We were lucky to catch up with Ilana Kleiman recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ilana, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

I am very happy as an artist. I earn money by doind what I love.
I had other different jobs not related to music and all I could think of is to go back to doing only music.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Ilana Kleiman and I am a professional violinist. I started playing violin when I was 6 years old. I got my degree in performing arts (classical music) from The Jerusalem Academy for Music and Dance. During my studies I started performing all over Israel including the Israeli TV.
Now days I play different genres including pop, rock, hip-hop, and electronic music. I love when clients reach out and I am able to be creative and suggest my musical taste and opinion for their special day (Wedding, Birthday or any kind of event).
I put me heart and soul in each event to make it memorable and special.
I do a lot of collaborations with different collectives and bands. A special one was with The Earth Harp when we were invited to play for the king of Bahrein for an opening of a new convention center there – that was such a unique experience especially for a person from Israel.

Besides performing I am also teaching kids how to play the violin. I love to see their growth and love for the musical life.
It is amazing to see what kids are able to learn and understand when dealing with such a difficult instrument.

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

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is that I do what I love the most. Playing the violin gives people so much joy and happiness that it’s worth all the long practicing hours and failures along the way. As struggling as it can be it is my pasion and I don’t have the thought of “I hate my work” or “I don’t want to go to work today”. I wake up every morning and do what I love.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish I knew more and earlier about marketing. As a self operating artist, I had and still have to learn about it by myself and it is an ongoing work.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ilanaviolin.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ilana_violin/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IlanaViolin
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0syXFe8UtA16of54hOlkOw

Image Credits
Linda Karasin Tomer Nevo