Siblings have been involved in music since a young age By Mark Hughes Cobb Staff Writer November 14. 2005 3:30AM If you believe there are truly angels among us, some folks around here would nominate The Lamb Family. Playing -- and on their new CD, “Christmas With The Lamb Family," singing -- in the warmly interwoven harmony found in blood relations, the resulting music could perhaps be described as a window into heaven on earth. The Lamb Family as a musical group comprises three Lambs and a ram: Karis, 18, Kiemel, 16, Kolson, 13, and Caleb, 11, the lone young man among the siblings. All have studied violin since the age of 4 or 5 with Kristine Fink McCreery through the Community Music School, and Kolson has recently begun studying viola to add more texture to the ensemble. Equally at home with classical, sacred and pop, The Lamb Family was in demand for weddings, church and TV events even before last year’s debut CD, a collection of hymns titled “Music With A Message." They’ve been heard nationally on “Backstage with Greg Crowe" and National Public Radio’s “From the Top" in October 2004, broadcast from their home away from home, the University of Alabama’s Moody Music Building. But while the spotlight falls on the talented children, the true Lamb family encompasses more than meets the ear, for they are even closer knit than their music suggests. Although Karis is now a freshman at UA, studying violin performance under Daniel Szasz, she still comes home each night to her parents’ and siblings’ house. In fact, she choose UA so she could continue to perform with the family. “It’s a challenge time-wise, because I’m not at home near as much," Karis said. “But there’s nothing that’s ever going to be able to come between us. We could all live in different parts of the universe, it wouldn’t matter." It’s a warm nest that doesn’t encourage long flights. Bill and DuRhonda Lamb home-schooled the children, although they interacted with others their age throughout years in music study. The sisters are members of UA’s Huxford Symphony. The younger three perform with the Tuscaloosa Youth Orchestra and Chamber String groups and study piano with Pam Gordon. Mom DuRhonda also gets into the act at times, playing piano; or, as on the Christmas CD, bells and percussion. Father Bill, though, stays out of the studio and off the stages, offering support instead of his, he says, non-existent talent. “We are ordinary people having an extraordinary time," he said.