Updated April 15, 2025

PSST!!  You, there!

Do you ever listen to a concert and wish you could play a band or orchestra instrument?

Do you already play an instrument, but find yourself wishing you played a different instrument?

Have you recently started playing a band or orchestra instrument but haven't had any place to play with others?

Have you ever thought back on how much fun it was to play that instrument you played many years (decades!) ago and wish you could do it again?

Do/did you watch your children play in band or orchestra and think that it really looks like fun?

Do you want to play your instrument, but don't want the stress of the standard community band or orchestra?

Ever think, "I play a bit, but I'm not quite ready"?

If so, we are the music group for you! 

BUT, I HAVEN'T A CLUE WHAT THE LITTLE BLACK MARKS ARE ON THE PAGE!!!!! We will help you get started and before you know it, you will be playing with the full group!! We start out by having you join us to play a very easy piece that you have worked on with your private teacher. (Over half of our members started their instruments as adults; you can, too!)

The Sudbury Valley New Horizons Band or Sudbury Valley New Horizons Strings is your entrance to the world of instrumental music in a non-competitive and non-intimidating musical environment. A place where your personal best is always good enough. Sudbury Valley New Horizons Music is an organization for adults who love music and want to be involved in playing music with others. (Worried that you won't have enough air or your arthritis is too bad??
See our Frequently Asked Questions)

After our regular rehearsal we have "After-rehearsal Rehearsals", which meet from 8:20-8:50. These groups meet every other week and include varying opportunities for some more advanced playing and exploration. Possibilities include groups such as: Swing Band, Woodwind Choir, Brass Ensemble, Strings & Winds group, small ensembles, a polka band or a German Um-Pah Band, Klezmer Exploration, Movie and Broadway Song Sight-reading and other possible combinations (Offerings vary session to session). No auditions necessary.

Come play with us! Explore our site to learn more and feel free to just come and listen or sit in for a week or two to see if SVNHM is the place for you; email if you are interested in visiting for a rehearsal. We rehearse at Lincoln Sudbury Regional High School on Wednesday evenings. Most people arrive between 6:15-6:30 for the evening rehearsal and rehearsal runs until 8:15. LSRHS is at 390 Lincoln Rd, Sudbury, MA . Email for more information.

If this looks like fun to you, please Email Diane for more information and registration procedures. Please don't just register and show up.

Check our calendar for when we are rehearsing. (link above, top left)

WHERE??

Wednesday evening rehearsals are Lincoln Sudbury Regional High School, 390 Lincoln Rd, Sudbury, MA . Email for more information.

LEARNING OTHER INSTRUMENTS

I want to learn piano (guitar, uke, bass guitar, dulcimer...). Sorry, we do not teach anything except string orchestra and concert band instruments. Email Diane and she may be able to help you find a teacher on the other instruments.

MEDIA & AUDIO/VISUAL

WATCHING concerts on
Sudbury TV

To access and watch our concerts as recorded by Sudbury TV, click on this link and it will take you to our "Playlist" with Sudbury TV: SVNHM Videos on Sudbury TV

Posted are:

• May 5, 2024
• December 7, 2024

SudburyTV.org

OUR VIRTUAL PERFORMANCES

	In the SVNHM Polka Band's debut, we present Kevin Kaisershot's Czech's in the Mail, a tongue-in-cheek polka for full concert band. Great fun to play! Ommpah! (April 2021)
	Let's go to Newfoundland to the community of Kelligrews for the annual Kelligrews Soiree! Based on a Newfoundland folk song, by Johnny Burke (1851-1930), The Spree at Kelligrews is by Bill Thomas. (April 2021)
	Brahms, Intermezzo, Op. 117, No.1. This beautiful piece, originally for piano, was arranged for orchestra. We do not know the arranger. Performed here by SVNHM strings, winds and timpani. (April 2021)
	Join us on a trip to Norway, where Edvard Grieg wrote his Holberg Suite, and hear the Gavotte and Musette from the Holberg Suite, arr.Jerry Lanning, played by the SVNHM Woodwind Choir (Ap 2021)
	Come with us to Old Havana; dance in the streets, admire the flowers and brightly painted walls, and move to the groove of the SVNHM Swing Band playing HAVANA, arr. by Terry White. (April 2021)
	A Bolero is a Spanish dance. This Bolero, by David Marlatt, is performed by woodwind, brass, and percussion players from Sudbury Valley New Horizons Music, directed by John McLellan. (April 2021)
	SVNHM Strings and Winds play the Menuettos from Handel's Music for the Royal Fireworks, a continuation of our Fireworks Overture in the fall session. Adapted from the original. (March 2021)
	Bulldozer for Band, by Clare d'Growned (aka John McLellan). Listen as the instruments pass the melodies back and forth, as if working together to lay the foundation for the cathedral of sound that is the concert band. (March 2021)
	Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, Mvt 1, by Johann Sebastian Bach, arr. by MJ Isaac. Probably the favorite of the six Brandenburgs, it is a challenge, but immensely fun to play! (March 2021)
	Many Miles Away Across the Sea, a gorgeous piece by Susan Day. We hope you enjoy listening to it as much as our strings enjoyed playing it. (Feb 2021)
	Ripples in the Sand, by David Marlatt, is a tranquil, peaceful piece that uses a pentatonic scale throughout. Besides rehearsing the piece itself, we had fun with some improvisational "noodling" using that pentatonic scale, which you will hear at the beginning of the video, with the title screens. (Feb 2021)
	Marching Song by Gustav Holst. Originally for orchestra, as part of his Two Songs Without Words, this arrangement by John Moss really captures the jaunty feel of the original.(Jan 2021
	Ammerland is a lovely area in Lower Saxony, Germany.  Go with us on a musical trip (by Jacob de Haan), as we listen to this interpretation of the beauty of the countryside. (Dec 2020)
	The Mudbug Strut, by Paul Baker, is a tune worthy of Mardi Gras! Celebrate with us as we go down the Louisiana street, riding in the bandwagon with the trombones playing tailgate over the back (so they don’t hit people with their slides) and for a little while, let’s just be joyous, act silly, and be happy! (Dec 2020)
	SVNHM Brass Ensemble playing Simple Gifts by Elder Joseph Brackett, arr. Wilson. (Nov 2020)
	SVNHM Saxophone Ensemble takes us on a Sentimental Journey. (Nov 2020)
	SVNHM Strings and Winds play two of Mozart's German Dances, K. 536, adapted from the original. (Nov 2020)
	SVNHM Strings and Winds play the Overture from Handel's Music for the Royal Fireworks, adapted from the original. (Oct 2020)
	SVNHM Woodwind Choir plays Loch Lomond arr. by David Marlatt (Oct 2020)
	SVNHM Strings play Blue Tango by Leroy Anderson, arr.William Zinn. (Oct 2020)
	Our Flute and Clarinet Ensemble play an arrangement of a portion of the Allegro from Telemann's Flute Sonata, arr. David Marlatt (Oct 2020)
	For our third Virtual Performance, the Band performs Military Escort March. (Sept 2020)
	Our horns joined forces with some horn players from New England Adult Music Camp and created this wonderful version of Shenandoah... (Aug. 2020)
	Our Mozart Notturno Virtual Performance is "in the can" and we are thrilled with the hard work you guys put into it!! BRAVI!!!! (July 2020) This was our first virtual performance!! We all did a lot of quick tech learning!!

RECORDING FROM OUR DECEMBER 7, 2019 CONCERT

• Swing Band
• String Orchestra
• Woodwind Choir
• Band ("Oh, Brother" not recorded)
• Combined Band & Strings: God Bless America

Photos by Russ Keene

RECORDING FROM OUR MAY 4, 2019 CONCERT

• Swing Band (Sudden Sam Not recorded w concert - this version from a family member! Thanks!)
• String Orchestra (many pieces missing their beginnings)
• Woodwind Choir (lights went out in the first piece; bet you can't hear it in the music!)
• Band
• Combined Band & Strings: God Bless America (not recorded)

Photos by Russ Keene

Photos from our 2019 Non-Master Class

February 20, Non-Master Class: Photos by Susan Avery

MAGAZINE ARTICLE!

The North Bridge Magazine editor, Keri Lyman, came out to one of our rehearsals, interviewed some members and wrote a terrific article about SVNHM for the Spring/Summer 2015 magazine. North Bridge Magazine goes out to all residents in Acton, Concord, Carlisle, Lincoln, Sudbury and Wayland. Follow the link to read the article.

PAST PHOTOS & VIDEOS

Video of Wayland Concert Series performance, July 2, 2015, sponsored by the Wayland COA. (We do this concert every year! Great fun!!)

Photos from our 2018 Soirées

March 4: Photos by Susan Avery

March 1: Photos by Chauncey Wilson
Photos by Susan Avery

Photos from our 2017 Soirées

March 18, 2017 at First Parish Wayland:
Pictures by Susan Avery

March 30, 2017 at the Wayland Town Building: Pictures by Susan Avery
Pictures by Chauncey Wilson

Photos from our May 6, 2017 concert, by Russ Keene

Photos from our Dec. 2, 2017 concert:

• By Russ Keene
• By Frank Bartucca

Photos from our May 7, 2016 Concert, by Russ Keene

Photos of the November 2016 Soirées, by Chauncey Wilson

Photos from our Dec. 5, 2016 concert, by Russ Keene

Concert Video of our Dec. 5 Concert by WayCam

PICTURES FROM OUR JULY 2, 2015, PATRIOTIC CONCERT FOR THE WAYLAND COA CONCERT SERIES, photos by Norm Viens. Find the album: "SVNHM July 2 concert Wayland Town Bldg". (There are also camp photos here!)

PICTURES FROM OUR MAY 2, 2015 CONCERT, by Russ Keene

PICTURES FROM OUR DEC 6, 2014 CONCERT, by Russ Keene

PICTURES FROM OUR MAY 3, 2014 CONCERT, by Russ Keene

PICTURES FROM OUR DEC 2013 CONCERT

Taken by: Rintze Zelle
Taken by: Russ Keene

PICTURES FROM OUR MAY 2013 CONCERT

OLDER PICTURES: (Click on the Photo Album link on the left menu for other photos)

Town Crier articles  

• December 28, 2011 (Welcome beginners!)
• September 3, 2011
• June 21, 2011
• May 30, 2011
• December 18. 2010
• October 13, 2010
• September 10, 2010
• July 13, 2010 - Mike Masailo, 92, guest conducts SVNHB

VIDEO - Band Outdoor Concert, July 11, 2012 behind the Wayland Town Building. WayCam.TV (It might say "jazz band" but it is the concert band - they are fixing it)

VIDEO - Jazz Band Outdoor Concert, June 14, 2012 behind the Wayland Town Building. WayCam.TV

VIDEO - WHO ARE WE?  Wellesley Cable TV did a great video on SVNHB in the summer of 2010.  It can be viewed at WayCam.TV (Wayland Cable)

VIDEO - WINTER CONCERT 2010 - WayCam.TV recorded our winter concert and it is posted on WayCam.TV

ABC clip about New Horizons Orchestra in Mesa, AZ.

NPR article on the New Horizons International Music movement!

NEWS & COMING EVENTS:

WINTER/SPRING 2025!

Our winter/spring session is ending! Wow - sure went by fast! Click a link to jump to other info:

• OUR CONCERT!! (info below this list)
• Summer Strings & Summer Band info
• Final "New Music" rehearsal
• Soirée Musicale

Our SPRING CONCERT is WEDNESDAY evening, April 16, 7:00-8:00, in the Lincoln Sudbury Regional High School auditorium. Click here for parking instructions (please do not park in front of the school unless you have mobility issues).

This is a free concert, but we always welcome donations to help fund our financial aid program (we want everyone to be able to play, regardless of financial situation).

Sudbury TV is live-streaming our concert again this season, so it will be available to watch in real time, or to watch after editing (usually a week or so later) - see instructions below

WATCHING our concert live on Sudbury TV

To live stream and watch our concert, follow these instructions (instructions for watching the recording are below):

1.  Click on this link:  SudburyTV.org

2.  Scroll down and click on “Watch Now”

3.  Click on the red “Public Channel” button 

4.  Click on the “play” arrow in the video window that comes up.

The concert broadcast will start at 7:00 p.m.  If you go on before 6:50, you will see slides of Community Bulletin Board events.  Starting at 6:50, you may see shots from the cameras in the auditorium and/or a related graphic.  At 7:00 p.m., the concert broadcast will begin.

TO WATCH THE RECORDED CONCERT LATER:

It will take several days for Sudbury TV to edit and prepare the video of our concert, so if you don't see it on our playlist, check back.

Click on this link and it will take you to our SVNHM "Playlist" with Sudbury TV:
SVNHM Sudbury TV Playlist

Our final rehearsal (NEW MUSIC READING) for winter/spring will be on April 30, 2025 and we will be trying out the new music for our Fall 2025 session. Current members, past members and prospective members are welcome to come and take a look at what we are doing in the new year. But please don't just show up, Email Diane before you come so that we can get you the music and there will be a chair waiting for you!

Soirée Musicale — May 4, 2025!!!!
A “soirée musicale" is — “A program of music performed at a party or social gathering” or “A social occasion featuring music”)!!!  We have one scheduled for Sunday afternoon, May 4th, 3:00, at First Parish in Wayland.  This is an opportunity for our members, by themselves or in asmall ensemble with friends, to perform a piece that they’ve been working on for a friendly audience, in a comfortable, relaxed, social environment! Snacks and beverages served. All are welcome.

Summer Strings
and
Summer Band

This year, the SV Summer Session will include 6 Wednesday sessions starting on Wednesday, May 28th, with the last rehearsal/session on Wednesday, July 2nd.  In addition, the band will be playing an outdoor concert in Wayland on Thursday, July 3rd.  This year, the band will be rehearsing indoors in the (air-conditioned) large hearing room in the Wayland Town Building, and the strings will be meeting in Diane & Linda's (air conditioned) studio building in Sudbury. Complete descriptions of both sessions are on the registration forms (links below)

Past members, family and friends are invited to play with us for the summer! Put the dates on your calendar and plan to join us for summer fun!

SUMMER STRINGS registration

SUMMER BAND registration

Looking for MUSIC PARTS?

The sheet music (music parts from which you play) are not posted on the website; we will send you what you need - let us know. We do this so that no one (members or outsiders) can steal the music and use it in some other group without purchasing it. We want to support the composers by paying for music.

ALL SESSIONS INFO:

If you are interested in starting an instrument or learning a new instrument (band or orchestra instruments only, sorry, not piano nor guitar), email Diane and we will help you get set up with a teacher and in a few weeks, we will invite you to come play some very easy music with the full string ensemble or the full band!!!

Wednesday evening rehearsals for the Band and the Strings are at Lincoln Sudbury Regional High School. Most people arrive around 6:15; rehearsal begins 6:40. Please do not just show up; email Diane for info.

Those who have played their instrument in the past or are currently playing are welcome to join anytime, no matter how rusty you are (we will help you get back in the saddle!). If you want to start a new instrument with us, email Diane. Over half of our members started as adults; you can too! Be brave; it is never too late!!!

Finding Lincoln Sudbury Regional High School is not hard; finding where we are rehearsing once you get there is tricky as it is a HUGE 3-part building. Here are instructions for parking and where to find us. SVNHMatLSRHSdirections.pdf

Our After-rehearsal rehearsal groups had a concert on April 6, 2024, including the chamber orchestra, woodwind choir, brass ensemble and swing band. All played well and were well recieved by the audience!

VIRTUAL PERFORMANCE PROJECTS

Phew!! TWENTY FOUR Virtual Performances between September 2020 and May 2021! Bravo to our musicians!!! Click here for the link to our SVNHM YouTube Channel (or scroll down to the links below, which open each virtual performance in a new window, and you can just come back to this page.)

An index of our Virtual Performances is in our media list below. (Newest posted on May 5, 2021)

Well, it turned out that the Virtual Sessions we had during COVID were very productive; we learned a lot and everyone who took part REALLY improved on his/her instrument!!!! Bravo to all for jumping off that cliff into the unknown with us, and congratulations on your perseverance and ability to make lemonade from the lemons thrown at us!

NEWS - PAST EVENTS:

PAST EVENTS
from pre-covid times

OUR 2019 WINTER-SPRING SESSION FINISHES IN A SUCCESSFUL CONCERT

We had a great concert on Saturday, May 4 at Wayland Middle School. Everyone played even better than usual, even when the lights went out, the Woodwind Choir kept on playing and you couldn't even hear a burp in the music! Bravo to WWC and to all!

You can listen to our concert by clicking on the concert link and going to the May 2019 files. Many of our pieces lost their beginnings (and we lost a Swing Band piece and God Bless America completely) - our techs were good with lights and great guys, but inexperienced with recording. A link to concert pictures is also there.

Photos from our 2019 Non-Master Class

February 20, Non-Master Class: Photos by Susan Avery

SVNHM hosted March Music Madness (March 30) a festival for New England New Horizons music groups. Members of 10 other New Horizons groups joined us (140 participants!) and we had band and string members taking part in small ensembles in the morning, then a large string ensemble with some winds added, a beginner/novice band, anintermediate band and an advanced band in the afternoon. The festival will took place at Wayland Middle School. There was no concert per se, but we played for each other at the end.

Each December, a small group of us play as accompaniment for the Community Caroling at First Parish Wayland. Great fun! And Santa arriveds at our calling (we played "Santa Claus is Coming to Town") Check our calendar (link at top) for this year's date.

About 15 of us played Christmas Carols among the poinsettias at Russell's Garden Center. Great fun! Many children (and their parents) stopped by to sing and play the jingle bells with us. We played Jingle Bells about 10 times!

From Wayland Town Crier, Dec. 21, 2017

New England Adult Music Camp
Usually the last week in August; click link above

Many of our members attended the very special week at New England Adult Music Camp. Interested in joining us for next year's session? Click the link above to go to the website and sign up for email information. Programs for beginners through advanced players. Questions? Call or email Diane (The camp notoriously fills up quickly, so don't delay!)

What? No clue what those little black marks are on the paper?
We will help you learn! Contact Diane.

Quote of the day:

"There is no backspace key in music." Dean Tuba

So true! Talk about in the moment! Do you worry about your job or anything else while playing??

Great article from the NYT about conducting and what is going on as we wave our arms around. Be sure to look at the video, too. Fascinating use of technology!

I've posted a theory explanation of the "C, E & G walk into a bar..." joke. Go to the Musings page.

I've added a "Musings" section to our website.  I'm starting with that "Good Word", Opsimath.  But, anyone else who has a musing of some sort that might be interesting to others in our group of opsimaths, is welcome to submit it. 

Our Swing Band - photo by Russ Keene

INCLEMENT WEATHER PROCEDURE

(click link above for info)