We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ciara Hager. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ciara below.

Ciara, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

Yes, I’ve made a full time living from my creative work. In 2024, I graduated college and began freelancing as a violinist full time. I make my living from both performing and teaching, with teaching being more of a stable, predictable income, and performing being a more fluctuating type of income which is dependant on holidays and seasons. When I first jumped into the freelance scene, I was so anxious about not having work that I auditioned and applied for every job imaginable to a musician. What I didn’t realize at first is that the summer is very slow for all musicians, so graduating school in May and then trying to jump into the music scene in the month of June just won’t be a thriving time for work for any musician, let alone a musician straight out of college. Once September hit, I found myself very busy, I had shows every weekend, and taught 4 days per week at three different music schools. I ended up leaving two of the teaching jobs because my schedule became too busy, and I started to really break into the performing scene and was really enjoying it. Since September, I’ve pretty much had a gig at least once each weekend, and on holidays I perform anywhere from 3-7 days per week with December being the busiest and most high-earning month. I definitely took on more than I could chew, but it gave me a good idea of what I do and don’t like, and what my standard pay rate is. Now I’m working for 10+ companies and independent musicians, which rounds out my income nicely.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Right now, I consider myself a multi-genre violinist. I dabble in all kinds of gigs ranging from solo Jazz gigs, to a 10 piece band playing country music. I will pretty much play anything I get called for! What I love about the multi-genre lifestyle is that I get multiple different gigs week to week, that all have different energies, atmospheres, and practice requirements to make sure I am prepared for the job. I believe it’s made me a more versatile musician, and allows me to take the reins on a larger percentage of the music scene than if I were only performing in one genre.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I often reflect on my shift in interest from playing primarily classical music, to creative genres. I developed interest in jazz quite instantly after being exposed to it at the Eastman School of Music, was fortunate to have some freedom and time within my schedule to devote to jazz while I was studying my classical degree. When I left school, I had made up my mind that I did not have any interest in a permanent orchestra job. I had a feeling there was something in store for me creatively, and wanted to do something that brought me joy. I love improvising and creating melodies from scratch, whether in a jam session or on the bandstand. I spent 1 year in 2020 starting my own teaching business doing private lessons, and spent the rest of it debating whether I wanted to go to jazz school, and then preparing for it. I began playing more as the lead instrument with my jazz quartet, and playing at various festivals in Alberta. I think the year in between my two degrees brought me the most clarity because it helped me realize the lifestyle and career aspirations I have today.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is definitely being on stage with people you’ve worked hard to create something with, and having that art come to fruition on stage. The performance is where the magic starts to happen. Maybe you feel inspired and moved by your colleague’s playing and it helps ascend your playing to a higher level in the brink of the moment. It didn’t happen because of time spent in the practice room, it happened because you felt their energy in that very moment in time. Or, the moment when you can feel the audience’s unwavering attention to your stage presence and skill, and they notice your chemistry with the other musicians on stage, creating something moving together. The audience can see how involved you are in the moment and they celebrate that by showing their appreciation through applause and complimenting you after the show. It’s really the best feeling to know you brought your best to the show, your hard work paid off, and everyone in the room had a positive outlook on how the show went.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciara_violin/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ciaraperformingandteaching1830