Music Forever, a NHIMA Podcast

Jennifer has been making music and teaching piano for more than 45 years, inspiring everyone from beginners to seasoned band players. She leads The Shire Concert Band, Shire New Horizons Bands, and Sydney Southeast Symphonic Winds — and has also created school music programs, concerts, and camps along the way. Recognised with the Cook Community Award and trained at Trinity College London, she’s pa...

Shelley Hazen is the new Administrative Assistant for NHIMA since May 2025. She was raised in a musical home, where her father played jazz piano and her mother supported all of her musical interests — including making costumes for performances. Music was a constant presence in her life, with frequent jam sessions and a household filled with music at all hours. She began playing the flute in high s...

Mary Kitchen and her husband Allen are founders and directors of the Butler New Horizons Folk and Gospel Band in Butler, Pennsylvania. Mary has played guitar since her teen years, but missed her chance to learn violin in school when her family relocated. In her 50s she decided it was never too late, and started violin lessons at her local music store. She loved playing, and soon learned that what...

Mark Enns graduated from Western University, London, Canada, with a degree in performance on clarinet. He continued his studies with a Master’s degree from the University of British Columbia and the summer diploma program in Wind Band Literature and Conducting at the University of Calgary. He retired in 2017 from a twenty-nine year career teaching secondary school music in West Lorne and London, O...

Debbi Gibson began her involvement with the NHIMA in 2016 when she became the conductor of the New Hampshire New Horizons Band of the Lakes Region. She was a former music educator of public school and collegiate levels for over 40 years. New Horizons was a perfect fit!! Debbi was still able to teach and make music!!! The “age” of the student was just a little different. Debbi earned her Bachelor o...

Colin Enright is a Ph. D. candidate in Music Education Interdisciplinary studies at McGill University where he researches group music in community and educational settings and its effects on mental health, resilience, and general wellbeing. He is co-director and principal conductor for the Montreal New Horizons Band and works as a vocal coach and band director for the Préville Fine Arts Centre, a...

Mark Tietjen is currently serving as Executive Director and Conductor of the New Horizons Orchestra - Spokane, a position he has held since October 2019. A retired public high school music teacher, Mr. Tietjen brings 31 years of experience and musical performance excellence to NHO - Spokane. While at University High School, his ensembles consistently received Superior ratings at all local, regiona...

Oscar Thorp is a conductor, trumpeter, and music educator based in Brooklyn, New York. Oscar is the conductor of the Mannes Prep Chamber Orchestra, the New York Late Starters Orchestra, and the Metropolitan Music Community’s Kings County Concert Band. As a faculty member at the Third Street Music School Settlement, Oscar directs several ensembles, including the Concert Band, Prelude Band, and the...

Gerrit Lamain A Compilation of Essays Volume 1 and 2 My Song of Life (A Dream Realized) In this special episode of “Music Forever, a NHIMA podcast” Gerrit Lamain, a church organist and music educator, is featured. Born in Rotterdam, he and his family survived WWII and emigrated to the US. He became an organist playing in churches, international concert halls as well as hockey stadiums. He directed...

Cathy Wilcox has guided the Ottawa New Horizons Band program as founding band leader since 2008 at Dominion-Chalmers Church, and continues to serve as a band leader and member of the board of directors since its incorporation in 2017. Cathy holds an Honours Bachelor of Music with a minor in French, as well as a Bachelor of Education from Western University. Soon after graduating, she joined the vo...

Eric Heidenheim is a graduate of Western University’s Faculties of Music and Education in London, Ontario, Canada. He retired from the Thames Valley District School Board in 2018, after 30 happy years of teaching instrumental music at the elementary and secondary levels. Eric was as an active musician during his teaching career and he has played euphonium, trombone and tuba in several community en...

François Dorion has been the Director of Music of the Regimental Band of Les Voltigeurs de Québec since 1997 and of L’Harmonie de Charlesbourg, which he founded, since 1993. He recently retired from a 30-year career as a high school teacher in Quebec, and is a composer of music for beginning band, some of which is published by Hal Leonard. He is Co-Founder and Director of the Quebec New Horizons B...

Catherine Blake has a Master’s degree and a Diploma in Adult Education. She is currently enjoying retirement but worked for 30 years at Western University, first in Continuing Studies, then in the Faculty of Medicine managing courses for faculty, staff, and the community, and the final ten years as a research coordinator working on dementia research projects. She has been a member of the London, O...

Susan Baskin has been a music teacher in the greater Toronto area for over 40 years. She taught instrumental music, including ORFF, recorder, concert band, guitar, and ukulele to students from JK-Grade 12, until she retired in 2018 from her most recent position, as Head of Music, at Bill Crothers Secondary School in Unionville, Ontario. Throughout her teaching career, Susan’s students received man...

Jennifer Peace has degrees in Music and Education from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, as well as a Master of Music degree from the University of Toronto. She also studied Conducting and Music Education at the University of Michigan. She is a retired high school music teacher and was the Head of Arts for the Halton Board of Education for more than thirty years. She is actively involved in...

Dan Foote is a lifelong percussionist. During his growing up years he lived in many places around the world, which gave him opportunities to understand and learn world music. He lives with his wife Penny Foote in Weston, MA and is still an active percussion educator. Dan owns hundreds of percussion instruments, which are neatly displayed in his studio. He brings his instruments to music camps, whe...

David Morse is a chemical engineer from Keene, NH. He is the husband of Donna Morse, the founder of the Monadnock NHB. Dave shares his story about his love for music, his interest in playing low bass instruments, such as his beautiful upright bass, his electrical base and his baritone sax. In order to learn how to play a melodious instrument, Dave decided to learn to play the flute in Donna’s New...

Al and Heidi Rochlin Alan Rochlin received a degree in music education from Temple University in Philadelphia, and his graduate degree in trumpet performance from The University of the Arts. Alan has been an active freelancer in the Philadelphia region for over 30 years and has performed behind many top performers such as Johnny Mathis, Frankie Valle, Natalie Cole, The Temptations and the Four Top...

Susan Schirmer- holds a BS degree in Music Education & Theory Composition from Indiana State University, and a Masters of Music in Music Theory & Composition from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. Susan's music career spans more than 30 years of music education in the public school system in the Lakota district in Ohio. Her career includes teaching elementary through high school st...

Jack has been a music educator for 33 years at elementary and high school level including serving as band director in Cincinnati, OH at Moeller and Badin High School. He also taught band, jazz band, choir and other music courses in the Lakota School District. He was a member of the Ohio Music Education Association during his teaching career. Jack has been a trombone performer for over 45 yrs in sw...

Katie Thiel is the spouse of Norman Thiel, the current President of the Board of Directors of NHIMA. Katie and Norm live in Jerseyville, IL and Norm plays in the Godfrey New Horizons Band. Katie joins Norm at the NHIMA music camps and tells her story what it takes to have a great time as a joining spouse or significant other during camp. One of the hilarious things she participates in is the “Kazo...

This interview is with Tyrone and Joanne Paterson in London, ON, Canada in May 2024. They are better known as Ty and Jo. Ty is one of Canada’s leading opera conductors. He currently serves as Music Advisor and Principal Conductor for Manitoba Opera. He has appeared with most of Canada’s professional companies and as a Guest Conductor with numerous professional companies throughout the United State...

Diane Muffitt is a retired Middle School Band Director, now devoting her time to Sudbury Valley New Horizons Music, which she and her wife, Linda Murdock, created back in 2008. Passionate about teaching and bringing music to those who thought they’d never be able to play or to play again, she worked with New England Music Camp (Snow Pond) to create New England Adult Music Camp. When not teaching a...

Mary Gillard graduated from Western University, in London, ON with a Bachelor of Music, Honours in Education. She retired in June of 2014 after 31 years of teaching music in London at Clarke Road Secondary School. She introduced a classical guitar program and built a highly successful four-year program. Mary also taught vocal and instrumental music and was vocal director and keyboard player for 15...

Diane Scholfield was introduced to music when her parents bought her a piano at age 4. She thought then that she and her piano had a special language and that she was the only one who could understand it. Since then she has tried a long list of other instruments including the flute, percussion, acoustic guitar, trombone and French horn. She spent many years as a vocalist singing a cappella and car...