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New Horizons Music

Ready to dust off that old instrument or finally learn to play the one you’ve always wanted to? Gulf Coast New Horizons for Music offers a perfect entry point for adult learners. Whether you’ve never played before or it’s been years since your school music days, we’re here to help you reconnect with music in a fun, supportive environment.

Program Overview

Logo for music class for seniors

The New Horizons Music program is designed to offer adults, including those with no prior musical experience or those returning after a hiatus, the opportunity to learn, practice, and perform music in a group setting. The program fosters inclusivity and welcomes adults of any age or skill level, from beginner to advanced. Participants engage in intellectual and social stimulation through learning music, while also contributing to their communities through performances.

Benefits:

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Music challenges the brain, providing ongoing mental exercise. For many adults, learning an instrument or honing musical skills offers a rewarding intellectual pursuit that stimulates cognitive function. This mental engagement can help maintain and even improve cognitive abilities over time.

Participants become part of a supportive group where they form strong friendships, attend rehearsals, and look forward to events like concerts and performances. The program creates a sense of belonging and purpose, and in some cases, has even led to marriages among participants. The shared experience of making music together fosters a tight-knit community.

Music provides an outlet for deep emotional expression, from joyful moments to serious reflection. It connects individuals to the past, present, and future, offering meaningful engagement and emotional satisfaction. Many participants find that music becomes one of the most important aspects of their lives.

Studies suggest that making music can reduce depression, boost the immune system, and improve overall mental well-being. Socializing through music also supports good physical health, and the mental challenge of learning and playing music promotes the “use it or lose it” principle for brain health, helping participants stay sharp.

The program is designed to provide lifelong enjoyment. Participants often remain engaged with New Horizons for many years, contributing to a fulfilling retirement or post-career life. Music gives them something meaningful to do, new friends to connect with, and regular events to look forward to.

In summary, the New Horizons Music program delivers more than just musical education—it provides participants with a sense of purpose, social connection, emotional fulfillment, and significant mental and physical health benefits.

IT’S NEVER TOO LATE!

There are openings for:

  • Flute
  • Clarinet
  • Saxophone
  • Trumpet
  • French Horn
  • Trombone
  • Baritone
  • Tuba
  • Percussion
 

Pricing

Ensemble Participants: $49 per month, Average 4 classes per month

Instruments, music stands, performances, and books are not included.

Registration fee required for all participants: $99  (includes a MC shirt) 

Schedule:

  • Thursdays
  • 10:00 AM to Noon
  • Mid September through Mid April
“New Horizons International Music Association (NHIMA) is an international non-profit organization committed to New Horizons’ philosophy of music-making and undertakes initiatives designed to support the development and growth of New Horizons music organizations.” – newhorizonsmusic.org

Meet Our Director, David DeWitt

David DeWitt

Education: BS in Music education – Nazareth College of Rochester

MM in Trombone Performance – University at Buffalo

Assorted classes in Theory and Arranging – Eastman School of Music

David DeWitt taught in the Rochester and Buffalo city schools for 35 years and served as lead band director at the Buffalo Academy for the Visual and Performing Arts. There, he directed a wind ensemble, jazz ensemble, and jazz combo, and taught music theory, music history, and brass performance. Under his leadership, BAVPA’s jazz ensemble became the first high school band from Buffalo invited to perform at the Rochester International Jazz Festival. He also served as an adjunct professor at Canisius College in Buffalo where he directed the school’s jazz ensemble. His retirement in 2016 and subsequent move to Sarasota brought new opportunities to perform as a trombone and tuba player. His musical versatility and larger-than-life personality have quickly made him among the most in-demand brass players in the region. He is very excited to be taking on the helm of the Gulf Coast New Horizon’s Band, and looks forward to seeing this unique ensemble develop and grow.