When plumbing( 水暖设备)makes funny noises, it's not always a good sign. But John Kovac, a harpist(竖琴演奏者)from Virginia, likes the pipes to sing. He thinks plumbing pipes make good musical instruments.
Kovac has made standard harps out of wood for more than 20 years. He says he feels excited when he creates an instrument with his hands and uses it to make music come alive. But it takes years of training and special tools to make a traditional musical instrument. Kovac wanted to share the joy of
making instruments with people who might not have the time or money to do it. So he decided to find an easier way.
Plumbing was the answer. Kovac found PVC pipes at a local store. PVC pipes are the white tubing that many plumbers use. You might find some in your house under a sink or in the basement. Kovac says that PVC pipes are great for making instruments because they are inexpensive, come in many shapes and sizes, and fit together perfectly.
Kovac makes harps, guitars, violins, and drums out of PVC pipes. He also makes uncommon instruments like the udu from Nigeria. His instruments may look as if they come from outer space, but they really work. He and some of his music students and friends even started a band called the East Coast PVC Band.
Sally Seabright is a violin teacher who plays the PVC violin with the band. At first, the rounded shape of the PVC violin made it difficult to hold between her chin and shoulder, but Kovac made a slight change by adding a piece that fits perfectly under her chin.
That kind of adaptability is what Kovac admires about PVC. He says, "I know it's not easy for the average person to make a musical instrument, but I hope to enable anyone who has ever dreamed of making a violin, harp, or guitar to fulfill his or her dreams. "