to perform at the Holly Arts and Craft Fair.
Privileged with growing opportunities to share
their love of music, the members are even more
excited for the opportunity to pick up their
instrument again, many after 50 years of putting
it down.
Performing in various assisted living
facilities such as Belle Meade, Pine Knoll and
Penick Village, the New Horizons Band serves
our beloved Moore with the gift of beautiful
music. Remembering back to the early days, the
New Horizons Band once gathered at the Senior
Enrichment Center facility for practices. With
continued growth in members, New Horizons
currently meets at Sandhills Community
College who graciously offers the space. As
the community rallies around the cause, the
Arts Council of Moore County, another local
treasure encouraging the arts, helps support
New Horizons Band, one of five NC chapters of
an international organization.
New Horizons Band in the Pines became
established in 2007, when some locals had a
dream to start a band. Upon approaching the
New Horizons’ headquarters, the idea was met
with hesitancy as the county’s population was
lower than the normal statistics. Founding
member and current Vice President of the
band, Lionel Bryson smiles, “Look at us now! We
started off with maybe ten members and now
welcome enough members for two full bands—a
concert band and swing band. Of note, many of
our members are music teachers with degrees.”
Initially comprised of 55 and older, membership
has relaxed to include interested adults. Lionel
encourages, “There are no tryouts. If somebody
needs an instrument and has an interest, then
we make connections to help them. If they need
lessons, then we have professionals who offer
instruction.”
As we discuss all things New Horizons, a
few board members join the score. Neal Yocom,
President of New Horizons, is one of those stats
with a musical past. Having served in Paris for
thirty years as a music director, Neal now plays
the trumpet in the band. Another board member
Advertising/Membership chair, Ed Dunn plays
the saxophone with the band. After fifty-seven
years of neither playing his clarinet nor his
saxophone, Ed discovered New Horizons which
became the perfect opportunity to continue
the dream. As different as the instruments that
make up the band, so too the stories of why each
member joined. Gather around as the stories
flow along with the music.
Serving with the band for twelve years,
Mollie Wilson has been with the band since
day one and directs both the swing band and
the concert band. A band conductor from the
Pocono Mountains who retired to Moore, Mollie
assures, “I never want to see another flake
of snow!” Being involved with New Horizons
offers hope to so many. Mollie tells, “When I
retired, I thought I would never direct again,
but this keeps me young.” In comparing her life
work of teaching middle schoolers to directing
New Horizons band, Mollie laughs, “In many,
many ways they are a lot alike. I truly loved my
middle schoolers as they couldn’t wait to play!
They came in every day motivated to learn. So
too these folks share the same passion; they
rearrange their schedules to be at rehearsals and
concerts.”
Remembering back to the good old days,
Mollie ponders, “As to our favorite place to
perform—the Senior Enrichment Center is near
and dear to our hearts as they loaned us the
space for our beginning program.” Progressing
in both growth in numbers and musical ability,
New Horizons hopes to open each performance
this season with Gershwin’s “Strike Up the
Band.” In considering the role music plays,
Mollie shares, “You can’t mention a word that
a song doesn’t go through my head. Music is as
much a part of my life as breathing.”
Joining the melody since day one, Lionel
Bryson recalls his journey with the band. A
retired electrical engineer, Lionel loves the
learning aspect of being involved. Playing the
trumpet in 5th grade, Lionel learned to play,
but shares, “I didn’t learn a lot about music
in school. However when I attended summer
music camp in the 7th grade, we learned how to
direct, all about orchestration and how to put
together the instruments.” Playing trumpet all
the way through high school and into college,
once Lionel started his career, there was no
longer any time to play his trumpet.
Becoming involved has renewed Lionel’s love
of learning as he continues to learn music along
with the band. Remembering back to 2012 when
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he felt the band wasn’t progressing, Lionel took
a reprieve to form a quartet for about 2 years.
“Year before last,” tells Lionel, “Neal invited me
to attend a performance at the Senior Center,
and I realized this isn’t the same band—they
sounded so much better! I attended the picnic
that day and knew I wanted to be a part of this
again. I missed the fun social atmosphere. The
key is having the right people, and Molly does a
wonderful job!”
An active participant in both the concert
band and the swing band, Lionel explains
the difference. “The instrumentation defines
the bands. Concert band is composed of all
wind instruments along with the percussion.
The swing band is modeled after a classic jazz
band with saxophones, trumpets, trombones,
along with a rhythm section which includes the
drums, piano and bass. Our bass happens to be
a tuba, which offers more of a traditional New
Orleans type jazz band.”
Becoming involved with New Horizons
offered a natural progression for Neal Yocom,
President and member of both bands. With
his father being a preacher, Neal grew up in
church surrounded with singing and music. In
5th grade, he start playing his uncle’s cornet, the
instrument that was made available. However
in 8th grade, a new band director arrived. Neal
laughs, “She was a beautiful, energetic young
lady who dressed in colorful clothes. One day,
she asked if anyone wanted to play the tuba, and
I raised my hand. Somehow the instrument fit
me really well, and I played the tuba throughout
high school and into college where I became a
music major.” Serving as a band teacher in Paris
for 30 years before retiring to Pinehurst, Neal
assures, “New Horizons Band is a perfect fit! A
hands-on person, too antsy to just sit and read a
book—I really enjoy being in the band!”
Advertising/Membership Chair member
and playing in both bands, Ed Dunn joined
New Horizons in 2017. Ed’s earliest memories of
music include attending the Metropolitan Opera
in New York City with his mom who loved music.
Picking up the clarinet in high school, Ed soon
progressed to a saxophone. However graduation
and beginning a career in engineering put an
end to the music.
Upon retiring from Pennsylvania to the
area, Ed remembers, “My wife mentioned that
Sandhills Community College was offering
music lessons to bring people up to speed to
play in the New Horizons Band. I signed up for
the class, and the rest is history!” Being involved
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Board Members: Lionel Bryson, VP. Neal Yocom, Pres. Ed Dunn, Advertising/Membership chair.
New Horizons Band practices at SCC.
p.32 The Pinehurst Gazette, Inc. No. 137