>La Grande Observer | Union and Wallowa Counties' News Leader

Harold Poeling is one of the musicians playing in the Lanetta Paul and Friends Recital Sunday. (The Observer/LAURA MACKIE-HANCOCK).

By T.L. Petersen

Observer Staff Writer

When the angels announced the Christ child's arrival, the "tidings of great joy," there was probably the sound of trumpets.

Just listen to a few bars of Harold Poeling's trumpet playing — or his singing — and there's no doubt that this is the sound of great joy.

Poeling, one of the musicians playing in the Lanetta Paul and Friends Recital Sunday, is in the midst of his busiest musical season. He's performing with the Eastern Oregon University Chamber Choir, the Grande Ronde Symphony Orchestra, the jazz group and as a soloist, both with other musical groups and performing on his own.

It's a pattern he has followed for years, and one he enjoys even more as a non-traditional student.

"I wish I could make millions at it," Poeling chuckles as his fingers play over his trumpet's valves, "but I try to give the music away."

Poeling, who calls himself "a broke college student like everybody else," is also a husband and father of two who believes so strongly in education and learning that he's within just a few credits of finishing a degree from EOU.

When he started back to college, he was aiming at going into nursing, he admits. But music lured him into a new focus.

Music, he explains, has been the constant in his life as he earned money in banking, construction and even collection work.

He started playing trumpet and singing long ago, in grade school, and it was Richard Weldon — clear back in fifth grade — and then through high school, who inspired him to stick with the music.

But then "I got married and had kids," he says. Still, he just couldn't put music aside.

For many years, Poeling has traveled weekends doing a solo, contemporary, Christian music act at churches and for other groups.

"I've loved music all my life," he explains. "It's where I go sometimes to get away."

Without thought, Poeling lifts his trumpet to his

lips and sends notes floating into the air.

No one was musical in his family, Poeling says, but his adult sister does sing now, and his daughter, Leilani, shows promise to be "my little diva."

Even with a degree in music performance Poeling says his greatest desire is to stay in the Grande Ronde Valley. He hopes he may be able to find some music-teaching work or something associated with music.

"I just want to make music … and feed the family," he says, again letting the trumpet express his feelings with a short jazz rift.

Music, Poeling says — finally finding the words — is what he does best.