Published on November, 1st 2021
Spags is a professional Electric Violinist, as well as the owner of a boutique entertainment company, Spags Music Entertainment, and Spags Music Weddings.
Spags has been playing the violin for most of her life and has performed in just about every type of setting (from concert halls, to dive bars, to runway shows, to big touring music festivals), and for every type of ensemble (from orchestras, to cover bands, to country bands, to electronic music groups), all before discovering the world of special events. As the owner of an entertainment company, she spends most of her days running the business, producing entertainment, and performing for events all over the world.
We interviewed with Spags to discover her musical journey, balancing multiple businesses and keys for success.
Where is your artistic home? What city, neighborhood or country helped inspire and inform your art?
I grew up in a small suburb of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. I was fortunate to have parents and grandparents who recognized my interest in music, and took action to foster that growth. My Grandfather (paternal) was a jazz musician, and was the first one who really introduced me to playing an instrument. My Grandmother (maternal) had an old, upright piano, and I would take the school bus to her house, everyday after school, and practice on her piano. She would stack up her loose change on the piano, while I was playing, to encourage me to keep practicing.
I guess you could say, those were my first “paying gigs”. 😁 I had exceptional music educators, all along my youth, and my parents kept me in private lessons and made sure that I was integrated into all of the school arts programs and community music programs. All of those things, together, made for a winning combination.
Now that I get to travel all over the world to perform, I am constantly being inspired by the different cultures that I experience. Traveling always helps to bring about fresh perspectives, and those experiences continue to add layers of texture to my art.
So, I guess to answer your question, the World inspires my art!
Has music always been your career plan?
From a very early age, I was always drawn to music and the performing arts world, however, I never considered it a career path. It wasn’t until I was forced to choose a major in college, that I really started to think about music as a career option. I ultimately chose to major in Music Education, but it wasn’t until I moved out to Los Angeles, that I really uncovered the vast amount of music related, career options that are available. I mean, there are so many jobs in the music and entertainment industry…jobs that most people don’t even know exist. We really need to work on exposing our youth to all of the amazing opportunities that are out there and available to them!
The Fox Magazine is all about inspiration, what/who inspires you the most?
As of late, I am most inspired by children. As a proud Auntie to a toddler, I have this awesome privilege of viewing the world, all over again, from the perspective of a 2 year old. It’s so much fun! Kids are where it’s at. They are purely instinctual and intuitive creatures. They have nothing to hide, no egos, no fear, and they unapologetically like what they like, and don’t like what they don’t like. I think it’s the most freeing stage of life! The pure joy and wonder that kids experience, from the most simple things, is something that we should all be striving to achieve.
Taking the time to stop and look at a flower, or a bird, or a critter crawling around in the sand, on the beach, serves as a great reminder of the simple beauties that we are surrounded by, in our everyday lives. These are the things that have been inspiring me the most.
How much has your style changed since you started doing music?
Ummm….A LOT! First of all, I should start by saying, I LOVE change. I feel like I’m in a constant state of growth and development, which is what makes me happy. I’ll never forget these simple words of advice that were given to me by a big music producer in Los Angeles. He said “if you’re doing the same thing this year, that you did last year, then you’re not doing something right.” Meaning, you’ve got to keep evolving. You don’t want to become stagnant.
I think that artists tend to naturally evolve, creatively, over time. We’re constantly taking in new experiences, and with that, we SHOULD, absolutely, be adjusting our art.
Besides weddings, what other kinds of events would you love to perform at?
For the past 10 years, I have been exclusively focused on private events. It’s rare if I perform for a public event, these days. I must say, I absolutely fell in love with the Special Events Industry. Producing entertainment for clients, all over the world, truly fulfills me, creatively. Spags Music Entertainment does a lot of performances for luxury brands, like Porsche and Ferrari, as well as mainstream brands like Facebook and Apple. Some of my most meaningful performances are the ones for charitable organizations, such as the Challenged Athletes Foundation or the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. People are doing some incredible work out there, and these Fundraising events really bring it to light.
Of course, a major component to my business is Spags Music Weddings. We absolutely love our wedding clients, and have so much fun creating highly engaging and memorable experiences for them!
Do you play other instruments besides the violin?
If not, is there another instrument you want to learn how to play and why? My first instrument was the piano. I truly believe that everyone who wants to study music, on any level, should start with the piano! It is the foundation for everything. I’m certain that my violin successes began with my early piano training. I’ve actually been thinking about taking on some private students once again (I started out my career as a music educator, prior to launching into my performance and entertainment career). And I’ve already thought about requiring my violin students to start out on piano.
When I was studying for my Music Education degree, in college, I had to learn to play every instrument! If that sounds like a lot…that’s because it was! Later in life, just for fun, I dabbled with the Guitar and Drums. Occasionally, I would get to play them on a gig, for a song or two. But at the end of the day, you need to choose a focus, and for me, that was always the violin.
What sets you apart from other artists?
I think that I have been successful at creating and carving out a unique niche for myself. I’m continuously expanding, developing my roster of elite entertainers, and creating exclusive acts, specifically for the Special Events industry. This is something that keeps me in a unique position.
As an emerging artist today, what would you say are some of the challenges you face?
My biggest challenge, right now, is time. Not having enough of it! During the pandemic, we had all the time in the world. But as things are returning back to normal, I realize that I can’t do everything, anymore. There is such demand for entertainment right now, and it’s all coming in at once. It’s keeping us on our toes, that’s for sure! It’s in my nature to be hands-on with all aspects of my business, from client calls, to video edits, to contracts, to the creative. But I’ve learned that finding the right people, for your team, who can help lighten the load, is essential!
What are some goals you have for yourself as an artist and how do you plan to reach them?
My goals are focused on providing high-level entertainment experiences for my clients! I’m constantly raising the bar for our performances, and continuing to push the team to be the best that they can be. If there’s a better way of doing something, I believe you should do it. I rarely measure myself against other artists, but instead, I measure myself against myself. This keeps me focused and on-track, as opposed to studying what other artists are doing, and falling off-track. I would eventually like to produce more entertainment at the international level.
Name a few songs you would love to do a cover for and why: Cover songs are what I do! The beauty of owning my own business is that I get to play whatever songs I want! Over the years, I have really tailored my music selections to suit the needs of my clients. They are truly the driving force behind my creative choices. Getting to know each client, and understanding their vision for the entertainment, is critical for a successful event! But, I suppose if I have to pick one song that I would love to add to my playlist, that would easily be Africa by Toto! 😅 There’s just something about that song that makes me smile!
What’s your best advice for aspiring musicians?
Try everything, until you find your thing. It took me a long time, even within the music industry, to find what I truly loved doing. In order to find your passion, you have to be willing to get out there, get your hands dirty, and let life get a little messy. Eventually, you will find it. Also, I can’t say this enough…be yourself. YOU are the very thing that will make YOU successful, not trying to be someone else. Finally, don’t give up. This process takes time. You need to be both dedicated and patient.
There is no rush to the finish line, so just take your time and let it unfold.
Connect With Spags Music!
Get To Know Spags: The Electric Violinist & Music Entrepreneur From Pittsburgh
Spags is a professional Electric Violinist, as well as the owner of a boutique entertainment company, Spags Music Entertainment, and Spags Music Weddings.
Spags has been playing the violin for most of her life and has performed in just about every type of setting (from concert halls, to dive bars, to runway shows, to big touring music festivals), and for every type of ensemble (from orchestras, to cover bands, to country bands, to electronic music groups), all before discovering the world of special events. As the owner of an entertainment company, she spends most of her days running the business, producing entertainment, and performing for events all over the world.
We interviewed with Spags to discover her musical journey, balancing multiple businesses and keys for success.
Where is your artistic home? What city, neighborhood or country helped inspire and inform your art?
I grew up in a small suburb of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. I was fortunate to have parents and grandparents who recognized my interest in music, and took action to foster that growth. My Grandfather (paternal) was a jazz musician, and was the first one who really introduced me to playing an instrument. My Grandmother (maternal) had an old, upright piano, and I would take the school bus to her house, everyday after school, and practice on her piano. She would stack up her loose change on the piano, while I was playing, to encourage me to keep practicing.
I guess you could say, those were my first “paying gigs”. 😁 I had exceptional music educators, all along my youth, and my parents kept me in private lessons and made sure that I was integrated into all of the school arts programs and community music programs. All of those things, together, made for a winning combination.
Now that I get to travel all over the world to perform, I am constantly being inspired by the different cultures that I experience. Traveling always helps to bring about fresh perspectives, and those experiences continue to add layers of texture to my art.
So, I guess to answer your question, the World inspires my art!
Has music always been your career plan?
From a very early age, I was always drawn to music and the performing arts world, however, I never considered it a career path. It wasn’t until I was forced to choose a major in college, that I really started to think about music as a career option. I ultimately chose to major in Music Education, but it wasn’t until I moved out to Los Angeles, that I really uncovered the vast amount of music related, career options that are available. I mean, there are so many jobs in the music and entertainment industry…jobs that most people don’t even know exist. We really need to work on exposing our youth to all of the amazing opportunities that are out there and available to them!
The Fox Magazine is all about inspiration, what/who inspires you the most?
As of late, I am most inspired by children. As a proud Auntie to a toddler, I have this awesome privilege of viewing the world, all over again, from the perspective of a 2 year old. It’s so much fun! Kids are where it’s at. They are purely instinctual and intuitive creatures. They have nothing to hide, no egos, no fear, and they unapologetically like what they like, and don’t like what they don’t like. I think it’s the most freeing stage of life! The pure joy and wonder that kids experience, from the most simple things, is something that we should all be striving to achieve.
Taking the time to stop and look at a flower, or a bird, or a critter crawling around in the sand, on the beach, serves as a great reminder of the simple beauties that we are surrounded by, in our everyday lives. These are the things that have been inspiring me the most.
How much has your style changed since you started doing music?
Ummm….A LOT! First of all, I should start by saying, I LOVE change. I feel like I’m in a constant state of growth and development, which is what makes me happy. I’ll never forget these simple words of advice that were given to me by a big music producer in Los Angeles. He said “if you’re doing the same thing this year, that you did last year, then you’re not doing something right.” Meaning, you’ve got to keep evolving. You don’t want to become stagnant.
I think that artists tend to naturally evolve, creatively, over time. We’re constantly taking in new experiences, and with that, we SHOULD, absolutely, be adjusting our art.
Besides weddings, what other kinds of events would you love to perform at?
For the past 10 years, I have been exclusively focused on private events. It’s rare if I perform for a public event, these days. I must say, I absolutely fell in love with the Special Events Industry. Producing entertainment for clients, all over the world, truly fulfills me, creatively. Spags Music Entertainment does a lot of performances for luxury brands, like Porsche and Ferrari, as well as mainstream brands like Facebook and Apple. Some of my most meaningful performances are the ones for charitable organizations, such as the Challenged Athletes Foundation or the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. People are doing some incredible work out there, and these Fundraising events really bring it to light.
Of course, a major component to my business is Spags Music Weddings. We absolutely love our wedding clients, and have so much fun creating highly engaging and memorable experiences for them!
Do you play other instruments besides the violin?
If not, is there another instrument you want to learn how to play and why? My first instrument was the piano. I truly believe that everyone who wants to study music, on any level, should start with the piano! It is the foundation for everything. I’m certain that my violin successes began with my early piano training. I’ve actually been thinking about taking on some private students once again (I started out my career as a music educator, prior to launching into my performance and entertainment career). And I’ve already thought about requiring my violin students to start out on piano.
When I was studying for my Music Education degree, in college, I had to learn to play every instrument! If that sounds like a lot…that’s because it was! Later in life, just for fun, I dabbled with the Guitar and Drums. Occasionally, I would get to play them on a gig, for a song or two. But at the end of the day, you need to choose a focus, and for me, that was always the violin.
What sets you apart from other artists?
I think that I have been successful at creating and carving out a unique niche for myself. I’m continuously expanding, developing my roster of elite entertainers, and creating exclusive acts, specifically for the Special Events industry. This is something that keeps me in a unique position.
As an emerging artist today, what would you say are some of the challenges you face?
My biggest challenge, right now, is time. Not having enough of it! During the pandemic, we had all the time in the world. But as things are returning back to normal, I realize that I can’t do everything, anymore. There is such demand for entertainment right now, and it’s all coming in at once. It’s keeping us on our toes, that’s for sure! It’s in my nature to be hands-on with all aspects of my business, from client calls, to video edits, to contracts, to the creative. But I’ve learned that finding the right people, for your team, who can help lighten the load, is essential!
What are some goals you have for yourself as an artist and how do you plan to reach them?
My goals are focused on providing high-level entertainment experiences for my clients! I’m constantly raising the bar for our performances, and continuing to push the team to be the best that they can be. If there’s a better way of doing something, I believe you should do it. I rarely measure myself against other artists, but instead, I measure myself against myself. This keeps me focused and on-track, as opposed to studying what other artists are doing, and falling off-track. I would eventually like to produce more entertainment at the international level.
Name a few songs you would love to do a cover for and why: Cover songs are what I do! The beauty of owning my own business is that I get to play whatever songs I want! Over the years, I have really tailored my music selections to suit the needs of my clients. They are truly the driving force behind my creative choices. Getting to know each client, and understanding their vision for the entertainment, is critical for a successful event! But, I suppose if I have to pick one song that I would love to add to my playlist, that would easily be Africa by Toto! 😅 There’s just something about that song that makes me smile!
What’s your best advice for aspiring musicians?
Try everything, until you find your thing. It took me a long time, even within the music industry, to find what I truly loved doing. In order to find your passion, you have to be willing to get out there, get your hands dirty, and let life get a little messy. Eventually, you will find it. Also, I can’t say this enough…be yourself. YOU are the very thing that will make YOU successful, not trying to be someone else. Finally, don’t give up. This process takes time. You need to be both dedicated and patient.
There is no rush to the finish line, so just take your time and let it unfold.
Connect With Spags Music!
