New Horizons

What would your life been like if you had not started playing or singing when you did? What would you have done with your time? Do you think there would have been a hole in your spirit because you didn't join band or orchestra or choir? What would have filled that void?

New Horizons International Music Association has filled that void for many mature adults who didn't have the opportunity to play an instrument when they were in school. The program was started in 1991 by Dr. Roy Ernst of Eastman School of Music. It originally was designed for folks age 50 and older, but now welcomes adults of any age. New Horizon bands are all over the country and in Ireland and Canada.

From the web site:
"Active participation in music fills important needs for adults – the need for challenging intellectual activity, the need to be a contributing member of a group, and the need to have exciting events in the future. For many people, music can serve these vital needs better than anything else. It provides an opportunity to experience profound and serious thoughts or joyful moments. It makes connections to the past, the present and the future. It also connects one to other individuals and other cultures. Making music is a way of making vital connections to life. Early studies indicate that music making can reduce depression and increase the strength of the immune system. "

The nearest New Horizons Band is held at Baldwin-Wallace College Conservatory and is part of the Institute for Learning in Retirement.

Music educators should know about community organizations that are available for their students after graduation. We want our students to be able to play independently of us, to be confident musicians who can be part of an ensemble. We want them to continue to play their instruments or sing throughout their lives.