This Philly saxophonist dazzled Eagles fans. Now everyone wants to book him
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Vanya Sax gets the crowd going. Photo: Courtesy of Aaron Raysor
He goes by Vanya Sax, but you can call him Philly's most in-demand saxophonist.
Why it matters: Ivan Glubish, a 35-year-old musician from Ukraine, has been flooded with booking requests since he performed a viral rendition of the national anthem at Lincoln Financial Field during last week's Birds-Packers playoff game.
- He tells Axios he's scheduled so far out that one couple has asked him to perform at their unborn child's first birthday party.
Driving the news: Glubish will perform the national anthem again Sunday at an Xfinity Live! tailgate before the 3pm kickoff of the Eagles-Rams divisional matchup.
Zoom in: Glubish was musically trained in Ukraine before following his twin brother to Philly in 2015 to escape instability in his homeland.
- Glubish spent his first years here learning English and working construction jobs to keep himself afloat. He'd play on the weekends at some of Philly's Ukrainian and Russian restaurants.
- He decided to bring his sax to Eagles tailgates and was discovered by the Birds' marketing team via social media posts of his performances outside the Linc. They invited him to perform at a playoff game.
What he's saying: Glubish was told days before that Fox would broadcast his set on live television. He was filled with butterflies, and couldn't sleep much over the next couple of days. He relied on his girlfriend Charley Nolan and gym visits to calm his nerves.
- "I was dreaming about this [performance]," Glubish, whose idols include Kenny G, Candy Dulfer and Kirk Whalum, tells Axios. "But I can't even remember how it went."
We can. Glubish displayed a stunning lung capacity on the field, holding one of the anthem's highest notes with ease.
- Luckily, his GF recorded videos for posterity. And his viral moment is plastered all over the internet.
- "You're not thinking he's going to go out there and bring grown men to tears," says Nolan, who watched from the field. "He just has a way to bring you exactly where you're supposed to be."
The bottom line: Glubish says he's living his best life.
- "I'm an American citizen. I have everything right now. I have the perfect career. I make good money. I have so many friends. I love Philadelphia."