New Horizons Band
About Us
Founding director of the Iowa City New Horizons Band, Don Coffman, then professor and head of Music Education at The University of Iowa, envisioned the Band as an opportunity for adults to learn or reacquaint themselves with wind and percussion instrumental music. Dr. Coffman also hoped it would influence his undergraduate music education and graduate students “to awaken (to) the notion that eventually their careers can extend beyond the classroom, that they can build closer connections between schools and communities.”
The Iowa City New Horizons Band subscribes to the national philosophy of the New Horizons International Music Association founded by Roy Ernst in 1991. Ernst believed that “anyone can learn to play music at a level that will bring a sense of accomplishment and the ability to perform in a group.” With respect to the style of instruction, the Iowa City New Horizons Band subscribes to another Ernst principle, “the style of instruction must be completely supportive and free of competition and intimidation.” Ernst concludes, “Your best is good enough,” and the Iowa City New Horizons Band members agree.
History
Steering Committee
Alice Atkinson (2024) <amatkinson@mchsi.com>
Bruce Walker (2024) <blwalker1946@gmail.com>
Karen "Z" Keith-Zamora (2025) <ktzamora7@msn.com>
JoAnn Koskey (2025), note taker <jmkoskey@yahoo.com>
Linda Knowling (2026) <linda-knowling@uiowa.edu>
Roscoe Porch (2026) <roscoeporch@yahoo.com>
2020 was the band's 25th anniversary.
Creation of an anniversary video was one of the projects that was delayed due to covid, but no longer!
See the anniversary video! Click for video.
