INDIANAPOLIS — New Horizons Band of Indianapolis will perform a free concert of big band and Broadway favorites at Scecina Memorial High School at 3 p.m. Sun., April 29. Scecina is located at 5000 Nowland Ave. This will be the band’s first concert on the Eastside of Indianapolis. Admission is free and family-friendly.
New Horizons Band of Indianapolis was founded and is co-directed by Sam Rhinesmith, who was Scecina’s first band director (1955-61) and started the Scecina music program. Rhinesmith retired as band director at North Central High School.
The band also will perform the Scecina fight song, which was written by Rhinesmith.
Besides Rhinesmith, the band is led by three more outstanding directors with decades of music education experience in Indiana: Alvy Lee Spangler, retired band director from Speedway High School; John Marshall, who spent 33 years as Chairman of the Performing Arts Department and head band director; and Robert D. Wiker, who served his country in the U.S. Navy Band and was assistant conductor for 15 years and conductor from 2012 to 2016 of the Crossroads of America Scout Band.
The first New Horizons Band was formed by Roy Ernst at the Eastman School of Music in 1991, supported by a grant from the National Association of Music Merchants. The word spread through articles in publications such as the New York Times and a feature spot on NBC’s “Today” show. New Horizons Music is now an international organization with over 200 bands, orchestras, and choirs boasting more than 10,000 members worldwide.