Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Unemployed violinist finds work offering virtual serenades

A professional violinist out of work due to the coronavirus pandemic is offering virtual serenades to keep himself employed.

Genghis Díaz, a talented musician who has represented Mexico around the world, is offering his services via social media for anyone who wishes to send a friend or loved one a personalized musical message.  

“At first I survived with the savings I had and later I offered the serenades online through Facebook among friends and acquaintances,” Díaz told the newspaper Milenio of his struggle to provide for himself, his cat Katniss and his English shepherd Rex during the pandemic.

Booking a serenade is a simple process. Customers reach out to Díaz via Facebook or Twitter to request a song. He films himself playing it and offering a personalized message for the recipient and sends it to customers the day before the special occasion. 

Social media savvy, Díaz has produced a promotional video of himself performing a version of pop star Ed Sheeran’s song Perfect, and has also sought retweets from several established influencers, including Mexico’s Interior Minister Olga Sánchez Cordero and journalist Jorge Ramos.

Reviews of his virtual serenades have all been positive, he says, no small feat on social media where commenters can be hypercritical.

“For mommy’s birthday, I asked @GenghisDiaz to record a custom serenade for her, and she loved it! She was crying with happiness. Thank you very much Genghis for helping me make her day special now that we are all so far away physically,” wrote one satisfied customer.

Before confinement, Díaz played at social events such as weddings and quinceañeras (15th birthday parties) and gave violin lessons. Students were not interested in taking online violin classes, he says, and dropped out during confinement, but Díaz is hopeful that as coronavirus restrictions continue to be lifted they will return, as will other opportunities from the contacts he has made in recent months on Facebook and Twitter.

“I knew how to adapt and I knew how to find a key to doing things and it can be said that I am the pioneer in that because I understand the network perfectly. I knew how to exploit it and get the shares, the retweets, the likes, and all of that,” he said.

“What we have always done, and we will have to do is adapt to the times.” 

Source: Milenio (sp)

Have something to say? Paid Subscribers get all access to make & read comments.
withdrawing cash

‘Our cash is in limbo’: Readers share how US sanctions on CIBanco, Intercam have affected their financial lives

12
From the survey responses we received, we got a sense of the frustration and anger of Intercam and CIBanco customers. Here's what readers are doing and saying about this uncertain situation.
guns

Heavily armed foreigner impersonating a CIA agent is arrested in México state

4
The suspect, identified by media as a U.S. citizen named “James,” was acting aggressively, wearing a bulletproof vest and tactical gear while brandishing weapons.
Texas flooding

Mexico aids 30 citizens, celebrates heroic counselors following deadly Texas floods

0
The president said the Mexican Consulate in San Antonio is in communication with Mexican families affected by the floods and will visit shelters as soon as possible.
BETA Version - Powered by Perplexity