Ben Leslie Purvis
1955
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Ben Purvis, a pianist,
trombonist, singer, and conductor has taught music in the Seventh-day Adventist
school system for nearly thirty years. He has also served as a pastor and
taught Bible classes during his career.
Ben was born in Walla Walla,
Washington, and spent most of his childhood in Enterprise, Oregon, the youngest
of three children of Robert and Jeannie Smith Purvis. His parents were singers
and all of the children were given an opportunity to study music. Ben
started piano lessons at age five and trombone in fifth grade.
He attended Gem State
Academy, where he was inspired by music teacher Jack Boyson
to make music an important part of his life. In the summer following his
graduation from GSA in 1973, his parents moved to western Nebraska. Ben enrolled that fall at Union College
majoring in both theology and music, with his performance area in piano. In his
six years at UC, he also sang in the choir and played trombone in the band. In
1975-1976 he served as a student missionary at Antillean Union College, now
Antillean Adventist University, in Puerto Rico where he taught music.
Following his graduation in
1979 from UC with a major in theology and a minor in music, Purvis married
Terri Davidson, clarinetist, in August and then became a pastor in the New
Jersey Conference, where he served for five years. In 1984 he was invited to
teach Bible and serve as chaplain at Enterprise Academy in Kansas. Just
after the school year started, the band director resigned and Purvis added
direction of the band to his load.
Two years later he accepted a
position at Indiana Academy as chaplain and Bible teacher. Four years later,
the music teacher left when the school reduced the size of the faculty because
of budgeting challenges. At that time he assumed direction of the music
program, this activity becoming the larger part of his load in the next four
years. In 1990, the yearbook, Memories,
was dedicated to him with the following message:
It
is hard to believe it has been four years since you came to our campus. Since then a lot has changed here at IA but
through all the changes you have been a constant in our lives. You go beyond the normal teacher student
relationships to be our friend. You are always available and willing to listen,
giving us an honest answer to our questions even when the truth hurts.
Your
positive attitude and strong family commitment have
both been an asset to our campus. We owe you a big thank you for putting life
back into the music program. Most of all
we want to thank you for your acceptance of us where we are at in our lives
while encouraging us to move on and grow in our spiritual life. These and many
more are reasons why we have chosen to dedicate this 1989-1990 yearbook to you.
In 1994, Purvis accepted an
invitation to teach music and Bible classes at Midland Adventist Junior Academy
in Shawnee, Kansas. In the next seven years, he taught music at all
levels, and when the school became a senior academy in 1997, he taught all
aspects of music for the remaining four years having developed a multi-faced
program in both choral and instrumental areas. In 1997, the yearbook was
dedicated to Purvis thanking him for the difference he had made in both music
and Bible classes at the school. They also noted his caring approach to them as
well as his “boisterous laugh” and “Santa Claus smile.”
In 2001 he accepted a
position at Gem State Academy. While at GSA, Purvis who had not
previously had an opportunity to work with handbells, became known for his
creative work with ensembles. He started
an annual Cool Ringings Bells Festival in his second
year, which within five years included more than 100 fifth through eighth
graders.
He also developed a
virtuoso-level handbell ensemble called Soundwave, which toured in Florida in 2007 for thirteen
days. The high-energy group played a varied repertoire from memory, using a
five-octave set of Malmark handbells
and a three-octave set of hand chimes. They played in a number of venues during
the tour, including an invitational performance in Disney Magic Music Days in
Orlando. In March 2009, they played at the Crystal Cathedral in Los Angeles and
in 2010 and 2011 were invited to perform in Daniel's Recital Hall in Seattle.
Purvis accepted a position at
Thunderbird Adventist Academy in 2012, where he directs the choir and teaches
two classes in Bible. In another year he will also direct an advanced handbell ensemble.
Through the years he has
pursued graduate study and taken a number of music classes, mostly through
Andrews University, to become a fully certified music teacher. The Purvises have two daughters, Amy and Heidi, both of whom
were active in their academy years in all the music groups.
ds/2013
Sources:
Interviews, 2007 and March 2103; personal knowledge.