One was born when Herbert Hoover was president, the other while Bill Clinton was in the Oval Office. What they definitely have in common is that they love to make music with the East Valley Pops Orchestra.

Tuba player Loren Larson, who turns 93 Feb. 1, is the oldest among the orchestra’s 70 musicians as EVPO begins an ambitious February-March schedule of nine public concerts in four East Valley communities.

Violinist Tyler Mahurin, meanwhile, is the group’s youngest at age 30.

As you might expect, decidedly different paths led them to an orchestra that’s been entertaining area audiences for 43 years.

Iowa native Larson’s small town didn’t have a high school band until he was a senior. That’s when he took up the tuba, went on to play in his college band, then got a graduate degree in vocal performance at the University of Iowa.

He taught vocal music and English in northern Iowa schools for 36 years. He didn’t return to the tuba until after he retired in 1989 — five years before violinist Mahurin was even born.

Mahurin was 4 years old when his mother took him to a concert, after which kids were invited to touch and try out the instruments. He was immediately hooked on the violin. His family, however, couldn’t afford an instrument. They instead fashioned a “violin” out of Styrofoam which he used to practice proper violin posture and bow strokes.

Within the year he had a real violin and was enrolled in Suzuki method classes for young musicians. There were private lessons, a youth symphony in Washington State and a high school orchestra. Then — much like Larson’s tuba — his instrument was set aside for a while.

Newly married, he was taking private lessons at Milano Music in Mesa when he heard about, then joined the East Valley Pops three seasons ago.

There was an added benefit. Another member of the violin section offered Mahurin full-time employment in her family’s commercial cleaning business. That makes for an understanding boss when he needs off Monday afternoons for weekly rehearsals six months out of the year.

Most EVPO musicians are retired. More than a few of them, like Larson, former music educators. About a third of them, like Larson, are snowbirds.

He and his wife of 68 years spend summers in Minnesota. There he plays in a community band that has four tubas. He’s been part of EVPO for eight years. He also plays in Mesa’s Viewpoint Resort Band.

He says the best part of EVPO is the chance to hear a lot of good music. But he also believes being an active musician is good for him.

“First of all, it takes a lot of air to blow a tuba,” he says. “Maybe it’s just a personal thing, but I figure it’s like getting out and exercising every day. When you start out, you may think it’s not working so good. But by the end of the day, you feel fine. I find playing is good for my lungs and good for my brain.”

EVPO launches its “spring” season Feb. 7 with a concert at Silveridge RV Resort in Mesa. It will also present two concerts in Mesa and Chandler schools. Go to https://www.eastvalleypops.org.