Facing Your Addictions

I have a confession to make....I am an addict. I think that all people have addictions, some more harmful than others. For many who know me, you know what some of my "addictions" or "weaknesses" are.  The people who TRULY understand my weaknesses include my wife and the employees of Lou Kraus Music. I am addicted to drums!

There, I said it! Happy now? Going through college, I was primarily a vocal focused music educator, and played in marching band for one semester. After I began teaching, I really found that I had a love for percussion instruments. Below are some pictures of drums that I have purchased for myself and/or for the school district at which I work. As a choral director, I think it is important that I find resources that help to enhance the performance of a piece, and often times that can be done with percussion.

Toca TCAJ-BW Cajon Drum

Toca Mechanically Tuned Djembe 12"

I was first introduced to the cajon when Curtis Isaacson conducted the UNK Festival Choir. I was just amazed at what kind of sounds he could get out of a simple box. On the inside of the box are snares that can be turned on and off. It is very easy to emulate the sound of a trap set with this wonderful instrument, without all of the equipment of a trap set! The other great things about a cajon is that you can get anything from a cheap beginner model to an expensive professional model, to whatever fits your needs.

Second is the Djembe, of which I probably enjoy playing on the most. I am by no means amazing, but I just enjoy the opportunity to make music with my students. The Djembe can be used on a variety of styles, but most frequently appears in African pieces.

These are the only two instruments that I own, but I KNOW that as I continue to teach I will continue to grow my "arsenal" of instruments. My wife may not be a complete fan of this addiction, but I suppose it is better than crack cocaine ;)

So the lesson to learn is that we all have addictions, we just have to decide how we want those to factor into our lives. Do we want our addictions to rule us and control us, or do we use our addictions to enhance the enjoyment of our lives in a positive matter?