New Horizons Band of Godfrey Celebrates 25 Years in Existence With Weekend Concerts

Randy Manning

May 5, 2023 2:40 PM May 5, 2023 2:44 PM

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GODFREY - The Godfrey New Horizons Band, founded in 1998, performed 18 familiar (and fun) songs to celebrate their 25th anniversary at the Godfrey Knights of Columbus Hall, on Stamper Lane, in Godfrey this past Saturday and Sunday (April 29 and 30).

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Founder/Director Stanley Chytil said, “Twenty-five years ago I was teaching music at Lewis & Clark when the music director for the college (Harlan Hock) asked me to start a band for Senior citizens and it’s been nothing but fun since. I’ve enjoyed teaching music to senior citizens because they are generally more motivated to learn than younger students. Unlike the younger students…when I ask the Seniors to rehearse at home…they rehearse at home and they get good at their instruments pretty quickly.”

Which is really a good thing because Mr Chytil says no auditions are necessary. “If you are enthusiastic about wanting to play that instrument we want you…even if you have never played it before”.

He went on to say, “The members, (currently 40 of them), in this band are happy to play because they build relationships with other band members. It also keeps their minds occupied and their doctors tell me the members end up being healthier because of it. In fact, we have three members who have been in the band from the beginning. They are Diana McGraw, Lou Pattan and James Eschbacher."

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The band meets and rehearses every Monday from 5-7 p.m. at that same VFW. “We like to rehearse at the VFW because we can have cookies, coffee and even a beer (if we want) during the rehearsal breaks.”

Mr. Chytil also took a moment to point out, “We are also very lucky to have an excellent Assistant Director in Norman Thiel.”

The band’s next event will be a “free” concert at the Grafton Winery, (rain or shine), on June 11th from 2-4 p.m.

More information about the band can be found on their Facebook page by searching “New Horizons Band of Godfrey".

More Pics at: https://www.randymanning.com/New-Horizons-Band-of-Godfrey-Concert

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