Residents and vacationers relaxing around Raymond’s Panther Pond got a surprise 90-minute musical performance on July 9 from one of the Maine Pops Concert Band’s newly formed small ensembles. The performance involved a pontoon boat, five French horn players from the band’s “Uniquehorns” ensemble, and a half-dozen stops around the pond to play to appreciating shoreline audiences.
The ensemble’s “Pon-Tunes” performance brought waves of comments from those ashore who were watching and listening to the group’s music. Diane McClanahan, who leads the Uniquehorns ensemble, said the pond-sailing adventure brought many on-site kudos and congratulatory emails, praising the floating stage performance that Wednesday evening.
“The ‘pon-tunes’ we played as we circled the lake in our pontoon boat were met with cheers and applause by folks on the shoreline and docks who were awaiting our arrival,” said McClanahan. She added that one neighbor commented that the ensemble should do it more often, recommending the ensemble conduct regular “Pon-tune Tuesdays” for the community.
Piloted around the lake by Diane’s husband, Arthur, Wednesday’s performing musicians were McClanahan, Barbara Vladenides Wolejko, Rosetta Iannaconne, Denis Drobinski, and Charlie Lessard – all members of the Scarborough-based Maine Pops Concert Band. The music performed consisted of:
1) A Drobinski four-part French horn arrangement of “Air” and “Alla Hornpipe” from G.F. Handel’s Water Music,
2) Summer Song, F. Mendelssohn Op.50, No.31, arranged by H. Voxman, and
3) March Brisk, Milton Dieterich
The Uniquehorns French horn ensemble is one of nine Maine Pops ensembles – a recent expansion of groups that are bringing small group performances to local communities. The floating performance is only the second for the ensemble since forming in January. The ensemble had its premier performance at the inaugural Maine Pops small ensemble concert held May 28 in Saco, ME.
McClanahan said the experience was “…a great opportunity for us to live into the Maine Pops mission of ‘Building Community through Music;’ adding that agreed that Panther Pond residents and vacationers may experience “pon-tunes” again during the summer. Taking from another email she received, McClanahan echoed the comment that “…these are the types of things that strengthen a community.”
“That is what community bands are for,” said Bob Swerdlow, president of the Maine Pops. “We play for fun. We play to learn. We play to entertain. After 36 years the Pops is better musically, stronger operationally, and larger than ever.”
