History of Second Winds Community Band
The Second Winds Community Band came into being when Pat Lay, at that time the McMinnville High School's band director, heard about a new band program being started in New York called the New Horizons Band. Eastman School of Music Professor Dr. Roy Ernest had the idea that senior citizens could benefit from a band program that offered social interaction along with learning to play music. The first New Horizons Band was formed in January of 1991. While the first band group consisted of people who had never played an instrument before, the later groups encompassed beginners as well as those who had not played since high school. The New Horizons Band program was aimed at adults 50 or older, but now many bands allow younger members. Dr. Ernst's idea has been a success as there are now over 100 New Horizons Bands in the United States and Canada and around the world.
On March 23, 1998, the Second Winds Band met for the first time in the high school band room. The group consisted of ten people, some beginners and some who had not played their instruments for many years; one person being away from her cornet for 60 years. Pat advertised the band was for anyone wanting to play an instrument, wanting to learn to play a different instrument from the one they had played in the past, or just wanting to reacquaint themselves with their old instrument. In the beginning there were two bands; a beginning and an advanced beginning band, but they were merged within the year as the beginners quickly advanced. Although similar to the New Horizons program, SWCB does not have any age requirements and often has some of the high school symphonic band members sitting in with the adults; a partnership which is beneficial to both ages. Now, over eight years later, the band has a regular membership of over fifty musicians and is always looking for new members.
