Education

Van received a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Calvin College (Grand Rapids, MI) after first attending San Bernardino Valley College in California. He attended elementary and high schools in both Michigan and California.

Special Secondary Credential in Music and a General Secondary Credential were then added from San Jose State College (California). Since then, he has taken extension courses in music and education and graduate courses in conducting from Cal State Northridge.

Musical Training & Experiences

Musical training: includes nine years of piano lessons, six years of pipe organ lessons, five years of trumpet lessons, and sixteen years as a band member.

Performance experience: he played in recitals for nine years, played a senior organ recital in college, played in bands from third grade through college and was a member of the 82^nd Airborne Army Division and Band.

He has been a church organist for over forty eight years and a band director for over 45 years.

Teaching Experience

The Prime Time Band was started under his direction in 1995 and under his leadership grew to a membership of over 90 individuals in the main band with an additional 40 members in the Silver Band. Van retired from leadership of the Prime Time Band at the end of 2005.

Previous Teaching

• Instrumental music teacher at La Colina Junior High until 1993 when he retired after 35 years of service. The La Colina Junior High music building has been renamed the J.B. Vander Ark Performing Arts Wing in his honor.
• Van taught organ lessons and organized two elementary school bands in Grand Rapids, MI
• Minister of music, Fayetteville, NC.
• Assistant marching band director, San Jose State College
• Supervised UCSB instrumental music student teachers
• Minister of Music at Saint Andrews Presbyterian Church

Other Honors

• Under Van's leadership, LaColina bands, orchestras, and jazz bands received many superior top ratings in festivals, parades, contests
• He received CA Honorary Life Membership in 1966, 1983, 1992. This is a California PTA Honorary Award.

Family & Interests

Van was born July 6, 1933, in Byron Center, MI. He married Lorraine on August 19, 1955. They have two married sons and 3 grandchildren. Lorraine taught primary grades in the Goleta School District for 25 years.

Van enjoys his family, church, Bible studies, travel, reading, senior bands and senior softball. He has traveled extensively abroad and in the United States.

Van and Lorraine live in Santa Barbara, but also have a residence in Bend, Oregon. They divide their time between the two homes.