We recently had the chance to connect with Saraphina Davidson-Gurney and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Saraphina , it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
One thing that has been bringing me joy lately is planning a trip to Europe for my birthday. I’ve left it to the last minute a little bit, but i’ve been having fun asking other friends about their experiences and their favourite spots to see. I just used chat gpt for the first time last night when I was looking for hotels in Ibiza! Friends have been telling me how much they love using chat gpt and I hadn’t ever felt the need to use it until now. At this point, my plan is to go to Ibiza, Barcelona, Rome, Myconos, and Santorini. I performed with Kygo a few days ago in London, Ontario, and he will be having a show in Ibiza on July 20th (my birthday), so I’m excited to be able to attend as a viewer, and really get to enjoy the show!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I go by Saraphina Violin, and I’m a violinist and performer around the world. Lately I’ve been performing mostly in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. I typically play electric violin and I play all different types of shows- from weddings to NBA Halftimes. I’ve been playing acoustic violin since the age of three, and electric since I was studying violin performance in University. I’m very lucky that with my work I’m also able to travel and see a lot of new places. This year I was fortunate enough to see different parts of Mexico that I had never been to!
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
As a young violinist, it’s easy to very critical towards yourself. We are taught to be perfectionists, to play the music as it’s meant to be played, and how the composer intended it to be written. This easily transferred to all of my life, and I was criticising myself in most aspects of daily life, expecting perfection from myself in every way. I now realise that: to be human is to be imperfect, and we should embrace our imperfections, because those are what make us unique and different. I also don’t play a great deal of classical music anymore, so I have more freedom with my own musical expression as well.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I would tell myself to go for things, and to not be afraid. As a child I was very shy and afraid about what people thought of me. If I stood out too much for over-achieving, I was embarrassed. Now I would tell myself not to be afraid to show off. I was talented and different at an early age and it was something to be proud of.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
People seem to think that I am glamorous all of the time, when in reality when I’m not performing or at an event I’m usually in gym clothes or sweats, relaxing!
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What will you regret not doing?
I think most people, me included, will regret not travelling the world and enjoying their life. I think the best policy is to travel because work will always come. I recently took a few weeks off of work in the summer month (peak work time) to go to Europe. Although a lot of my friends didn’t come because they wanted to stay in town to work, I think the best thing is to enjoy our lives and experiences are way more valuable than a few gigs.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://saraphinaviolin.com
- Instagram: @saraphinaviolin
- Linkedin: Saraphina Violin
- Facebook: saraphina violin
- Youtube: @saraphinaviolin
- Other: Apple music/Spotify @saraphinaviolin
Image Credits
Roger Singh
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