Never Too Old
c i s u M y a l to P BY NICOLE SMITH
Bottom left, Director Dr. Charles R. Jackson. Top, trumpet players John Rocker, left, and Richard Selby perform at a Memorial Day concert in Woodstock.
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AROUND KENNESAW | July 2022
What do Mariah Carey’s Christmas album, the soundtrack from “Frozen” and the Blues Brothers have in common? They are just a small part of the musical offerings from the Cobb New Horizons Band (CNHB), a group that offers seniors ages 50 and older who have musical instrument experience the opportunity to join an actively performing concert band. The ensemble is a member of the New Horizons International Music Association, a movement started by Dr. Roy Ernst in 1991 that now has a network of more than 10,000 participants in more than 230 bands all around the world. Ernst, whose motto is “Your best is good enough,” encourages a supportive and noncompetitive environment for instruction. “My philosophy was that anyone can learn to play music at a level that will bring a sense of accomplishment and the ability to perform in a group,” he said. CNHB’s music director, Dr. Charles R. Jackson, shared the background of this talented group. "The band was started in 2005 under the direction of Marla Feeney with 10 members,” he said. “After her two years with the band, she was followed by Director George Broom, who directed the band until 2016.” Jackson, a part-time assistant music professor at Kennesaw State University, was appointed director in April 2016. He retired in 2013 after 34 years as a public school band director in Cobb County, and a band member encouraged him to audition for the music director position after Broom announced he was retiring. The Cobb New Horizons Band is a high-performing ensemble. Many of the members have played throughout their lives in high school, college or military bands, and some were music teachers or professional players. The 98-member symphonic band typically plays larger events, such as the annual Sunset Symphony in downtown Woodstock, which draws thousands of people, and performs roughly 10-20 concerts per year. It also has an affiliate group known as the Memory Lane Jazz Ensemble, directed by Carl Merwin. This band has about 20 members and plays at smaller venues that cannot accommodate the larger symphonic band, such as senior centers.
