How would you describe your current position at Siegel?
I wear many hats; essentially I am business development, creative development and operations for the company.

What does a day-in-the-life look like?
Probably not too different than most people who own companies; going through emails, problem solving, communicating between teams, strategizing for growth.

How long has Siegel been working with Fairmont Pacific Rim?
We were on board from day one of opening. Fairmont Pacific Rim’s owner and developer, Ian Gillespie, wanted to feature more contemporary up-and coming-artists in the space. I met with The Lobby Lounge manager to discuss what direction we should be looking at musically. It didn’t take long for us to have a great line up of performers that were on point.

How was the music program at Fairmont Pacific Rim developed?
We were looking to book performers in the lounge who you would not expect to see play in a hotel. Who are very talented and while not threatening to the average person or guest staying at the hotel would be also on a level that true music coinsures could appreciate and respect.

How is the program themed?
Bright contemporary piano is featured in the morning and greets you as you arrive in the lobby. It’s performed on the beautiful Fazioli, a Westbank signature. The mid-afternoon music is meant to be a little mellower and laid back. It’s ideal for an afternoon cocktail or is a nice compliment if you have meetings; it’s there but not overpowering. We feature some great local original musicians in this afternoon slot. After work cocktail hour music is a little more up-tempo and we start mixing in popular favourites with some originals, always performed with a unique twist. As the night evolves, it amps even further up-tempo and features solo performers earlier in the week, and duo, trios and full bands later in the week. The music is meant to engage you and make you want to stay in the lounge. The performers we are blessed to work with make it easy to just stay and stay.

Does our program have any distinct or exciting differences to other clients you have?
It is fair to say that at Fairmont Pacific Rim, we’re given the most encouragement in terms of supporting original music. Most other hotels prefer to not have any originals, rather to play popular favorites. The unique style and ways that these people perform and play are embraced at Fairmont Pacific Rim. That will become more prominent as we continue to grow and push that boundary.

How has the music program at Fairmont Pacific Rim evolved over the past eight years?
We have continued to book more and more music over the years. We used to have a strong program with two slots per day, six days a week. Now, we average four shifts of music each day, seven days a week. We have had some of the same performers in the hotel since day one, but we continuously bring in new performers that are up-and-coming. As we book across North America now, we are able to work with other performers who we have relationships with and have them play at the hotel while they are in town.

How do you see the music program at Fairmont Pacific Rim changing in the next year?
There are some exciting changes coming for The Lobby Lounge this fall, physically, and with those changes we will adapt and grow with the music program. I can safely say that we will be curating some unique performance pieces and having a plethora of other talent come through since we are creating an actual performance place dedicated to music.

What advice do you have for aspiring musicians?
Keep yourself optimistic, your attitude positive, and remain as professional as possible. It doesn’t matter how talented you are – if you don’t have those other factors going for you professionals won’t want to work with you.

To view the monthly line up of artists in The Lobby Lounge, click here.