New Horizons Band of Las Cruces
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The Las Cruces New Horizons Band will hold its 9th annual summer band camp at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, N.M. June 9 through June 14, 2008. It will culminate with a concert on the 14th at New Mexico State University’s Music Center Recital Hall.
The band camp will consist of instruction for various sections of the band and full band rehearsals starting at 9:30 a.m. and ending at 5:00 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and from 9:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday and before the concert Saturday morning. The Las Cruces New Horizons Band is comprised of senior citizens over the age of 50 who have either played an instrument in their youth and laid it aside to have a family and career or those who, because of family or career, did not have the opportunity to pursue music prior to retirement There are some members who are accomplished musicians and elected to learn a new instrument.
The first New Horizons Band was formed by Dr. Roy Ernst of the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. He found enough interest in senior citizens of the area to justify the organi- zation of a local band in 1991. From its inception, the band was successful far beyond the expectations of Dr. Ernst and his associates. The word was spread by articles in various publications such as the New York Times and a featured spot on the NBC Today show.
As a result of this exposure, interested people in other areas contacted Dr. Ernst about starting a band in their area. Thus the New Horizons Band movement was formed and started to grow. There are now about 70 bands in the United States and 2 in Canada with many more in the planning phase or in the process of forming and organizing. The movement is currently supported by a grant from NAMM International Music Association and the National Association of Band Instrument Manufacturers (NABIM) for publicizing and expanding the movement. Local bands are affiliated with the movement but are independent and are self supporting.
The Las Cruces Band was formed in January of 1995. It is jointly sponsored by the New Mexico State University Music Department and Mike White of White’s Music Box, a local Las Cruces music retailer with stores in Las Cruces and El Paso.
The band director is Dr. William D. Clark, recently retired head of the NMSU Music Department. The co-sponsorship by White’s Music Box is a great help to maintaining the band and expanding its membership.
The Las Cruces group was the 12th New Horizons Band formed in the United States and is currently the only New Horizons band in New Mexico. Its premier performance was in April 1995 with l8 local senior members. The band now has over 70 members and has played many events in Las Cruces, Hatch, Sunland Park and White Sands Missile Range. The band was featured as the opening performing group at the New Mexico Music Educators annual convention in Albuquerque in January 1998. As a result, the band was invited to play at a musical festival in Chicago and the Texas Band Masters Convention in San Antonio, Texas.
The band is certified as a non-profit and charitable organization with contributions tax deductible. The band continues to expand its repertoire as it grows, both in musical proficiency and in numbers. The upcoming camp in June is becoming an annual event and has been expanded by inviting members of other New Horizons Bands to participate. Interest has been expressed by members of other bands around the nation. Participation will be restricted only by the capacity of the facility and the availability of directors and instructors. The concert presented at the close of the camp this year was well attended with enthusiastic responses from individuals attending the concert.
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