ABOUT OUR BANDS
The Gate City Horizons Bands exist to provide group musical opportunities for adults with all ranges of musical experience. We are members of the non-profit New Horizons International Music Association NHIMA. We are also members of The Association of Concert Bands.
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The New Horizons movement was founded by Roy Ernst, Ph.D. His leadership and untiring work are directly responsible for more than 200 New Horizons bands, orchestras, and other musical ensembles now in existence around the country and the world.
The Gate City Horizons Bands operate on a non-profit basis and support the concept of NHIMA by providing Greensboro and surrounding area adult musicians an opportunity to participate in an active performing band for their personal pleasure, experience, and enrichment. We have a Concert Band and a Jazz Band. You are welcome to participate in one or both.
Furthermore, we are a musical organization that provides the Triad region of North Carolina with entertainment and cultural enrichment.
Gate City Horizons Bands are always looking for new members. All adults with a basic understanding of music and how to play their instrument are invited to join. Auditions are not required.
You may use the Contact Us page to reach us with your information and any questions you may have. We will respond.
Our Concert & Jazz Band Director Benjy Springs
Benjy Springs is an outstanding educator and professional trumpet player. He graduated from UNC-Greensboro in 1981 and became the Director of Bands at Eastern Randolph High School in Ramseur, NC. During his tenure at Eastern Randolph, he developed an award-winning band program that produced “Superior” ratings for twenty straight years, not only at concert band festivals, but marching and jazz festivals as well. His teaching inspired students to later become outstanding music educators and professional musicians. Springs was elected into the prestigious American School Band Directors Association in 1998, and became the Vice-President of the North Carolina Chapter of The International Association of Jazz Educators in 2000.
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As a conductor, Springs led his high school Wind Ensemble, and concert bands of all levels at the UNC-Greensboro Summer Music Camp for twelve years, numerous all-county bands as guest conductor, and is currently the Director of Bands at Greensboro College where he directs the Marching Band, Jazz Ensemble, Brass Ensemble, and Wind Ensemble. Under his direction the Greensboro College Jazz Ensemble performed in New Orleans and twice at the North Carolina Music Educator’s Association Conference (NCMEA). Benjy continues to be active in our schools as a conductor, adjudicator, and clinician. Benjy directed North Carolina’s first All-State Jazz Ensemble. Benjy has served as guest clinician for the North Carolina Western and Central regions Jazz Ensemble Clinics. In 2011 Springs wrote “Developing a Successful High School Jazz Ensemble” and it published in the NCMEA Journal. He has served over 43 years as a successful music educator in North Carolina.
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Benjy is also a regularly active professional musician. He was the lead trumpeter of the former U.S. Airways Jazz Orchestra, which traveled extensively throughout the United States and Europe. He has performed with the John Brown Big Band on statewide educational tours, sponsored by the North Carolina Arts Council to bring more awareness of jazz music to North Carolina students and communities. Additionally, for 25 years, he has been a regular member of the North Carolina Jazz Repertory Orchestra (NCJRO). Benjy’s trumpet playing can be heard on NCJRO’s three compact disk recordings, as well as the PBS television production of “This is Jazz,” featuring the NCJRO.
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He has played with the Winston-Salem, Greensboro, and North Carolina Symphony Orchestras, as well as numerous projects of other recording artists. Additionally, he has performed for commercials on television and radio as a studio musician. He has worked with the Guy Lombardo Orchestra, Dorsey Brothers Orchestra, Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus, and many other artists and entertainers, such as: Tony Bennet, Frankie Valli, Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, Rosemary Clooney, Joe Williams, The Four Tops, The Temptations, Johnny Mathis, Eddie Daniels, Randy Brecker, The Spinners, The O-Jays, The Imperials, Lou Rawls, Linda Carter, Barbara Eden, Manhattan Transfer, Clark Terry, Marvin Stamm, Al Jarreau, Dionne Warwick, John Faddis, Terence Blanchard, the New York Voices, Arturo Sandoval, Branford Marsalis, and many more. Mr. Springs is the founder and music director of the Southeast’s Premier ‘Tower of Power” Tribute Band “Bump City East”. He is currently the lead trumpet player for the Camel City Jazz Orchestra based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Benjy is a regular lead trumpet player with the “Carolina Horns”, the horn section that backs up the Temptations and the Four Tops in sellout concerts all over the Eastern United States. He also played on Nnenna Freelon’s recently released Grammy-nominated Christmas CD with the John Brown Big Band.
Benjy has been playing trumpet professionally for 43 years. He is married to Barbara Parris Springs and is the proud father of three sons: Jacob, Jonah, and Noah.
Concert & Jazz Band Members
*Both Bands **Jazz Band Only
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Flute
Kathleen Holterman
Paul Bruesch*
Sara Wood
Sherry Alloway
Claire Clark
Rebekah
Clarinet
Jennifer Armstrong
Estelle Bowman
Frank Cashwell
Kris Peterson
Bass Clarinet
Susie Pipe
Alto Saxophone
Vicki Earnhardt*
Morgan Williams
Paul Bruesch**
Ted Robinson**
Linda Holbrook
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Tenor Saxophone
Chuck Royster
Jim Furman
Ted Robinson**
Linda Holbrook
Baritone Saxophone
Chuck Royster
Mike Huff**
Ted Robinson**
Linda Holbrook
Baritone Horn
Ray Woodcock
Sara Wood
​Euphonium​
Dick Lockwood**
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Bassoon
Karol Wolicki
Trumpet
Jim Bartlett*
Bob Fonorow**
Steve Ford*
Warren Webster*
Lonnie Wymer
Trombone
Ruth Lowell
Ren Putnam*
James Young*
Gary Anderson*
French Horn
Emily Wall
Tuba
Robert Horuff
Gary Rhymer
Percussion
Mike Lopp
Jeff Piegari
Pat Piegari
Sara Wood
Drums
Ron Long**
Piano
Morgan Williams**
Bass Guitar
Alan Cameron**
Ed Seagraves**
Donald Fred Earnhardt 1949 -2024
Gate City Horizons Band is saddened by the loss of our very dear friend and fellow bandsman, “Don” Earnhardt, who was certainly one of the kingpins in our organization. Don was always contributing to the growth and success of our jazz and concert bands through his innovative thinking and tireless work behind the scenes. His official position in the organization was as a member of the Board of Directors, specifically as the Communications Officer and Gig Master. Don did much more than that.
He made significant contributions to the band as an assistant to the band's treasurer using his vast computer knowledge and skills to set up and maintain an accounting system to track income and expenses. He also played a major role in planning and organizing the band's annual Carolina Band Blast event that was always enjoyable for participants from many states along the eastern seaboard. He invested his own resources to purchase audio equipment with which to record our concerts and made copies of recordings available to band members. And much more. He played first alto saxophone in the Gate City Horizons Jazz Ensemble and Concert Bands in Greensboro, NC. He also was a member of the Triad Community Band in Rural Hall, NC. Making music with his saxophone was one of the greatest pleasures in his life.
Don was a native of Carolina Beach, NC and a graduate of Gaston College in Dallas, NC. He was employed as a technical writer in Western Electric and Lucent Technologies; the latter being the company from which he retired. The impact of Don's loss on our bands was immediate and expected to be long lasting. Don's enthusiasm and contributions were such that it is unlikely that they can be restored by a single individual.