VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Music in the City Park Bandshell will move to the VCSU Center for the Arts Performance Hall on Wednesday, July 26 due to the extremely hot temperatures. This week the music will feature the FM Golden Notes New Horizons Band from Fargo-Moorhead. They will begin playing at 7:15 pm. Everyone is welcome.
The FM Golden Notes has been with us at City Park for a few years. They always bring great musicians and entertainment. The New Horizons Bands organization was first organized in 2005. Jim Kinlaw, was looking for an opportunity to learn to play an instrument and eventually play music with others. A key contact for Jim was meeting Dr. Michael Thrasher, at church. Michael was part of the music staff at NDSU. Jim asked him if he could teach him to play music. He kindly said, “Sure,” Michael recommended the alto sax as an instrument and started his lessons. After about a year Dr. Thrasher thought it was time for Jim to play with other musicians. He introduced Jim to an organization called the “New Horizons Bands.” whose very purpose is to allow former musicians who hadn’t played since high school or college, or even with no experience to playmusic together. Shortly other contacts were made. Dr. Ed Christianson a notable Fargo musician and teacher, took upon himself, the task of directing the fledgling band.
The New Horizons Band in the Fargo- Moorhead area was generously fostered from the beginning by North Dakota State University by providing the group of older musicians a place to rehearse each week during the school year using their band practice room. In the years that followed they added and lost members until today they number nearly 40 musicians. All of those in the band consider the “band family” to be about more than just playing music. It is also a rich social connection to others where many have formed warm friendships.
A freewill offering is taken for the continued support of the City Park Bandshell. Due to hot temperatures forecast for Wednesday, July 26th, the program will relocate to the VCSU Center for the Arts Performance Hall on the VCSU campus.
Music in the Park is sponsored by the, Bridges Arts Council, NewsDakota.com, KOVC Radio, First Community Credit Union, Grotberg Electric, Moore Engineering, Myron Sommerfeld family, CVB, Eagles Aerie 2192, Valley City Parks and Recreation and the North Dakota Council on the Arts.
For questions, call Diane at 701-840-1743, or email: dksommerfeld@hotmail.com