We are a group of volunteer musicians who practice and perform within the greater Raleigh-Durham region. Our program is a part of the New Horizons International Music Association, and sponsored by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Duke University.

The New Horizons Music programs provide entry points to music making for adults, including those with no musical experience at all and those who were active in school music programs but have been inactive for a long time. Many adults would like an opportunity to learn music in a group setting similar to that offered in schools, but the last entry point in most cases was elementary school. We are here to change that!

The New Horizons Music program was created by Roy Ernst, Professor Emeritus of the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. He believed adults could learn to play musical instruments at any age, and involvement in a musical program would enrich their lives. To that end, Roy formed the first band in 1991. Today, there are over 200 U.S. and nine international bands, all embodying the New Horizons philosophy ‘Doing your best is good enough’.

Durham Academy Seventh Grade Band teams up with the New Horizons Concert Band to perform "Melting Pot".