The New Horizons Band of Western New York will present a spring concert at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 24. The free concert will be held in the Harry S. King Concert Hall on the SUNY Fredonia campus.

Dr. Katherine Levy will conduct “Rookie of the Year: Main Title March” (1993) by Bill Conti and arranged by Larry Daehn; “A Renaissance Pageant, Movement I” (1612) by Michael Praetorius, adapted and arranged by L.C. Harnsberger; “Turkish March” from “The Ruins of Athens” (1811) by Ludwig van Beethoven, and arranged by Philip Gordon; “Chanson de Matin” (1892) by Edward Elgar and arranged by Albert O. Davis; “Alegre” (2002) by Tania Leon; “Someone to Watch Over Me” (1926) by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin and arranged by Warren Barker. Band member Debora Tobio will be the soloist. The last song conducted by Dr. Levy will be “A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock ‘n Roll” (1974) by Marty Cooper and arranged by Warren Barker.

“Liberty Loan March” (1917) by John Philip Sousa will be conducted by John Krestic; Donald Keddie will conduct “On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss” (1989) by David Holsinger. Pauline Emilson will conduct “The Light of Dawn” (1998) by James Swearingen. “Children of the Shrine” (2000) by James Swearingen will be conducted by Karen Boyd.

The New Horizons Jazz Band of Western New York will perform “St. Louis Blues” (1914) by W. C. Handy; “Almost Like Being In Love” (1947) by Frederick Loewe and Alan Jay Lerner; and, “That’s Aplenty” (1914) by Lew Pollack. The Jazz Band is under the direction of SUNY Fredonia student conductors Juan Herrera and Christopher Zatorski.

There will be a cookie reception following the concert in The Cathy and Jesse Marion Art Gallery.

Members of The New Horizons Band of Western New York live in the following communities: Angola, Brocton, Cassadaga, Derby, Dunkirk, Forestville, Fredonia, Lakewood, Lily Dale, Portland, Sheridan, Silver Creek, Sinclairville, Strykersville and Westfield.

The band, under the direction of Levy, was launched by the SUNY Fredonia School of Music eight years ago and is living proof that, when it comes to learning to play a musical instrument, it truly is “never too late.” New Horizons Band members, who are at least 50 years old, learn to play a band instrument, return to playing a band instrument after a long absence, or continue to improve playing an instrument they have long enjoyed.

The band program includes two weekly group lessons on an instrument and two weekly band rehearsals at SUNY Fredonia’s Mason Hall. The band has an enrollment of more than 60 musicians. The average band member age of the New Horizons Band of Western New York is 63. Band member ages range from the early ’50s to the late ’70s.

By popular demand, special New Horizons Band-only sessions are held during the months of January and July. No lessons are offered during the special sessions. The summer session concludes with concerts in local venues.

Levy, associate professor of music education at SUNY Fredonia, conducts the band. Advanced music education students in the School of Music provide group lesson instruction. Levy was introduced to New Horizons in 1995 when she became the brass instructor for one of the first New Horizons Bands in Iowa City, Iowa. She has conducted New Horizons Bands in Iowa and Georgia, and she founded a New Horizons Band in Hagerstown, Md.

“Music-making is just too much fun to leave only to younger folks,” Levy said. “Almost anyone can enjoy learning to play a musical instrument when good instruction, a friendly environment, and lots of helping hands are available.”

The New Horizons Band of Western New York is part of the Musical Journeys Program, a community outreach project offered in the Fredonia School of Music. More information about New Horizons music efforts and the New Horizons Band of Western New York is available online at www.fredonia.edu/music/community/newhorizons.asp or call 673-4628. Those who are not sure what instrument to play may contact Levy at 673-3401 to schedule an appointment to try various wind, brass and percussion instruments.

For a complete list of upcoming events in the School of Music, visit fredonia.edu/music.