Today we’d like to introduce you to Sable Snyder

Hi Sable, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?

I began my musical journey as a child! I grew up in a very musical household and my mom encouraged me to learn piano and guitar at an early age. I participated in music activities all through my school years and when it came time to go to college I decided that I wanted to pursue music on a professional level. In 2011 I graduated from Georgetown College with a degree in Music Education with a focus on Vocal Studies. I then married my husband, who I had met playing music, and we began a band and started gigging locally.

It took me a couple of years, but I eventually found a job in public school music teaching. I worked at a local elementary school in our small town. During this time my husband and I also played gigs and I taught private lessons out of my house on afternoons and evenings. After about 4 years, we got pregnant and I had my first child. This prompted me to really rethink my career. I quit teaching and decided to take a step back and spend some time focusing on being a new mom and reflecting on what I wanted as a career moving forward. I read a lot of books, some on freelancing, and after about a year decided to start my own music business. At first it was small and I only taught a few small private classes. Over the last 7 years that business has grown slowly. In August of 2022, Sable Snyder Music LLC was born. This was an umbrella business that allowed me to both teach music and perform at multiple levels. The mission of this business is to build community around music making at all levels. It is to encourage people to remember that music is their inherent birthright and that we all are musical and deserve to participate in this beautiful artistic form!

My business is constantly shifting and flowing. Right now I teach private lessons, group music classes, I am privately contracted at multiple schools and I still perform in a band with my husband and one of our dearest friends. My business has even grown to include several other women business owners who are teaching music or the arts in other capacities. Right now I am going with the flow and opening myself up to whatever opportunities arise as I continue in my calling and art form!

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?

There have definitely been struggles along the way! Some of those struggles have been self made and some of them are built into our culture. We all seem to be our biggest critic but I think that is especially true with artists and creatives. Some days we see the value in what we do and we can stand firm on that and on other days it feels like what we do is not seen or valued by others. It’s easy to have highs and lows when you work in an area that many people see as entertainment or maybe unnecessary. It’s the thing they only spend money on if they have the extra money or time. The thing is, for the artist, it is extremely personal because we are exhibiting very vulnerable behavior when we create. We are really putting a part of ourselves out there.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?

I am a full-time freelance musician. I have my own business called Sable Snyder Music. Through this business I teach private music lessons – these include voice, piano and guitar lessons. I also teach group music and movement classes for babies and toddlers called Music Together with Sable. I offer special music events and camps through Sable Snyder Music and my business is located in a co-creative cottage in Georgetown, KY that also holds another musician and music educator (Katy Hale Piano Studio) as well as other creatives. It is all woman-owned and run.

I also continue to perform with my band that includes my husband (Kyle Snyder) and our very good friend (Phillip Harris-Davis). We play all over the Central KY area and even have music out on streaming. Our band name is The Mingled Oaks if anyone is interested in checking us out.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?

I think the best way to find a mentor in the artist community is to make time to support and work alongside other creators and artists. So many of us share the same struggles and successes in our work, even when we create in different ways. If you can find the time to be there and support other artists and creators you can model a support system where you all work together rather than just compete with one another. I am lucky to work alongside so many different creatives and that helps me to stay focused when the job might feel a bit overwhelmed!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sablesnydermusic.com/
• Instagram: @sable_snyder_music @music_together_with_sable @themingledoaksband
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sablesnydermusicllc/ https://www.facebook.com/musictogetherwithsable/ https://www.facebook.com/themingledoaksband
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@themingledoaks

Image Credits

Photography by Devin Harris-Davis