After a 20-month postponement, the New Horizons Band of Des Moines played a rousing hourlong set of holiday musical favorites Sunday afternoon in the Perry Performing Arts Center.
Perry Fine Arts spokesperson Marilyn Bode welcomed Director Ron Rieckmann and the 30-member band to Perry. Rieckmann said it felt like Sunday’s show was a long time coming, and he then led the players through eight pieces plus an energetic sing-along that had the 65 audience members tapping their toes and joining in the Christmas standards.
Musical selections were drawn from the U.S., Canada, England, Wales, France, Austria and the Czech Republic.
The New Horizons Band in Des Moines is part of an international organization, with most of the bands located in the U.S. and Canada. There are six New Horizon Bands in Iowa’s larger communities.
The members of the band are mostly senior citizens who are amateur musicians. Some learned to play instruments when they were in school, and others have learned as adults. They practice weekly under the direction of Rieckmann, a former instrumental music teacher in the public schools. They play a variety of musical styles — all instrumental — and they brought a festive mood to Sunday’s performance, their only Christmas show this year.
