Naples New Horizons Band
Of Naples, Florida
About
About the New Horizons Music idea…
The New Horizons Band "model" came about in 1991. With the help of the Eastman School of Music and The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM), Roy Ernst conceived and put into action the model that turned into New Horizons Music. His philosophy was that rather than pressuring players by expecting perfection, the motto would be, “Your best is good enough.”
And you don’t need years and years of experience to join a New Horizons ensemble. Roy’s plan for this movement was, “If you want to play and can only finger one or two notes, join us and play them!” Then, through band practices and, perhaps, some individual or group music lessons, more and more notes come along. It turned out to be a wonderful and successful idea.
About Naples New Horizons Music…
Our Naples New Horizons Band began in 2002. The group was founded by Eric Ernst (Roy Ernst's older brother) at Imperial Wilderness RV Resort in East Naples. Eric had incredible energy and knocked on neighbor's doors until he had enough players to form a band. Cadence Music (Ft. Myers) assisted in getting instruments for the players. They began by having the band do "group lessons" from the Essential Elements band instruction series.
In 2003, Eric’s wife (Alice) met Ken Carper, a music teacher working at Manatee School, next door to Imperial Wilderness. They talked about Eric’s New Horizons Band. Ken, who knew Roy Ernst through his Master's Degree work at the Eastman School of Music, was immediately drawn to the program.
Ken was pleased to spend twenty seasons as the band's music director. Then, in the fall of 2024, a new era began with John Salminen as the band's 2nd Music Director! The band has been featured in the Naples Daily News, as well as a short feature on WGCU television.
The band rehearsals Thursday mornings, mid-October through mid-April, at the Vineyards Community Center in Naples. The organization also has a jazz band, and opportunities for brass and woodwind chamber ensembles. The band’s repertoire includes easy pieces (Level 1 ½ ) through Level 4 difficulty and performs about eight times through the season. The motto is still, "Your best is good enough!" It is a no-pressure atmosphere that is friendly to beginners, those who are a bit "rusty", and advanced players/mentors.
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