Hitting all the right notes from green to masterful
Peterborough New Horizons Bands will perform Nov. 29
Michael and Diane Boysen recently joined the New Horizons program.
Diane is a flute player. She had studied piano in high school and so she could read music. In their house was a flute their daughter had played. It interested Diane.
She and the flute came to Green Band. The Green Band is where all newcomers come to New Horizons if they have no musical experience or no experience with a particular instrument. In Green Band the learning starts. In her third year Diane has progressed from Green to Jubilee to Allegro.
Diane’s husband watched her progress. Michael had played tuba in high school. He brought his interest and experience with tuba to Green Band. After one year Michael has progressed from Green to Jubilee.
Nine years ago Elfi Mandeljc asked a PNHB conductor what instruments were needed. She was told that a bassoon is always needed.
Elfi was attracted to the low tones of the instrument. She knew music but not the bassoon so she started in Green. Elfi has progressed to Odyssey, the band in which members are considered highly skilled with their instrument. There are no bands after it.
Marlys Kerkman plays bass clarinet. She joined PNHB at the bidding of a teacher friend and PNHB member in hopes that they would see each other as they did when teaching.
Marlys knew music, having taught instrumental music and general music and knew the bass clarinet. She joined PNHB at the Skylark level and progressed to Odyssey. She enjoys the talent that surrounds her and the music that is produced.
Buckhorn residents Jon and Susan Knights are PNHB members. Jon is a conductor in the program and Susan is a flute player and coach. Susan’s first instrument is piano. She achieved her music degree at
Western where she met her husband. The couple moved to Alberta. Susan had 40-50 piano students. After work Jon cared for their children while Susan moved to her piano students. Jon, too, achieved a music degree from Western. He started out on the piano but finished on the trumpet. He became a principal in the Alberta school system as well as coaching volleyball, working with choirs for 30 years and teaching band.
Upon retirement they came back to the Peterborough area where Jon was raised. Jon knew PNHB existed but knew nothing about the organization. His former high school band instructor asked him to do some conducting in 2011. That is what he does today.
Come hear all of us play in the various bands on Nov. 29. We have tickets just waiting to sell to you!
Christmas in Buckhorn
The mayor has an idea. She has visited many people in the village to share it. “Let’s light up Buckhorn for Christmas.” Many people are saying yes. Lights are being placed on roof tops and windows to create a winter picture postcard. Got your lights up yet?