Musical senior superlatives

There are no iPods or sound boards to be found as members of the Congaree New Horizons Band make their way into the rehearsal hall each Monday night.

Instead flutes, clarinets, trombones, tubas and other more traditional instruments are the sound makers of choice for these performers who are blending the love of music with the wisdom of age to create some joyful noises.

For nearly five years, Midlands residents 50 and older have played in the Congaree New Horizons band. The group provides the members musical training and performance opportunities.. Band members will present their annual free Christmas concert at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the University of South Carolina Marching Band/Dance Building.

USC music professor Jeremy S. Lane formed the group in 2007 after watching a mentor start a similar program while completing his undergraduate studies at New Mexico State University.

“Over the years, I had watched his program grow, and when I would talk with him, he would always tell me how great an experience it was,” Lane said. “So, when I got to USC in 2003, I wanted to find a way to contribute to the community in a new, unique way.”

Lane formed the band in January of 2007 with about 18 members, and the group has since grown to about 90, the oldest of whom are in their 80s.

The group includes a beginner band, an intermediate band, an advanced band and a jazz band. While some members have varying degrees of experience, many others are learning to play for the first time.

“We teach them everything from scratch,” said Lane, who added the primary difference between teaching adults and younger players is the level of self motivation.

“Most young students enjoy doing things like play an instrument or sing, but very often in the public schools, a kid will join band because their parent is making them, or because their best friend is joining,” he said. “The adults in our program, however, are all self-motivated. They took the initiative to sign up, they pay for their own instruments, they come to rehearsal every Monday night, and they practice on their own.”

At the same time, the more relaxed practice atmosphere makes for more leisurely learning.

“We try to keep a very relaxed, calm environment without any pressure, so (any initial) apprehension tends to go away very quickly,” Lane said. “We also try to have a lot of fun - humor is an essential part of every class we do.”

Band members describe their experiences as a mix of fun and refresher course.

“We just have a great time,” said trumpet player and band president, Vicki Howard, who joined the group shortly after it was formed.

With her high school playing days a distant memory, Howard said she was challenged when she picked up her instrument again after all the years but added it quickly came back to her.

“I did remember a scale or two,” she said.

Marcia Hamilton, a second-year flute player, joined the group after a 40-year nursing career. She had been looking for a place to perform – in hopes of recapturing the camaraderie she enjoyed in high school band – when she heard about New Horizons.

“I found it here,” she said.

Bob Taylor had long played flute – first in high school and later in college, including in the University of Florida Symphony – before switching to oboe a couple years back and joining the New Horizons band.

“I always had it in the back of my mind that I wanted to learn oboe,” he said.

While giving people the chance to develop their music skills, the program provides an extra training tool for USC music students who help teach band members and offer private lessons.

“They are getting opportunities to practice teaching, which is always valuable,” Lane said. “In addition, the adults are able to communicate more clearly with their teachers.”

Congaree New Horizons band members perform several concerts throughout the year, including this week’s Christmas concert. Lane said one of the most rewarding aspects of the program is seeing many who might not otherwise be involved get the chance to share their love of music with each other and the community.

“It is really amazing to see folks who once knew nothing about playing an instrument now fully involved in our bands, playing jazz, going to concerts, and otherwise getting involved,” he said “I love seeing amateur musicianship at work.”