The Burke High Bulldog drum line upped the high-energy ante of Big Omaha.
The eight-member team kicked off the school-spirited theme of Big Omaha, a two-day event that attracts and inspires entrepreneurs and tech gurus across the U.S.
Aside from giving them one last chance to play in public, instrumental music director Nicholas Spath also wanted to expose his students to the contagious entrepreneurial spirit within the KANEKO space.
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“Whether they want to pursue music or more school, they need to learn how to market themselves,” said Spath. “The tech and startup world is one way to do that.”
Spath believes Omaha is an up-and-coming music and tech scene that can serve as a launching pad for his students’ future plans.
“The music side of Omaha has definitely become more vibrant, and I think it could be a great platform for what they want to pursue,” Spath said. “If they want to be a part of the startup scene, they need to learn how to market and position themselves within these industries.”
Most of the students are juniors or seniors approaching graduation, and naturally, their thoughts circulate around the question of what to do next.
Their dreams vary from becoming a Disney Imagineer to owning a drum store, but many of their entrepreneurial inklings follow the trajectory of the tech industry.
“I want to find a way to create more personal pop-up advertisements,” said junior Brendan Larsen. “You kind of get that on Facebook, but if customized ads follow you wherever you go [online], that would be awesome.”
Junior David Hawkins sees entrepreneurs as problem solvers. “They find something they couldn’t do and figure out a way to make it work,” said Hawkins. He wants to open an urban-progressive clothing store in Omaha.
Omar Colin, a senior, plans to earn a degree in interior design. He hopes to move to New York and partner with his brother, an architect, to establish a firm that beautifies the outside structure and inside appeal of buildings.
“I think of people who have garage ideas and start their companies there, like Steve Jobs,” said Colin. “The really cool companies always come out of garages.”
Hawkins, along with two other students made plans to return to Big Omaha, sans the snare, as audience members. “This is obviously a big deal,” said Hawkins. “I want to be here.”
Credit: Photo by Nicholas Spath.
