DES MOINES, Iowa — The New Horizons Band might be the best idea we heard this year. Their free Christmas concert at the Valley View Retirement home on the east side of Des Moines might be the second.

For those of you scratching your heads, we’ll let the band explain.

“The group,” says director Karla Killinger, “is for people who haven’t played an instrument since they were kids, or have always wanted to play an instrument.”

“We rehearse once a week,” says drummer, Bill Throckmorton, “and that’s like my happy night.”

“We all loved it at some point,” says Rita Patterson, who started playing the French horn 68 years ago. “And then for whatever reason we didn’t get to do it for a while.”

“What I started falling in love with was the mottos,” says Killinger. “‘Your best is good enough.’”

“It’s still in your system somewhere,” Throckmorton says. “You just have to find it and tweak it out a little bit and it all comes back.”

“We play for nursing homes, veterans, and retirement communities,” Patterson explains. “People that maybe are isolated from their families … and when we play it takes them back to a time when they were kids and singing or playing — it’s just a happy time.”

“We’re old, but the band plays well!” Throckmorton laughs.

“Music has helped them come through crises in their lives, challenges, tragedies,” says Killinger.

“I’m just thrilled to play every time I get a chance to play,” says Patterson.

“I mean that’s like a win-win deal,” says Throckmorton, who played in the Air Force band in college. “You have fun making the music and you have fun seeing people enjoying the music.”

“We’ve been playing Christmas music in the band since October,” says Patterson, sitting with her lighted, tinseled French horn. “You’d think I’d be Christmased out — but I’m not.”

“I’m seeing the faces in the audience,” says Killinger, getting emotional, “and I’m thinking ‘Wow! This is bigger than me. This is bigger than this group.’”

The band is always looking for new members. You can find more information on their Facebook page or by emailing them at newhorizonsband.desmoines@gmail.com 

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