Fall/Winter 2000



Nina Tamburello
is the daughter of
LFC founder, Michael Tamburello. The CD began with a lullaby he wrote her several years earlier while working in Texas. Nina wanted to donate her lullaby to the victims of Columbine to bring healing through a song he wrote originally for her. Nina is
a now a sophomore at Littleton High School and is studying voice with
Dr. Scott Martin in Denver.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



"There is another "Rachael" that inspired me
very deeply... ...Although I never knew her, I feel as though I have because she has had an impact on me like that of a close friend. Her incredible faith strengthened mine."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Our project opened my heart and opened doors that never existed before Columbine. It is strange how God can make something unexpectedly good out of something bad."

 

 

 


 

The "Gift" from Giving
by Nina Tamburello

I am so very happy to have a part in what has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life since the very night Dad and I were inspired to make the Lullaby for Columbine CD. Once you cast your heart into something, it is truly amazing how other unexpected gifts can come from being a part of a project such as ours. Among the many gifts I unexpectedly received was the desire to pursue singing and the opportunity to learn from the very best vocal coach in the area, Dr. Scott Martin. I owe so much of my newfound happiness and sense of achievement to him and many others.

In my heart, I always knew I wanted to be in the performing arts somehow. Being that my Dad has spent most of his life in the music, he always encouraged me to pursue singing or learning how to play a musical instrument, but I was never really interested. In fact, I was petrified at the thought of being on a stage all alone and performing music in front of people. Instead, I originally thought that acting was what I wanted to do. I thought it would be neat to play a role in another reality within a great story.

Dad bought me all these books on acting and began researching acting schools in our area. I even had the opportunity to become friends with an actual film actress when one of his close friends married Lucy Deakins who starred in many films like "The Boy Who Could Fly" and "Cheetah". I looked up to her for her courage and ability to perform in front of a camera so realistically. It was so neat to see this person I could talk to in real life who seemed every bit as real on the screen. While I felt very blessed to know her, deep inside, something was still missing where acting was concerned.

Our project slowly opened my heart and doors that never existed before Columbine. It is strange how God can make something unexpectedly good out of something so terribly bad. Last year, when I first heard Rachael Lampa on "We Will Always Remember", her awesome voice did something to me. The thought of singing felt very different this time. I felt deeply inspired to do something I never before wanted to do. It seemed as if something was directing me to pursue it with all of my heart. Still, I was nervous about it, but I just had to do it!

It got even better than that, though. When I first heard through Dad of this incredible vocal coach, Scott Martin, who trained Rachael Lampa and Stacie Orrico, I immediately jumped for the chance to learn from him how to become the best singer I could possibly be! What an awesome opportunity! At first, my Dad thought that I was just going through a phase that would soon end, but he gave me the benefit of the doubt anyway and I began to study voice from him. In time, Dad too began to believe that this was something much more.

Doubt is a tough thing for everyone. Whenever I doubt myself and feel like giving up, I focus on my dream of singing a song someday in such a way that will move people and make them feel something. I also think of my friends whenever I feel doubtful because they are so encouraging, especially my best friend Missy who I have been friends with since grade school. She has always helped me a lot and supported me. Every time we get together, she always wants me to sing for her. How lucky I am to have such an encouraging friend!

Pursuing your dreams isn't always fun or easy, though. I know that the very same tedious and unglamorous breathing exercises that Scott drills into me are the same that Rachael had to also do. But I believe that if you give your all at something and want it bad enough, you will not let anything or anyone bring you down and make you doubt yourself. You shouldn't listen to them. Instead, go on to what you do best or pursue what you want to do your best at no matter how crazy you or others might think it sounds at first. If you're shy, and you don't think you can do it, push yourself to do it anyway knowing that God is by your side. You might surprise yourself and the people who thought you couldn't. It will make you feel good inside knowing you took that first step. Just have a little faith in yourself and in God who can see you through anything in life.

When I am frustrated with singing and I feel like I can't do it, I pray extra hard before I go to bed. The next day, I can see where I need to improve. I work even harder at it because I want to get that one part down so bad, and in time and with enough work, I eventually get it! Prayer has taught me to be patient and wait on God who has the master plan of our lives. He can bring opportunities to you that you may have never had enough courage or imagination to even dream of. He has a way of sifting goodness from even a tragedy like Columbine!

The story doesn't end here, though. There is another "Rachael" that inspired me very deeply, and that was Rachel Scott who courageously died at Columbine for being something that meant everything to her - a very loving Christian who "walked her talk". Although I never knew her, I feel as though I have because she has had an impact on me like that of a close friend. Her incredible faith strengthened mine. She has made me realize that anything is possible with God when you have faith in Him.

I am grateful to Rachel Scott for showing me how to have a relationship with a God who loves me very much and is by my side in everything I do. I thank Rachael Lampa for inspiring me with her beautiful voice to pursue something that means very much to me. Both of these great women were not afraid to "be" what they believed in with their whole heart. What a miracle both of them have been in my life! I feel so very blessed.

One night on the way home from a singing lesson with Dr. Martin, Dad and I stopped by the Subway restaurant where Rachel Scott once worked to have a sandwich. As we sat there talking about how our lives have been mutually affected by Columbine, I discovered something very interesting. I suppose I'm getting a little silly here, but I found that if you take the names Rachael Lampa and Scott Martin, the two important people who have had such a big influence on me, and put their first names together, you have "Rachael Scott". I later discovered that if you add Stacie Orrico's middle name, "Joy", and put it between them, you have "Rachael Joy Scott"! Is this some kind of sign from heaven? "Okay, dear God, Rachel Scott's first name is spelled without an "a", but I get the message!"

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