Today we’d like to introduce you to Armond Vance
Hi Armond , 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 started playing the violin when I was twelve years old while I was in middle school in Toledo, OH. I was inspired by musical video games that were popular in my youth such as guitar hero to pick up a real instrument. So I joined orchestra. Then one day I saw D sharp – a Black violinist on youtube, playing Crazy by Gnarls Barkley and I thought it was quite literally crazy that someone could make a violin sound like a human voice. He played with so much soul. It was inspiring and motivated me to learn popular contemporary songs on violin. In school, we played traditional pieces and arrangements of classical works by composers such as Beethoven. I learned a lot by playing that music, but I wanted to play the music that I heard on the radio. So I taught myself how to play Blame It On The alcohol by Jaime Foxx. One day I walked into my 8th grade health class late and my health teacher made a deal with me. He said he would refrain from marking me late if I played my violin in front of the class. So I took out my violin and played Blame It On the Alcohol. All of my peers knew the song and clapped afterwards. They took out their flip phones (ancient artifacts now haha) and captured blurry, pixelated footage of the moment. It was this experience that made me realize that I loved to perform. It gave me confidence and validation.
When I was in high school, I developed an interest in arranging and composing music for orchestras. By the age of fifteen, I was conducting a live symphony orchestra while they performed my arrangement. My high school orchestra director was instrumental in organizing this special occasion. It was this experience that made me realize that I could really have a Career in the musical arts. I could do this forreal.
I would go on to major in music education at The Ohio State University in Columbus, OH. I wanted to be an orchestra director and inspire kids to be the best version of themselves through musical expression. I am currently teaching orchestra and mariachi full time in Fort Worth. It is beautiful to watch young people use music to grow into the best versions of themselves.
Throughout the Metroplex, I am definitely known more as a performer though. It’s funny though because this was actually not my initial plan! I have always loved being creatively expressive and on stage, but when I was in college, my dreams sort of took a back seat to job security. I do love teaching music, but it was also definitely a business decision haha. But during the pandemic, I, as well as many others, had a lot more time on my hands. So I started practicing more and working on my improvisation skills. Then while quarantining and binge watching Bridgerton on Netflix, I developed an idea. What if I brought a live concert to people’s front porch? Or their apartment? People couldn’t go to live concerts because of lockdown restrictions, so I thought, “What if I just bring the concert to them?”
That concept blew up and pretty soon I was booked every other day to perform somewhere. I was having fun all while also making a good profit. I was truly living out my purpose to the fullest extent. Since 2021, I have played for major corporations such as American Airlines, Ben Keith Foods, The YMCA, AT&T, DFW Airport, and more. I have also been granted the opportunity to perform at iconic venues such as the Minnesota Vikings Stadium, The Majestic Theater, Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Bass Hall, the Orpheum Theater in NYC, and more. Last year I performed in Orchestra Noir alongside Trick Daddy and Trina and made a 5 second cameo on Love and Hip Hop Miami!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I can’t complain about the past few years I have had as a professional. But to get to the point of being a professional – THAT was difficult. Being a Black male violinist, I frequently felt alienated. I was frequently the only Black kid in Orchestras. And I never developed a love for classical music. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy classical music and still practice it, but I didn’t worship it like some of my colleagues in music school did.
I had a professor tell me that I will never be better than average my freshmen year at Ohio State. These condescending remarks were common, and made me feel like a burden to my professors. I have always enjoyed improvising and playing in styles beyond classical music. But the issue was, there were not many violin professors with the expertise and experience to guide me on a non-tradition path. So I had to lay the bricks for that path myself. I will always appreciate the knowledge that I gained from those same teachers – especially in regards to developing my technique. But they did not see or understand my vision that I had for myself because I was going off the book as a violinist and educator. So I had to hype myself up. In retrospect I also feel as if there was a lot of projecting of their own insecurities onto me. You don’t fully understand that concept as a young adult, so things just feel bad and you can’t explain why.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a professional Violinist that specializes in playing in multiple styles of music! That includes hip-hop, R&B, Afrobeats, and more. I also compose music for amateur and professional orchestras. I am also a music educator. I am most proud of my compositions. Particularly my compositions R(e)volution and Vento Negro – both of which can be found on Youtube. It took over a year to compose these pieces. These pieces both attempt to capture the Black experience, but from different regional perspectives – one from the United States and one from Brazil. I travel across the metroplex and across the country to perform, conduct orchestras, and to give presentations at music education conventions. Last year, I presented at the TMEA (Texas Music Educators Association) conference in San Antonio. I discussed teaching strategies to keep middle school orchestra students engaged.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Yes. If you’re an aspiring musical artist, do not do anything for free. It often takes years to master our craft. Music can often be like a religious experience for people. It’s only felt and heard but not seen. So it feels magical. But we did not magically gain the abilities to create music. We worked for them. So you should get paid for your work! Just Be upfront about pricing from the beginning. Make contracts, invoices, etc. Be clear about terms and conditions. And always prioritize having fun and taking care of yourself!
Do not let someone else tell you how much you’re worth.
Time is capital. It is valuable and irreplaceable. Protect your time.
Pricing:
- For pricing, send me a booking inquiry through my website at armondvance.com
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Armondvance.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=armond%20vance%20-%20musician
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@armondwimberly
