Today we’d like to introduce you to Anna Ivanova.
Hi Anna, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Everything started when I was six years old, and I came with my friend, who was 2 years older than me, to a music school. I was waiting for her to be done with a violin lesson so that we could go and play afterward. When I first entered this magnificent and home-like building, I was mesmerized because I had never seen anything like that before.
There were pictures on the walls, carpet everywhere, music playing around, beautiful teachers, and lots of other children around. I instantly felt that this was my place. I started going there every time with my friend and just enjoyed being there. Once, her teacher noticed that I would come often and sit. She asked me to her office and checked my pitch and rhythm.
Afterward, she wrote a note to my parents saying that they should bring me to the music school for music lessons. I brought the note home and my family was shocked because they did not even know that I had been tagging along with my friend. That’s how I started my musical career. After that, I received my bachelor’s and master’s are in Russia, at the Saratov Conservatory. After graduation, I was invited to work with the Syktyvkar Philharmonic String Quartet.
Later I decided to continue my education in the USA. In 2018 I received my Doctorate degree in viola performance from Louisiana State University. In between all of that I was performing in numerous competitions, festivals, and concerts around the world. However, I didn’t think about starting my own business in the entertainment sphere.
I always was mostly a classical musician, but I played different styles from time to time and I even played violin in a rock band when I was a teenager. I always liked trying new things, for example, I started an Irish band with my friend in Montreal, Canada. But unfortunately a few months after we started the pandemic began and we did not perform anywhere because everything was closed.
Shortly after, my husband who is also a musician, and I decided to go back to the USA to Florida. My husband was born and raised in Jupiter, FL. That’s where we’re settling down now. We moved to Florida and again everything was on lockdown.
I started busking in public areas of West Palm Beach and Jupiter because I needed money and wanted to continue playing music. Eventually busking turned into paid performances and it motivated us to start our business – Salvia Music LLC.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I do not know anyone who started their business and their road was smooth. Even when I just started basking It was difficult to find a place because wherever you play you will need permission and sometimes it’s a pain in the neck to get it. So, I was kicked out of places many times.
Also, I want to bring up this issue of many fake players who are pretending to be playing while they just move their hands with a recorded soundtrack without actually playing. I think these people just dishonor real musicians who dedicated their life learning the art of music.
And of course one of the other struggles is to find the audience and those who appreciate your work. Very often I see that some people treat musicians like servants and slaves which inevitably restricts their creativity.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a professional violist and a violinist. I play classical music on the viola and other styles on the violin. Also, I teach both of these instruments. In 2020, my husband and I founded Salvia Music LLC. It’s a company that specializes in music entertainment and music lessons in violin, viola, and trumpet.
Our goal is to make music accessible for people, for communities, and not just for the elite who can afford to buy expensive tickets for an orchestra performance. I think that live music has to be accessible to every social and economic class of people, and studying music should be available for every child.
This is how we as humans can progress and can evolve. This is how we can make our kids grow more intelligent, more conscious, and kinder. I am a perfectionist, maybe not from nature but from early training. My Russian teacher always says “play like for a recording”.
And I guess this perfectionism helps me to do my job better and sets me apart from others. I always try to discuss the details of my performance from the beginning to the end with my clients. I learned over the years that attention to detail is what makes clients happy.
And I’m proud when I inspire people with my playing and teaching, especially children because I want our society to evolve and to become more conscious.
We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I like to do different activities like horseback riding, ping-pong, swimming, and disk-golf.
Also, I like to meditate and do yoga. Despite the fact that I am constantly performing in front of an audience I am quite introverted and I like to appreciate silence and spend time alone in nature.
Pricing:
- I currently charge $300 per hour for a solo performance that usually includes around 15 songs. Depending on a client’s wish I can customize my setlist.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theviolahuman/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theviolahuman
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCumNyMh1J3XVe_d8vt6xneA/featured
Image Credits
Beni Salvia
