i>. . . and dear Lord, you know that more than half my band is graduating in May. I’m loosing all my trumpets and tubas. I need saxaphone and clarinet players and I don’t know where I’m going to get them. Please provide for my needs in these areas . . . Prayerfully, the Upper Columbia Academy (UCA) band director of 38 years brought his petition to the Lord for the next school year.
God already had a thousand ways to answer. A number of Alumni and their parents, who had been blessed by Mr. Lange’s musical training, banded together to establish a “Gifted Musicians Scholarship” program—the first of its kind in Adventist secondary education. Students who audition and qualify could receive funds ranging from $500–$2,000 for their tuition. The problem was that the response to the GLEANER ads for interested students wasn’t bringing in much response. The angel Gabriel must have been sent out to recruit after more prayer from Lange, because when school began, there were 23 trumpet players lined up for slots in the band!
Now, with his brass section totally out of balance, Lange had to find those who were willing to divert their talents from playing trumpet to the French horn, baritone or tuba sections. With some of the funds from the Gifted Musicians’ Scholarship, these students were able to study privately and use some of their work time for paid practice! More than 40 new band members from 10 states and three foreign countries have added their talents to the faithful members from last year.
. . . thank you Lord for a well-balanced band full of young people who enjoy using their talents for you. You have provided for our needs far beyond what I could have ever thought of asking . . . Amen. •
From left: (back row) Ross Beier, Pendleton, Ore., baritone sax; Brandon Glovatsky, Grassy Butte, N.D., tuba; Phillip Sherwood, Pasco, Wash., trumpet; Rion Griffitts, Irrigon, Ore., tuba; Jared Schober, Lincoln, Neb., sax; Ben Isaacs, St. John, Wash., tuba; Dustin Billington, Post Falls, Idaho, tuba; (front row) Amanda Ward, Spokane, Wash., sax; Ashley Garcia, Pasco, Wash., clarinet; (not pictured) Jacob Graybill, Riverside, Wash., tuba.
