About Jakob

 I am a musician, educator, writer, and cultural researcher whose work centers on the role of music as a social, spiritual, and communicative force across cultures.

I studied music at the University of Kansas with an emphasis on world, concert, and jazz percussion. During my studies, I engaged deeply with the anthropological and psychological contexts of music—exploring how sound functions within cultural identity, generational storytelling, and individual well-being. Over the course of four years, I performed in more than 100 concerts across a diverse range of ensembles, including choirs, orchestras, bands, chamber groups, and solo performances.

My percussion studies focused extensively on West African traditions, particularly Guinean drumming on djembe, dununba, sangban, and kenkeni, as well as Senegalese sabar drumming using instruments such as nder, cól, mbëng-mbëng, and the tama, or “talking drum.” As my studies progressed, I expanded my performance practice to include steel pans and Brazilian percussion, including samba and hand drumming traditions on surdo, caixa, and pandeiro. In private study, I explored Middle Eastern hand drum techniques on instruments such as the tar and darbuka, alongside Afro-Caribbean and Brazilian traditions, including congas and pandeiro.

Following my university training, I moved to Washington, D.C., where I worked as a professional musician and writer. My work there included private performances for exclusive social clubs, orchestral engagements, and private music instruction for students ranging in age from early childhood to late adulthood. Alongside my performance career, I began developing a children’s book series focused on music from around the world, highlighting instruments, dance, cultural values, and the ways different societies understand and experience music. I have since authored a children’s book exploring the historical context of music within French culture, blending education, storytelling, and cultural history for young readers.

I am currently serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Albania, where I teach English as a Foreign Language. This experience is a testament to my commitment to education, cross-cultural exchange, and community-based learning. Teaching abroad has deepened my understanding of language as both a practical tool and a cultural bridge—much like music—and continues to inform my creative and educational work.

Spirituality remains a guiding force in my relationship with music. Across many traditional cultures, music serves as a spiritual practice as much as an artistic one, offering a means of connection, identity, and collective expression. Whether through communal music-making or personal exploration, I believe spirituality brings depth and authenticity to sound and allows music to speak beyond words.

My curiosity for dialogue and intellectual exchange has also led me to work with political grassroots organizations, nonprofits, think tanks, creative companies, and through an internship in the United States Senate. These experiences reinforced my belief that creativity—whether in music, writing, or civic engagement—begins with listening. Growth emerges through understanding, collaboration, and the willingness to explore ideas alongside others, even in moments of disagreement.