Veriation Music: A Look Into The Family Business
In 1979, 16-year-old Leonardo Veri never envisioned a job that he took to help get him through college would also change his life.
Veri worked providing disk-jockey and entertainment services throughout his teenage years, growing his passion for music until he founded Veriation Music in 1984.
A young Leonardo Veri listening to his music. (Veriation Music, 2020)
Prior to finding his forever career, Veri recalls sacrificing many Friday and Saturday nights in order to save up money for his future.
“It started off as a part-time job to get through college… It was a workload, but it kept me busy; rather than going out to spend money, I was making money,” says Veri.
Veri believes that in order to be a successful disk-jockey, it is important to stay updated with the trends, the music, and the social scenes. Catering to clients’ needs is what helped Veriation Music grow into the trusted entertainment company it is today.
Since 1984, Veriation music has catered to almost 30,000 events, with each event showcasing Veri’s passion for music and being a disk-jockey.
“When you see a sea of heads bouncing up and down; there is nothing like it,”
Veri says when recalling his favourite part of working in the entertainment industry.
Leonardo Veri hosting one of his first events for Veriation Music. (Veriation Music, 2020)
When asked about what it means to be an established disk-jockey, Veri considers each event to be a story: an introduction that builds throughout the event, until you reach the climax of the night. The experienced entertainer says this climax is when you have the crowd where they want to be, and you see the excitement in their eyes.
“You really feed on their energy,” says Veri.
The passion that ignited Veri’s career was ultimately passed down to his son, Leonardo Veri Jr. At the age of 16, Veri Jr. became a junior disk-jockey for Veriation Music, after spending many years helping and watching his father grow the company’s following.
Veri Jr. considers himself to be “an old soul”. He says that, like his father, his musical inspiration is Michael Jackson, with some contributions from Queen and Prince.
“It is a surreal experience to be able to work for something that you watched your own family create,” says Veri Jr.
Veri Jr. believes that in a competitive industry such as entertainment, his father has worked through more problems than most, and he takes pride in his family’s company.
The young disk-jockey believes that every event has taught him something important about life, as well as showed him the importance of preparedness, discipline, and the value of hard work.
Leonardo Veri and his son, Leonardo Veri Jr. hosting an event together for Veriation Music. (Veriation Music, 2020)
Both Veri and his son believe that being a disk-jockey and entertainer can be a stressful task, with the hours being much longer than what many people perceive them to be. “Everyone thinks that you are working for two hours, you are there before the party starts and you are there long after the party ends,” Veri Jr. says. Both men insist that hours of preparation, mix creating, and event set-ups go into each function.
“You have to have it ready, a good D.J. has an itinerary of a million songs, you better know everything,” says Veri. The senior disk-jockey recalls driving to the record store, buying records, and studying songs in order to enhance his abilities on the turntables.
Veri’s advice to aspiring disk-jockeys and entertainers is to start from the bottom and practice as if it were a sport. “Do not think you are ever the best, I am still learning, nobody is the best, you just keep learning,” Veri says.
Leonardo Veri hosting Veriation Music’s 30th Anniversary event. (Veriation Music, 2020)
Matthew Ammendolia, a fourth-year student at York University who is majoring in the Classical Music Program, says that like all music, disk-jockeying must be practiced religiously.
“Practicing is crucial because if you don’t keep up with perfecting your technique you will ultimately lose a lot of your developed skill,” Ammendolia says.
Ammendolia also says that a lot of great performances rely on even better preparation and practice sessions. He believes that knowing one’s audience is the most ideal prior to creating a mix for the event.
Similar to both Veri’s, Ammendolia insists: “You need to know what kind of music your crowd is going to like and base your playlist off of that, or else you’ll just end up playing for disinterested people.”
