By Loni Lawrence
At the age of 84 Verna Long, a local resident, has scuba dived in the Philippines, snorkeled in the Caribbean and earned her pilots license; now Verna is trying something she''s never done before -- she''s learning the violin.
'I''m the oldest one here,' Long said, 'but I''ve always loved the violin.'
Long is a member of the newly formed New Horizons Orchestra. Sponsored by BYU and the Eldred Senior Center, the orchestra welcomes anyone from 40 to 90-years-old who wants to join. For this group no experience is no problem: most have never even played a string instrument before. New Horizons literally applies the idea that no one is too old to learn a new trick.
The week-old group already has 45 members, and most share Verna''s lifetime dream of making music.
As for the other members of the orchestra some have never played an instrument before, some played while students but stopped as life became to busy, and some have been inspired by musicians close to them. All share the love of music as well as a desire to create music themselves.
Marc Barone is the owner of 13 guitars and several other string instruments. Most of his life has been marked by a struggle with dyslexia, a condition that made reading music difficult. With renewed motivation to learn, Barone now plays the violin for the orchestra.
For Curtis Peterson the reason behind joining the orchestra has a family spin. Peterson''s wife is a long time member of the Sandy Symphony.
He has been trying to learn music on his own for years, though he said never felt like he got very far. This Christmas he played some simple Christmas songs with his children.
'For one brief moment we harmonized,' Peterson said.
He said that moment was a taste of what is to come. However, for now he said he is 'thankful for this unusual way to progress.'
'I''m just thinking ''Wow,''' Peterson said, '''I''m doing what does, but on a lower level.'''
Provo''s New Horizons program is part of 450 New Horizons groups nationwide, though it is the first one of it''s kind in Utah. New Horizons had its beginning twelve years ago at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. Roy Ernst, a professor at the school, began the first New Horizons Band for people over 40.
The idea 'took off like wildfire' said Andrew Dabczynski, professor of Music Education at BYU. A few years later Dabczynski joined the school''s staff and, realizing a need for a string counterpart to the band, started an orchestra. When he moved to the BYU Music Education Department several years later he brought the idea with him..
The keys to the program, Professor Dabczynski said are first, the program opens an entry window to music for people who are no longer in grade school, the normal starting point for instrument education. Second, the program gives those people who once played an instrument and stopped a chance to come back. The third, and most important goal for Dabczynski as a professor, is the opportunities available in the program for Music Education students to learn.
'These people have no discipline problems, no motivation problems,' Dabcyznski said. 'They all communicate on an adult level.'
For Dabczynski, there is one more agenda that makes his scholastic heart sing. Throughout the program, Dabczynski will administer evaluations to see how the music affects the families of the members and their relationships.
Though the group will be facing some unusual physical limitations due in some part to the aging process, none of the group seems to mind.
'I''ve done a lot of things in my life,' said Verna Long, grandmother to 87 great grandchildren and 15 great-great grandchildren. 'I think this will be the most fun.'