Choirs, symphonies and salsa are part of musical talents.

The Evans musical family consist of Jeremy and Marcus in the back row,

with Andy, JoEllen, John and Jessica sitting.

JoEllen and John Evans met as high school students in church choir in Highland Park, so perhaps it's only fitting that they have been creating their own family musical ever since.

The Evanses and their four adult children can provide enough musical entertainment to make the Von Tropf family blush. Their family reunion literally creates its own "Sound of Music."

"They all play instruments, they all sing and they all were in the choir," said John Evans, who himself plays trombone in the Encore Winds Symphony.

Perhaps it had to do with their raising. The Evanses are long-time members of the Leland United Methodist Church Chancel Choir — JoEllen has been choir director for 35 years — and their children have been de facto members.

"When the babies started coming, we didn't have a babysitter so they came with us to church choir practice," remembered John.

But music was not introduced to the Evans children at the exclusion of other activities. Marcus Evans was a standout football player on the last Glen Lake championship team. Jeremy was a wrestler, and Andy participated in sports through junior varsity.

Daughter Jessica ran into a conflict while attending Glen Lake Community Schools when told to chose between participating in band or choir. She chose both.

"Jessie and I drove together for a couple of years to (Northwestern Michigan College Community Band practice), until she graduated from high school," recalled John Evans. "She was a flute player."

Like her siblings, Jessica Evans can handle her own in a few musical fields, but shines in one. Her soprano voice, in her father's words, "can blow you away."

Did the Evanses push their children to go into music?

"There wasn't any big pressure," remembered John Evans. "It's something Jo and I always did. They picked up their own passion for it."

Passion would be the proper term, according to son Jeremy Evans, who teaches music in Leelanau County. “I can’t imagine life without music. It’s always been such a huge part of our lives.”

Jeremy unabashedly recalls juvenile battles he would have with siblings over who would sing which parts. “Pretty nerdie,” he says today. “But it was fun. It was something we could all do together.”

Not much has changed. Occasionally Jeremy will get what might be considered an unusual request for any other family. “Jessie will call to ask me to help arrange something she will be singing in church. It’s really helpful to have some to ask,” he said.

There was one requirement of the Evans children: taking piano lessons for a minimum of six months to learn the basic building blocks of music, including note reading. Most stayed with it longer, others left and returned, but all can still plunk out a tune or two on the keyboard.

A stranger would need a roster to keep track of the Evans' family musical talents:

• Andy is a professional base player who spent eight years as a studio musician in Nashville playing with such groups as the 50's heartthrobs, the Platters. Salsa bands also sought his talents. He holds bachelor of arts degree in music education from Michigan State University, and is a music teacher at Kingsley High School. On weekends, he plays with local noted musicians such as Jeff Haas and Jeff Cobb. The Traverse City resident played at a Governor's Reception Friday at the Grand Traverse Resort as part of the National Governor's Convention.

• Jeremy is familiar to students throughout Leelanau County. He is director of the Leland Performing Arts Center, teaches choir classes part-time in Northport and Leland schools, and directed elementary school plays sponsored by One-Up Web in Suttons Bay. This summer he is teaching high school musical workshops at Interlochen. He has a terrific tenor voice and plays the trombone. He holds a bachelor of arts degree from Alma College, is working toward a master's degree online from Boston College.

• You've heard about Jessica's tremendous voice. Her accomplishments including a solo performance in front of a symphony band. She, her husband, Paul, and their three children live at Twin Lakes where she is a teacher. She is a member of a community choir and the North Muskegon Methodist Church choir.

• Marcus works and lives in Traverse City with his wife, Jamie, and their three children. He plays saxophone and guitar.

Still need a roster. Just remember John's observation: "The two older ones live and die by music. The two younger ones, it's part of their lifestyle."

John earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Wayne State University before bringing his young bride to Leelanau County in the early 1970's to teach social studies, science and English at Leland Public School. But Evans soon discovered that teaching "just isn't my calling," He held leadership positions with the Area Agency on Aging and Head Start before what he calls the "Reagan budget cuts" gutted programs.

By then, his love with Leelanau County was deep — "I didn't want to move any place else — so he resorted to his summer occupation while teaching. Today the John L. Evans Painting truck can be seen on job sites throughout Leelanau.

While jobs came and went, especially early in his adulthood, one thing has remained stead: his music. He's played with the pit orchestra at Glen Lake plays, with various groups at Old Town Playhouse, and Saturday was in Alden performing with the 55-member Encore Winds Symphony. His favorites are semi-classicals, such as Sousa marches and Aaron Copeland's Fanfare for the Common Man.

One tradition has also remained: A summer gig that has attracted hundreds to the Evans farm in Centerville Township. Asked to describe the event, based around an old barn on the property, one word came to mind to Evans: eclectic.

Musicians of varying degrees of skill join singers unafraid to turn up a tune in the idyllic setting. No one knows what direction the music will turn; two years ago Ukrainian music was all the rage.

This year a change in venue has been declared. The gathering, alternately called "Evanstock" or simply "Lamb Roast," will be hosted on several acres owned by Jessica and her husband near Muskegon.

How many Leelanau participants will miss the event is hard to say, said Evans, although all are invited. He figures about 50 family members usually attend "but that doesn't count our friends. I'd say 150 people and up are usually there. It's hard to tell the relatives from friends."

"We have a family set, then we have others play," added Evans. "We have a back-up band. Sometimes it's really good, other times it's not so good. As the night goes on, it sounds better."

The gathering is annually held the third Saturday in August, with the main requirement that attendees bring a dish to pass and an appreciation for music, which can be gained simply by listening to the Evans family perform.

So how did one family get all that talent?

"It's a requirement. The ones who weren't (talented), we threw back," said Evans with a twinkle in his eye.

Apparently all John and JoEllen had were keepers.

Jeremy Evans (far right) is shown performing in the 2006 Traverse Symphony Orchestra production of “Broadway.”