Sophomore Adam Penias has been DJing since he was 15 years old. He DJed the CCHS's homecoming pep rally in November.
BY RACHEL SHARPE
When the latest hit song makes you jump out of your seat at a party and head straight to the dance floor, you probably don’t think twice about the guy who makes all the decisions about what songs to play and when to play them. One song blends into the next and you keep dancing unaware that the disc jockey is expertly mixing the music to make your night enjoyable. Behind the stage and the speakers, mixers and sound boxes, it’s the DJ’s responsibility to control the party and keep it going strong. CCHS sophomores Jake Miller and Adam Penias are two up and coming DJ’s who love doing just that.
Many believe that a DJ’s only responsibility is to play a list of songs. However, there is much more to it than just music; DJ’s are constantly learning, practicing and developing. They must know how to manage all the equipment and master the skill of creating seamless transitions from one song to the next. DJ’s also have to follow the latest music trends and most importantly, keep the audience engaged, entertained and dancing.
Sophomore Jake Miller has been DJing since he was 10 years old. He has DJed hundreds of events including Bar Mitzvahs, Sweet 16s and school dances.
Sophomore Jake Miller has been passionate about entertaining practically his entire life. Miller has been putting on shows since the age of five. When he was ten years old, he DJed his sister’s birthday party with just a small set up. His friends and family were truly amazed by his natural ability to interact with the crowd and create a fun atmosphere. Miller saved his money and soon was able to buy himself an equipment set-up, consisting of speakers, mixers, cable stands, lighting and more. He quickly gained customers by word of mouth and his business grew from then on.
“I learned how to use the equipment all by myself,” Miller said. “It took some time, but eventually, I figured out how everything worked, and like they say, practice makes perfect.”
Later naming his business J.A.M. Masters, Miller has DJed Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, holiday parties, school dances, Sweet 16’s and much more.
Miller has even had the opportunity to work as the D.J. at Camp Blue Ridge, a sleep away camp in Mountain City, Georgia for the past two summers. In exchange for camp tuition Miller DJed the camp “socials” or dances every Friday night and assisted with other evening events. The rest of the time he got to be a regular camper.
“I love being a DJ because it is not only a job, but also a hobby,” Miller said.
In the past six years, Miller has come a very long way. He continues to challenge himself everyday on the job. He always dedicates himself towards every event and makes sure that no guest or host goes unsatisfied.
In March 2011, Miller will DJ the annual Davie and Cooper City Relay for Life, a 24 hour event that raises money for the American Cancer Society as part of a worldwide movement to end cancer.
“I was very honored when I was asked to be a part of such a wonderful event,” Miller said. “I’m very excited and hopefully everything goes well.”
Adam Penias, first developed an interest in DJ’ing when he was 13 years old. Although he had always enjoyed music, Penias never thought of becoming a DJ until he was inspired by the DJ at his Bar Mitzvah, DJ Lior. Shortly after, Penias started assisting DJ Lior and his company Explosive Entertainment with local parties and events. Once he mastered the technical aspect of DJ’ing, Penias decided to go off on his own as a DJ when he was 15 years old.
“The first event I DJed on my own was a Sweet 16,” Penias said. “It was excellent.”
Penias now DJ’s countless events such as birthday parties, Bar Mitzvahs, and quinces. He promotes his business by advertising in local Bar/Bat Mitzvah Magazines and the Temple Sanai Magazine. Penias also attends Bar/Bat Mitzvah showcases to meet with clients and get his name out to the public. He has even hired his own dancers that help him energize the crowd and create a fun atmosphere.
Although DJ’ing may seem like all fun and games, there is a lot of work involved with being a DJ. Penias must constantly keep up with the latest trends and add to his music library, which contains over 15,000 songs including Top 40‘s, Dance Music, House and Electro, Salsa, Israeli/Moroccan and much more. Penias also must make sure that everything is running smoothly. He conducts constant sound checks, inspects program lighting and continually reads the crowd to determine what type of music to play.
“Even when I’m not at a party I’m always doing something associated with DJ’ing,” Penias said. “Whether its ordering party favors or organizing play lists.”
Miller and Penias have become close friends through the DJ industry; therefore, they often help each other out by giving each other tips and advice. They share music and work together at large events such as Bar/Bat Mitzvahs and Sweet 16’s. In fact, there have even been many times when Penias will work an event as the DJ and Miller as the Master of Ceremonies.
It is clearly evident that both Miller and Penias are both passionate about entertaining. Their charisma and their ability to liven any event at such a young age, is truly remarkable.
“When the crowd is having a good time, so am I,” Miller said. “It makes me feel like I did my job well.”
Penias surely agrees with this statement. His experiences as a DJ have been extremely rewarding.
“The best part about being a DJ is seeing the client happy at the end of the event,” Penias said.
As for their future plans, both DJ’s hope to continue their businesses through high school. They look forward to learning more about how to excel as DJ’s and expand their talents. Miller aspires to pursue a career in the entertainment industry and to someday have his own production company.
Both Miller and Penias are becoming more and more well known at CCHS and throughout the community. Whatever their future holds, both young DJ’s know one thing for sure- they will succeed as long as they keep doing what they love to do.
