the United States.

Another one of Jones’ endeavors is Strings Etc., a private studio providing music instruction for theory, arranging, and composition on various instruments, including violin, viola, piano and keyboards. She is proud to have been a certified facilitator of educational programs worldwide at the Walt Disney Company through the Youth Education Series and Disney’s English Language Programs.

President's Award for Philanthropy

Jones was honored with the President’s Volunteer Service Gold Award presented by the White House and Presidents Obama and Trump in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 (Bronze and Gold Awards) for her outstanding philanthropy and commitment to education. “It is always an honor and a privilege to share my passion for performing and teaching music with schools and charitable organizations,” she said after receiving her fourth award.

Jones is an active voting member and serves as a Governor of The Recording Academy/GRAMMYs®, GRAMMY U (as a Mentor), Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP), American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM), Las Vegas Musicians Union, and Central Florida Musicians’ Association (CFMA). Michelle was an international delegate for the AFM, and served on several committees including the Diversity Committee and the International Musician Committee. With the CFMA, she has served on the Executive Board, Recording Committee, Diversity Committee, and the Youth Committee. She currently serves as Chair of The Recording Academy/GRAMMYs® – Florida Chapter Education Committee and is regularly involved with GRAMMY® Advocacy.  Jones is also a 2022 Florida Music Hall of Fame Nominee.

She has studied with several renowned instructors and has performed under the baton of many famous conductors including Richard Hayman and Keith Lockhart from the Boston Pops, Arnie Roth and Chip Davis from Mannheim Steamroller, Victor Borge, Marvin Hamlisch, Anton Coppola, and Barry Knight and Charles Ellis from the Mantovani Orchestra.

Jones attended Converse College for music and graduated from Rollins College with degrees in business and management.

Jones is currently band leader and lead violin for Violectric, Fretless Rock and Strings Etc., is a founder of Cosplay Records, and serves as Director/Producer and Lead Educator of Violectric Education Programs.

 

Michelle performing with Wayne Newton at Bally’s Las Vegas in August 2018