ALL GOOD GIFTS
JEREMY WALTNER – PUBLISHER
It was eight years ago that Freeman Academy instrumental instructor Donna Ries was standing outside a contest room with Brennan Haggerty, waiting for him to play his tuba solo. She was talking to the late Gene Kaufman, an enthusiast for music in general and brass, specifically, about the poor condition of the old Yamaha tuba that was part of the school’s inventory and that Brennan was playing, and what could be done about it. After all, a good tuba isn’t cheap.
“Should I try to have this old tuba refurbished or try to raise the funds to purchase a new one?” she asked. “We just shook our heads. I knew that getting a new tuba would take years to accomplish — maybe not even an option as the school ticket price for a new one could be up to $10,000.”
And so the contest went on, the days passed by and an answer not immediately available.
Until it dropped from cyberspace.
Less than a week later after that conversation with Gene, Donna received an email from Ricky Schrag, a longtime Freeman resident who was nearing the end of his journey with pancreatic cancer.
In his email, Ricky — a 1966 graduate of Freeman Academy and 1968 graduate of Freeman Junior College — said he had made the decision to make the Freeman Academy Instrumental Department the recipient of his memorial funds and asked if the department needed to replace a specific instrument.
“I couldn’t believe what I was reading!” Donna told The Courier in an email. “This was nothing short of it being a ‘God thing’ and it brought tears to my eyes, as it still does even as I write this.”
To her amazement, nearly $8,000 was gifted the department in remembrance of Ricky, and “the search for the right tuba was on!”
Donna decided on a Miraphone 1291 based on a recommendation from her daughter’s brass instructor at Bluffton University, and the school received the instrument in August of 2005 — four months after Ricky passed away at the age of 66.
Three years after that, with Brennan since graduated, eighth grader Seth Balzer became the department’s resident tuba player using the Miraphone purchased in memory of its benefactor. And less than two weeks ago, Seth was honored at the 73rd annual South Dakota All-State Band Festival as a four-year member.
It was not the first time Seth received an award for an All-State Band event. He earned the Three-Year Middle School All-State Band Award as an eighth grader, and of the seven years that Seth has been a member of an All-State Band beginning in March 2017, he has earned first chair five times. Seth also received the Four-Year South Dakota All-State Orchestra Award earlier this school year, where he earned first chair three of the four years.
“Donna said he can make that tuba sing,” said Barb Schrag, Ricky’s widow who today lives in Minnesota. “It’s sweet to know that Seth was successful with it his whole academic career.”
Barb was here for Schmeckfest the other weekend and heard Seth play the tuba with the Freeman Academy band.
“It was a joy to listen,” she said.
“It’s a really good instrument,” said Seth, who will continue his education at Bethel College in North Newton, Kan., after which the Miraphone 1291 will go Freeman Academy eighth grader Armando Miller. “This is closer to a more professional model, and a lot of the other schools just buy the cheaper student models, and those aren’t as well made.”
Seth said he doesn’t remember ever meeting Ricky, “but it’s cool that I get to play a really good instrument that he made possible.”
And while Seth has a God-given talent for music, Donna believes the tuba obtained thanks to Ricky’s memorial gift was a major boost to his ability and success. “Would Seth have made it this far on the old tuba? My hunch is not,” she said. Thank you, Ricky, and congratulations, Seth! You have made a dream come true.”
