I’m a fiddle player and teacher.
I’m lucky, I found out at a young age what makes me “tick”! I feel blessed to be able to share my passion with fellow musicians, my students, AND an audience. People sometimes joke, “musicians never work a day in their lives”. Well, that’s a fun way to think about it, BUT we do, as do live music venue owners, promoters, and employees.
We all need to start “working” again!
Before the pandemic, I spread my time touring occasionally with Ceili Rain, giving fiddle 
lessons/workshops, doing studio jobs, and getting my students, the “Varisty Fiddlers” out and about performing for people at various local venues.
The pandemic changed all of that. I slowly but surely started getting the “we’ve been forced to cancel our upcoming shows”, and “we have no option but to postpone our studio project” emails. Fortunately, I’ve been able to teach my students online so that has kept my family afloat.
I’m an optimist, so I keep telling myself that the pandemic will be over soon and ALL of us involved in the live music business will be able to get back to normal. However, with fall and winter engagements either on hold or canceled, I am very, very concerned.
Live music is a transcending experience for performers and listeners. From the smallest to the largest venues, it makes a positive economic impact…EVERYONE benefits.
Joe Davoli
Auburn, NY