Issue 7: ...and Headphones
On a Personal Note: The Life of a Musician
Virtuoso Ben Jacobs picked up music at a very early age. "Music has always played a big part in my life. When I was very young, I would sit and clank away on my toy xylophone. I couldn't get enough of it and would play with it for hours on end."
His toy xylophone was just the beginning. "After I started school, I took up piano. I was never one of those kids who had to be forced to practice. I think because I had built up a love for music as a toddler, it inspired me to master the piano."
It didn't hurt that Ben's mother is an accomplished dancer. "My mom always had a passion for music and dance and has even performed at Carnivale. She definitely shared her enthusiasm with me and influenced my musical pursuits."
It was during one of his frequent visits to My Muse with his mother that Ben discovered the violin. "There was a man playing [the violin] and I was amazed at his skill! I begged my mother to get me one and she did."
But Ben didn't limit himself to his violin. When he reached his teens, he started experimenting with a synthesizer. "I loved the freedom that playing a synth gave me. Before long I was composing songs and DJ-ing at parties. I still use my SoundEscapes synthesizer to compose new material."
Ben credits his musical success in part to his mother, but also to the many opportunities he had to explore music as he was growing up. "I think playing at parties made it easier for me to start performing in front of bigger audiences when I began doing violin recitals. Over the years, I developed so much enthusiasm [for music and dance] that often when I play now, I get into the zone and forget about everything except the music. I hope one day soon I can be a part of Carnivale like my mom was!"
