Nearly every director has listened to parents remark how they always wanted to play an instrument but never had the chance when they were young. For years I heard comments and complaints from adults who had missed the opportunity to play an instrument, and it finally struck me that the ideal solution would be to offer a beginning band course for adults.

I began garnering interest by discussing the idea with friends, who initially responded to the suggestion with some trepidation. With a bit of effort and salesmanship I convinced some of them that they weren't too old to learn to play an instrument and everyone would know as little as they did at the outset. I explored the idea of renting a Church and setting up the course myself, but it made better sense to offer the course in the night school program in our school district. The night school already had a staff to answer questions and take telephone registrations. It had ample rehearsal rooms, music stands, and percussion equipment. The administration was receptive and listed the course in the school brochure, describing it as designed for adults "with no musical experience who are willing to take a chance and learn a new skill."

Eighteen adults showed up for the first session. A local music company rented instruments to them, and we plunged into a series of ten beginning band rehearsals. I established three simple rules at the first class: students must not know anything about music (or pretend not to), never worry about making horrible sounds, and never take themselves too seriously.

At first some adults appeared worried as they learned to assemble an instrument, but they listened carefully and soon were making tentative sounds. I reminded them of the second rule and asked for a big sound as we launched into page one of the method book. At the final rehearsal ten weeks later these raw beginners from ages 20 to 60-plus set up timidly to perform for other students at the night school. They played six tunes out of Belwin First Division and loved it.

Immediately following the performance some of the adult students said they wanted to continue playing for another ten weeks. Many had spouses, friends, and neighbors who wanted to join. Over the next several years the program expanded to three separate beginner groups, which rehearsed on different nights of the week. Eventually the groups melded together, moved to Delta Secondary School, and named themselves the Delta Music Makers.

This adventurous group of adults from all ages and walks of life have stuck with it now for 16 years. Over the years some experienced players joined the band as it improved. A few original members have left, but the heart of this 50-piece concert hand remains the same with an enthusiastic core of adult musicians who thought they would never play music but quickly learned they could.

The band began to play at hospitals and retirement homes and moved on to community events, shopping centers, and joint performances with other bands. From these it was a small step to give concerts in the park on summer evenings. The announcer always introduced the band carefully to be sure no one confused us with the Vancouver Symphony.

One evening I casually suggested that we audition to perform at Disneyland. The band quickly stopped laughing when they realized I was serious. Creating an audition videotape was more fun and more frustrating than we expected. We played the Bill Holcombe arrangement of The Liberty Bell and a Jesus Christ Superstar medley by Robert O'Brien; on "I Don't Know How To Love Him" in the O'Brien medley one of the alto saxophone players sang. The project motivated the band to do its best. Although we achieved nothing close to perfection, the band improved greatly as it learned the difficulties of making a good recording. Eventually the tape and application form went off to Disneyland.

When the response arrived in the mail several weeks later, I stood before the ensemble and announced, "I'm sorry to report ... that we've been accepted." Cheering erupted among these wonderful musicians, who had never played a note until several years before.

Thirty-five of the fifty members arranged their vacations to coincide with the twelve-day bus trip from Vancouver to California. I highly recommend to any band director the experience of going on tour with a band of adults. They appreciated the experience more than any high school student. A number of spouses and friends went along and proudly referred to themselves as band-aids. They were also an efficient road crew.

Supervision was not an issue on this trip, except perhaps with two of the more adventurous women in the band. They seemed determined to make up for every band trip they had missed in their youth. Some of the younger folks tried to look out for them, but nobody could keep up as they departed on the first morning shuttle and arrived back on the midnight bus each day. These band members have taught me that a zest for life and a desire for learning are the keys to staying young.

The Delta Music Makers have become a major focus of my social life. My wife of 30 years learned to play tuba when no one else would; she has been the registrar and music librarian since the beginning. Each year we host the post-Christmas band party for which up to 75 members and spouses squeeze into our house for a pot-luck buffet and impromptu entertainment.

The band has matured as an organization with a board of directors that handles the myriad of organizational details. The group now gives 15-20 concerts each year. Besides the local concerts, the group has performed at Disney World in Florida, Vancouver Island, Lake Tahoe, and other exotic locales. In August 1996 the Delta Music Makers took a 15-day bus tour through the canyonlands of Utah and Arizona to perform at such places as Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park. The band proudly performed for the Sparks Rib Cook-Off in Sparks, Nevada, where we played to the best audience on the windiest day ever. The band-aids rushed all over town to retrieve sheet music while the band played on to a cheering crowd. Next year we plan to travel to England and Scotland with possible concerts in London, York, Edinburgh, Sterling, Chester, Bath, and Brighton.

The group plays music of approximately grade 4 level, and their musicianship has grown steadily over the 16 years. We try to balance fun with serious musical progress, but every now and then I get carried away and push the music level a bit too hard. A longtime member will inevitably remind me of the group's origins and whisper, "Don't forget rule number three!"