She’s not tooting her own horn, but Katie Korff, director of the new Butler Community Band & Orchestra, is proud to offer area musicians a venue to play and perform with others.

Adult musicians are welcome to attend weekly rehearsals at St. Andrews United Presbyterian Church in Butler with their instruments.

Musicians without instruments can rent one from May’s Music Shoppe on East Jefferson Street in the city.

Korff said she is offering the band and orchestra to people 18 and older because younger musicians have the opportunity to play and perform at school.

She pictures adult musicians closing the latches on their instrument cases and placing them on a shelf, where they remain for extended periods of time, or playing solo instead of experiencing the camaraderie of blending their talent with peers.

“People want somewhere to play their instruments with others,” Korff said. “It’s not the same as playing by yourself.”

Korff said 20 musicians showed up in September at her first rehearsal, thanks in large part to Josh May, of May’s Music. After hearing Korff’s idea for the band and orchestra, May agreed to sponsor the effort by paying for the sheet music used by Korff and the musicians.

Korff said she largely spread the word about the new band and orchestra by placing flyers at May’s Music. She also posted flyers in Main Street businesses and shared them on social media.

She initially discussed her idea with the Rev. Merry Meloy, pastor at St. Andrews, and asked if it would be possible to use space in the large church for rehearsals.

“Everyone has been very supportive and excited,” Korff said. “My goal was to bring joy to people and give them a place to play, and I am seeing that happen.”

The band and orchestra have performed at a few venues, including St. Andrews during worship services, VA Butler Healthcare and Magnolia Place of Saxonburg.

“I want to continue to go to assisted living facilities because they’re always so grateful to have us,” Korff said.

Meloy said her congregation is always delighted when the band or orchestra plays during worship, and she is thrilled that the group uses the church basement to meet and rehearse.

“It’s wonderful to have opportunities for adult musicians of all skill levels to continue learning and growing,” Meloy said. “Making music helps build community, and that's a really good thing.”

Korff, whose primary instrument is French horn, but who still plays her initial instrument, the violin, said the greatest challenge in leading the band and orchestra is the disparity in skill levels among musicians.

She is very careful in choosing music that is challenging enough for more advanced players, but can be learned by all musicians.

“I try to pick music attainable for everyone,” she said. “I spent a long time looking at music.”

A rehearsal of the orchestra on Feb. 3 saw experienced violin, viola and cello players assisting their neighbors with patience and kindness as Korff expertly waved her baton and the strains of the soaring music filled the church basement.

“I try to be supportive and encouraging, so if you don’t know something yet, we'll learn it,” Korff said. “And members are really helpful to each other.”

After the 16 musicians at the rehearsal warmed up by playing scales together, Korff instructed them to place the music for “Fiddles Down Under” upon their stands.

Korff broke the song down by practicing separate sections of the song over and over.

“I want to do it one more time to make sure we’ve really locked in the rhythm,” she told the musicians.

Korff said the piece includes slurred staccato sections, but instructed musicians who are not familiar with the technique to ignore them.

Sometimes, only one section practiced a piece of the song together, then the entire orchestra played that piece together to merge the sound.

Korff corrected individual musicians with humor and respect, never degrading or embarrassing them.

The orchestra also rehearsed “Variations on an Irish Tune” and “Shenandoah.”

“This is the most difficult piece that I picked,” Korff said about “Shenandoah.” “The hardest part is putting it all together.”

Rehearsal ended with “A Whole Lot of Symphony Themes,” which Korff introduced to the orchestra with positivity.

“Won’t that be fun?” she said. “Beethoven and Mozart and all those wonderful musicians?”

The musicians who play their hearts out at each rehearsal and performance range in age from 20s to those with snow white hair, as music does not recognize differences or categories.

One viola player is Laurie Kirsch, of Forward Township, who has played piano since she was a child.

“When I retired, I decided I would take up viola,” she said.

Kirsch has spent the past few years mastering the instrument, and was delighted to learn of the Butler Community Band & Orchestra.

“It’s a really nice thing for the community because we get to share our music with different groups,” she said. “Otherwise, I’d be sitting home, playing by myself.”

Patryk Lyon, of East Butler, played violin in high school and saw Korff’s flyer when he took his father to May’s Music for a guitar lesson.

“I’d been looking for a group to play with,” said Lyon, who is one of the youngest musicians in the orchestra. “A group gives you a reason to practice and improve.”

Amber Bervinkle, of Butler, played violin in high school and as a student at Slippery Rock University.

“I was looking for a reason to play with people again and to just keep playing for as long as I can,” said Bervinkle, who plays in the orchestra and band.

She said she also enjoys meeting new people with shared interests during rehearsals, as well as the sense of community that comes with playing alongside others.

Bervinkle especially enjoyed performing at the Butler VA Medical Center and Magnolia Place at Saxonburg.

“Seeing all the smiles was wonderful,” she said.

Bervinkle called Korff “amazing and courageous” for starting up the band and orchestra.

“Watching people come together and experience happiness over music is wonderful,” she said.

Korff said leading the new band and orchestra, as well as a fiddle group she recently initiated, has been a very satisfying and rewarding endeavor.

“I wanted to give adults a place to continue playing their instruments,” Korff said.

Times and dates for band, orchestra and fiddle group rehearsal is available by emailing Korff at korffkm@gmail.com.