Today we’d like to introduce you to Abbie Steiling.
Hi Abbie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, you could tell our readers some of your backstory.
I come from a musical family and got my start on violin very young with my mom, a violinist. I started seriously pursuing music in high school, which led to my study at Webster University, where I received Bachelor’s and Master of Music degrees in jazz performance and additional violin pedagogy studies at Belmont University in Nashville. I started as a classical performance major. Still, I switched in my first semester to jazz after experiencing a concert by one of my greatest musical influences, violinist Jean-Luc Ponty. I was so fortunate to have been surrounded by very supportive and highly talented teachers and students alike, which was integral in switching from classical to jazz and allowing me to shape my sound in the jazz-fusion style. My band, Steizuello, which later became Common Time, took shape during this time. We self-released two albums, Send Help! by Steizuello and Crossing Paths by Common Time.
Closely after graduating, I got the opportunity to audition for a band needing a violinist for their upcoming tour. The band was the classic 1970s prog-rock band Pavlov’s Dog. Since joining them in 2008, I have toured Europe and the UK regularly, recorded on 5 of their most recent albums, and acted as music director. The band continues performing and touring and has a new album due later this year. It’s been an incredible honor to be a part of the legacy of Pavlov’s Dog, perform the iconic parts of Siegfried Carver, and create my own alongside vocalist/guitarist/songwriter David Surkamp.
I spent a few brief but formative years living in Nashville and translating my improv skills into the country genre. I met incredible musicians and toured the US and Canada, though I ultimately moved back to St Louis to be closer to family. Since then, I’ve built up a private lesson studio that continues to thrive and grow, in addition to performing, touring, composing, and recording. Circus Flora became an annual part of my performance schedule in 2015 and fostered a deep love for circus arts. I made a cameo in the Circus Flora ring by playing the violin 20 feet in the air in the aerial silks in 2019. This love for circus arts led to an ambitious collaboration with Kinetic Tapestry Physical Theatre in composing and writing our circus show during the pandemic years. Together, we created a production titled “SPACE: A Celestial Circus Show,” which debuted in 2023 and included an original score, live music, astrophotography, animated projections, and live circus performers. A grant from the Regional Arts Commission of St Louis has provided generous support in recording my original score for the show, which is due for release in 2024 and will be the first release under my name as an artist.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Trying to make a living in the music industry is a less conventional path than many professions, and it’s tough at the beginning when you’re trying to establish yourself in a scene. As a performer, so much more goes into getting a job than being proficient at your instrument. As a young performer, this was a harsh reality, and I felt very underprepared for outside of school. Building a reputation, networking contacts, and maintaining a practice schedule for skills takes an enormous amount of time and diligence.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might need to become more familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a performer, teacher, and composer. I specialize in performing with my electric violin in rock, jazz-fusion, and other styles using improvisation. Having versatility in style interpretation has provided a wide range of performance and recording opportunities. I tour with Pavlov’s Dog and have regular involvement with Circus Flora, Stages St Louis, Steiling Strings event music, The Big Rigs, Rats and People Motion Picture Orchestra, event orchestras, and Kinetic Tapestry Physical Theatre. In addition to the groups I regularly work with, I’ve had the opportunity to perform shows with artists such as JD Blackfoot, The Who, The Eagles, Sister Hazel, and Greek Fire, and recently received an RIAA-certified platinum record for playing on “Line Without a Hook” by Ricky Montgomery. The recent creative endeavor of composing a score for a circus show is something I look forward to developing further and releasing the soundtrack in the next year.
What makes you happy?
I feel a deep sense of happiness in creating new music and performing. An extraordinary connection can be made with audiences through live performances. It brings me great joy to tap into the inner self, convey emotions through music, and see them reflected in the audience experience. Music can connect people to the inner self, and it’s powerful to witness and cyclical- the crowd’s energy affects the energy on stage and vice versa. Outside of music, my greatest happiness comes from spending time with my two sons, family, and friends!
Contact Info:
- Website: abbiesteiling.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/abbiesteiling
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/abbiesteilingmusic
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@abbiesteilingmusic
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6yusCDTfcoTckyOJkcAVXm?si=oLcsmnaESOGWFm9WTzlnWA
Image Credits
Henry David Photography, Peter Vangelder, Lo-Fi Eye, Jen Gray, Gernot Mangold
