Sisters residents perform in Cascade Horizon senior band

Fifty years after two Sisters area residents gave up their high school and college band days, they are back at it, playing in the Cascade Horizon Band in Central Oregon. For Don Oliver and Tom Worcester, it has opened up a whole new world of enjoyment and satisfaction.

Like Oliver and Worcester, most of the band of Central Oregon seniors hadn’t played for decades. For some, it was a struggle to even get a sound out of their instrument. A few even tried to play new instruments and several had never played at all.

However, Sue Steiger, band director of the High Desert Middle School for the past 17 years and the seniors’ band director, was patient. She started the group out where most sixth grade bands start, playing “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” After a short three years, the band now is a full concert band, playing jazz, swing, rock, Sousa marches and specializing in the big band sounds of the 1930s and 1940s.

The Cascade Horizon Band was organized in 2003, the 74th band nationally to join in the New Horizons senior band program affiliated with the prestigious Eastman School of Music in New York. That program started in 1992 and now has more than 100 bands throughout the country with over 4,000 members.

The Cascade Horizon Band has grown from an initial 12 members to more than 50 musicians, most in their 60s or 70s. A few are in their 50s.

“We call them ‘seniors in training’,” said Marilyn Burkholder, trumpet player and president of the incorporated band. Most members are from the Bend area, but one drives in from Eagle Crest and another from Madras.

Worcester and Oliver are the only members from Sisters.

Since being formed, the Cascades Horizon Band has made 48 public appearances, always free of charge.

Sisters music fans will have two opportunities to hear the senior band in June. The band will participate in the June 10 Sisters Rodeo parade and return to Sisters for a concert at the Sisters High School on June 25 at 3 p.m. Another summer concert is scheduled in Bend on June 24 at 7 p.m. at Bend High School.

“Sue has really raised us to new heights in our playing,” Worcester said. “She sometimes has a challenge with our group, but she treats us just like her middle school students.”

Oliver agrees. “Sue has a unique personality that brings us together like no group I have ever seen and she challenges us to keep getting better and better,” he said.

“I played French horn from junior high through graduate school,” said Worcester. “I gave it up in 1954 and passed it on to my son who played through high school. He gave it to his daughter who also played in high school. Then it went into storage. Like most of our band members, I hadn’t even seen my horn for the past 25 years when I got it out for this band.”

Oliver has a similar story to tell.

“My folks had me taking piano lessons in grade school. I would hide when the music teacher came to the house. Then I started playing trumpet in the sixth grade,” Oliver recalls. “I continued to play in a high school band and in small ‘pick up’ bands.” He played for a few terms in a college marching band and a little more in dance bands until 1953 when he put away his trumpet for the next 50 years.

In 2003, Oliver’s wife, Ellen, saw a small ad in the newspaper inviting seniors to attend a band organizational meeting. Oliver attended that meeting and has been going back ever since. After being excited about playing again, he attended a seniors band camp in the State of Washington that year where he became convinced that there are trumpet players better were he was.

Back home, he talked to the band director about changing to trombone, but she suggested the baritone. That instrument uses the same music and fingering of the valves as a trumpet. Oliver agreed and is now one of three baritone players in the band.

To present a “free” concert, it costs an average of $1,000, depending on the venue. Generous sponsors support the band in meeting these costs. Others can make contributions at the Sponsor level of $250, at the Patron level at $100, Donor level at $50, or the Friend level at $25. Send checks payable to CHB to 20235 Rae Road, Bend, OR 97702. Names of contributors will appear in the printed concert program and be announced at concerts.

For those interested in joining the band, weekly rehearsals are held each Tuesday from 3:45 to 6 p.m. at High Desert Middle School, 61111 S.E. 27th St. in Bend. Visitors are always welcome.

“Some of the band members get together on their own at other times just to practice,” Oliver said.

For more information, contact Marilyn Burkholder at 330-1989.