MOSES LAKE — When the psalmist wrote “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord,” he may not have been referring to a school band. But he would probably approve of the sounds coming from the Moses Lake Christian Academy band. Beginning, but joyful.

“We've had choir before, but this is our first year with an actual band,” said MLCA Marketing Director Janeil Koethke.

“We’re just building the foundation,” said band director and music teacher Ruth Weger. “I think we've done a lot more this year so far than was even expected.”

The school has taken to the program wholeheartedly, Weger said. There are separate bands for sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders, for whom it’s a required class, and the high schoolers can take either band or guitar as an elective. Students get a running start on music in earlier grades as well: the fourth-graders start with recorders and the fifth-graders have a drumline.

“We started with street drumming and now they're moving to actual drum equipment,” Weger said. “They're kind of our next sixth-graders coming up, so we tried to get them ready two years in advance to just be able to jump in.”

A $1,500 donation from Paul Koethke at Country Financial paid for a PA system and music stands, Koethke said. The MLCA Board of Directors rallied around the students, Weger said, and paid for the first year’s instruments. The students have most of the basics of a school band, Weger said: flute, trumpet, trombone, clarinet, saxophone, percussion and euphonium. 

“I'm praying to get funding for a tuba, Sousaphones, bass clarinet, tenor sax, like that,” she said.

“(Students) put down their top three choices for instruments and then (Weger) tried to make sure we had a little bit of everything in our band,” Koethke said.

The music selection presents a challenge to the students and also reflects the school’s focus, Weger said. 

“In a lot of the winter programs, a lot of the kids are still playing ‘Hot Cross Buns,’ she said. “We're playing music. I've done three arrangements of some Christian songs, because it's a Christian school. So I wanted to add that element into it.”

The strains of the classic hymn “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” drifted through the halls during Thursday morning’s eighth-grade band practice, followed by a worship song called “Oceans.”

“It’s about God and how my soul rests in his place and my feet follow,” said budding clarinetist Jade Maygren.

“God can walk you through times of trouble,” added Rebecca Wiser, also on clarinet.

It’s not an easy piece to play, Weger pointed out; the kids play in unison and the rhythms are pretty intricate for beginners.

“The hardest part, I thought, first was getting everybody on the right rhythm, and learning different types of notes,” Wiser said.

“The hard part for me is keeping my breath while playing,” said saxophonist Avalyn Bishop, singing a few notes that gave her trouble. “To me that’s hard.”

With only three students, the high school program is more of an ensemble, Weger said, featuring euphonium, trumpet and drum kit with Weger accompanying on piano.

“So we've been able to write original music, and do kind of a jazz ensemble,” she said. “Having a small group actually has been really great for building and kind of experimenting with. It's not your typical band program.”

Eventually, Weger hopes to build the program up enough to include a pep band and a vocal ensemble as after-school activities. In the meantime, the school’s first band concert will be at 6 p.m. Feb. 13.

“I think we’re doing pretty well for four months in,” said eighth-grade drummer Kaylee Schmidt. “Plus, most of us have never picked up an instrument before, let alone learned how to play one. So we’re doing pretty well.”

Joel Martin may be reached via email at [email protected]

Note: The MLCA band concert was rescheduled after this story was posted. The new date is reflected above.

    Amber Buell plays the flute Thursday at Moses Lake Christian Academy, backed by trumpet players Vesta Koethke and Elisa Serrato.
  

    Kaylee Schmidt practices drums in Moses Lake Christian Academy’s eighth-grade band Thursday.
 Joel Martin/Columbia Basin Herald   

    The sign behind drummers Abdias Meza, left, and Wyatt Taylor reminds musicians at Moses Lake Christian Academy why they play.