How 'bout a little rag elevator music?

Hi! My name's Martin Spitznagel, and I'm 16 years old. I ain't the prettiest kid, but looks can be deceiving...

I was hooked on by ragtime when I was 12 when a friend came in and played the "Silver Ridge Rag" on the piano in class. Since then, I've spent many hours composing, playing, learning, interpreting, and sequencing ragtime in the past 3 years.

Since the beginning of 1996, I've used the family-owned computer to access the internet, and discover many welcoming and excited people basking in the rush of getting another artist hooked. Actually, I was very surprised at the eagerness to help that a few people had, including Mary Haley, Sue Keller, and John Roache.

Being only 16, I have a tremendous advantage because many people savor the chance to get another person, especially a kid, into a cool new thing,(in this case, ragtime). I have appreciated all the help I've received, and would like to start helping others get into ragtime. (Actually, I have gotten 2 new pianists hooked onto ragtime, and we've become good friends in music and out of it. )

Most of the midi files on this site are performed by me or my good friend Bill McNally on a Yamaha Disklavier piano I won in Calliope Media's "Make Your Own Rag" competition. We have enjoyed making these files and making them available.

I created Ragtime Extravaganza to not only get you hooked on ragtime, or even more hooked, but to also get my music on the internet and available to people like you. I feel, however insignificantly, that I have something to offer, and I'd like to share any talent I possess with you.

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