Musicians and congregations gathered Dec. 6, 2025 for a vibrant instrumental music festival that filled the sanctuary with warmth, energy and heartfelt praise to God. Inspired by Choral Music Festival held earlier in the year, the event celebrated instrumental music as a powerful expression of worship, fellowship and unity.
The vision for the festival was proposed by Vladimir Kolbach, Tacoma Adventist Church instrumental band director. Building on the success of the spring choral festival, organizers intentionally expanded the format by inviting musicians from the broader Christian community. Kolbach carried a significant organizational role, gathering musicians from multiple congregations and conducting a combined band. His leadership, along with the strong support of Vitali Glavatski, Tacoma Church pastor, helped shape a well-coordinated and uplifting program.
The festival received conference-level support and coordination from Vitali Oliinik, Washington Conference Russian-Ukrainian ministries coordinator. Doug Bing, Washington Conference president, welcomed those in attendance, shared a brief homily and offered a prayer of blessing, emphasizing that music is a God-given gift that draws believers closer to God and to one another.
A special highlight of the program was the participation of Pavel Semanivsky, University of Montemorelos School of Music professor and guest speaker. He conducted a combined symphonic orchestra, bringing together musicians of different ages, cultures and experience in a unified expression of praise. The service concluded joyfully under the direction of Lev Vertylo, East Dnieper Conference president, professional musician and pastor. He led a joint band and Adventus, a vocal group, for the closing congregational hymn, “When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder.”
Instrumental groups from Tacoma Church, Center for Spiritual Enrichment of Adventists in Bellevue and Grace Adventist Russian Church in Portland, along with the Orchard instrumental group from Vancouver and Portland, presented music during the program. Musicians from Steps to Christ Adventist Church in Federal Way, Ukrainian Adventist Church of Washington State in Auburn and Adventist churches in Spokane also joined other ensembles and the combined orchestra.
As part of the organizers’ vision to broaden fellowship through music, musicians from Cornerstone Gospel Church, which is a Pentecostal church in Auburn, and Church of Blessing, which is a Christian church in Federal Way, were also invited to participate. Their involvement reflected a thoughtful effort to build bridges through worship and to glorify God together through instrumental music.
The weekend continued Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025 with a seminar on instrumental music ministry at Steps to Christ Church, led by Semanivsky and Vertylo. Together, the festival and seminar offered a meaningful testimony to the unifying power of music and the shared desire of believers to honor God through excellence in worship.
Young musicians play alongside adult performers, reflecting intentional intergenerational participation.
Pavel Semanivsky, from Montemorelos University, leads the combined orchestra.
Vladimir Kolbach, whose vision helped bring the instrumental music festival together, conducts a combined band.
A diverse group of musicians from across the Pacific Northwest join the combined orchestra.
Musicians gather for a group photo following the instrumental music festival.
