Category: Photos

2025-05-28 Maine Pops Conducts First Small Ensemble Concert in Saco

After having to cancel its initial Maine Pops Concert Band small ensemble concert last March, six of the band’s nine small music ensembles performed a 90-minute program on Wednesday, May 28 at the First Parish Congregational Church in Saco.

Prior to January of 2025, the Maine Pops had three performing small ensembles – its woodwind quintet. a flute choir, and a 19-member big band. The new year brought new opportunities as band leadership – seeking to provide a variety of entertainment options and encourage outreach to our local audiences – encouraged concert band musicians to create small groups for the purpose building sectional cohesion and performing in venues where our 100-member band could not perform.

“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.”

A moderate-sized audience, including a good percentage of Maine Pops Concert Band members, was there to support musicians through a series of small group compositions. Four of the six ensembles made their public debut this evening.

The listing below are the ensembles and the works they performed:
The Maine Pops Flute Choir
Little Bird – Grieg (arr. Amos)
The Windmills of Your Mind – Legrand (arr. White)
Air from Suite in D, BWV 1069 – Bach (arr. Tucker)
Chitty Chitty Bang Band – Sherman & Sherman (arr. Orriss)

Uniquehorns (French horn ensemble)
Intrada – Drobinski
TV Western Medley – Drobinski

Tubby Tones (tuba/euphonium ensemble)
Helena Polka (arr. Knoener)
Songs of the British Isles: Movement 4 (arr. Werden)
Amazing Grace – Newton (arr. Wright)

Quince Woodwind Quintet
Menuet – Colomer
Shipwreck – Drobinski
Adios Muchachos – Sanders (arr. Dobrinescu)

Clarinet Chromatics
Argenteuil 1902 – Margolis
Happy Together – Gordon (transcribed Rau)
Three Blind Mice – (transcribed by Mills and Bates)

Polished Brass
Strike up the Band – G. Gershwin (arr.Naulais)
Rondeau – Mourney (transcibed by King)
Three Spirituals (arr. Barnes)

The next public performance by the Maine Pops will be Wednesday, June 25, when the full concert band will perform and outdoor concert at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Kennebunk. The concert starts at 7 p.m.

Beach Street Big Band Opens Summer Season with Saco Concert May 15

The first in a series of full concert band and small ensemble performances this summer by elements of the Maine Pops Concert Band was held May 15 with a 7 p.m. concert featuring the Beach Street Big Band held at the First Parish Congregational Church in Saco, ME.

Under the direction of long-time music educator Tom Lizotte, the Beach Street Big Band performed before a small audience of 50 people. Although the band played held its formal debut last December as part of the Biddeford Alumni Band’s Christmas holiday concert, the May 15 event was the ensemble’s first public performance as the headline act. Between now and the end of summer, The Beach Street Big Band – taking its name from the Saco Street where the band rehearses every week – plans to perform in a series of public and private concerts to entertain audiences in the greater Portland area.

For those who were unable to attend the concert in person, the performance was recorded by Scarborough Community Access Television and is available on the band’s YouTube page. Many thanks to John Cranton of Scarborough CAT for his work.

The program for the May 15 concert included the following charts:
The Opener – Carl Stommen
Cry Me a River – Arthur Hamilton (arr. Jerry Nowak)
Only Trust Your Heart – Sammy Cahn (arr. Terry White)
The Very Thought of You – Ray Noble (arr. Terry White)
April in Paris – E.Y. Harburg (arr. Dave Barduhn)
Almost Like Being in Love – Lerner and Lowe (arr. Lenny Niehaus)
Blue Skies – Irving Berlin (arr. Robert Holmes)
Let’s Fall in Love – Harold Arlen (arr. Terry White)
Fever – Davenport and Cooley (arr. Robert Holmes)
Moten Swing – Buster and Bennie Moten, (arr. Ernie Wilkens)
Over the Rainbow – E.Y. Harburg (arr. Dave Wolpe)
Oh, Lady Be Good – George and Ira Gershwin (arr. Terry White)

OTHER MAINE POPS SUMMER ENGAGEMENTS

In addition to the big band’s performance, the Maine Pops Concert Band has a full summer of musical engagements. The next concert – also slated for May 28 at First Parish Congregational Church in Saco – will feature additional small ensembles from the Maine Pops membership in concert that was cancelled last March due to a late-season winter storm. Groups may include an 11-member brass ensemble, a clarinet, saxophone and tuba ensemble, the Maine Pops Flute Choir, and a woodwind quintet. The concert begins at 7 p.m. A donation of $15 is recommended and all students are admitted free of charge.

The full Maine Pops Concert Band also has a busy summer planned with the following public engagements scheduled:

June 25 – Outdoor concert at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Kennebunk, Maine, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
June 28 – Robert Browne Hall Day Massed Band performance, Site and time to be determined.
July 16 – Outdoor concert at Heseltine Park, Woodfords Corner neighbor, Portland, Maine, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
August 1 – Outdoor concert at Bath Library Gazebo, Bath, Maine, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
August 13 – Outdoor concert at Cape Elizabeth Village Green, Cape Elizabeth, Maine, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
August 15 – Outdoor concert at Scarborough Summerfest (tent adjacent to high school tennis courts), Scarborough, ME, 6 to 7 p.m.

Maine Pops Holds Spring Concert at Scarborough High

Another Maine Pops Concert Band spring concert is in the books following its “Let’s Travel” concert held April 27 at Scarborough High School’s Winslow Homer Center for the Arts in Scarborough, ME. A good-sized audience filled the lower portion of the auditorium to hear nine musical selections rehearsed by the band since it began spring concert rehearsals in January.

For those who missed the performance live, the Maine Pops Concert Band has posted a recording of the spring concert on its YouTube channel. Many thanks to John Cranton on Scarborough Community Access Television.

The 2025 spring program:
1. Travelin’ Music – Robert Sheldon
2. Finlandia – Jean Sebelius
3. Indiana – McDonald and Hanley
4. Fuego del Alma – Carl Strommen
5. The Pathfinder of Panama – John Philip Sousa
6. Star Trek Symphonic Suite – Giacchino, Roddenberry and Courage
7. Three Celtic Dances – Brian Balmages
8. An American in Paris – George Gershwin
9. Galop – Dmitri Shostakovich

With the spring concert complete, the Maine Pops returns to the rehearsal hall on Wednesday, April 30 to begin preparations for its 2025 summer season. The band will pull music from its 2024 fall concert, 2025 spring performance and may add a few works traditionally performed during the summer season. A formal schedule has not been set, but the summer schedule will be published as soon as arrangements are finalized.

The band is also finalizing plans for the rescheduled small ensembles concert cancelled March 29 due to wintry weather. That concert – featuring six of the nine Maine Pops ensembles, will be held Wednesday, May 28 at the First Parish Congregational Church in Saco, beginning at 7 p.m.

Maine Pops Concert Band Holiday Concert now slated for Westbrook Performing Arts Center on December 15

The sounds of the holidays will be ringing through the rafters of the Westbrook Performing Arts Center as the Maine Pops Concert Band will perform its annual holiday benefit concert on Sunday, December 15 from 2:30 to 4 p.m. This is a change in venue; the concert was previously announced to be held in Falmouth. Doors open at 2 p.m.

Proceeds from this year’s concert will benefit the Trauma Intervention Program of Greater Portland, (https://www.tipgreaterportland.org) and the Animal Rescue League of Greater Portland (https://arlgp.org) Pet Food Pantry. The recommended donation for the fundraising effort is $15 per person. Students are free to attend.

The band – under the direction of David Watts – has been rehearsing holiday music since November 6, and will present 12 compositions for the holiday audience. Compositions include a pair of Leroy Anderson’s classic works and two Chip Davis/Mannheim Steamroller holiday arrangements. The band will feature pieces from George Frederic Handel, Gustav Holst, David Lovrien, Evan Van Doren, and Robert Wendel. Other holiday arrangements include pieces by Eric Morales, Sammy Nestico, and Richard Saucedo.

Also scheduled is a pre-concert performance by the Maine Pops Flute Choir between 2 and 2:25 p.m. The ensemble plans six pre-concert pieces for patrons as they enter and settle in for the band performance and include works from Leroy Anderson, Sammy Cahn and Julie Styne, Irving Berlin, and James Lord Pierpoint. Many of the arrangements were adapted for flute choir by Patty Lawson, the Maine Pops Flute Choir lead.

Because of the growth in the Maine Pops Concert Band (nearly 100 musicians will perform) the band has had to move into a larger venue for its annual holiday benefit concert. The Westbrook Performing Arts Center, located at 471 Stroudwater Street in Westbrook, has a stage capable of holding the band, and a beautiful, two-tiered auditorium for the annual Christmas concert to raise funds for local causes during the holiday season. The band played its 2024 fall concert in Westbrook on November 3.

The holiday performance will be the last concert for the Maine Pops in 2024. Musicians will be taking an extended holiday break and resuming rehearsals on January 8, 2025, to prepare for the band’s spring concert on April 27. More details on the concert venue will be announced later.

For more information about the Maine Pops, please visit http://www.mainepops.org.

The Maine Pops Concert Band is a 501(c)3 educational non-profit corporation. Contributions may be tax-deductible.

2024 Maine Pops Concert Band Fall Concert Audio Recording Now Available

The 2024 Maine Pops Concert Band Fall Concert performed November 2 at Westbrook Performing Arts Center in Westbrook, Maine, is now available on audio only.

Patrons may listen to a pre-concert performance by the Maine Pops Flute Choir, the enjoy the seven compositions directed by David Watts, the conductor of the Maine Pops Concert Band.

Audio is courtesy of Arthur McClanahan.

Maine Pops Conducts 2024 Fall Concert at Westbrook Performing Arts Center

The Maine Pops Concert Band completed its 2024 fall concert before a fairly large audience inside the Westbrook Performing Arts Center in Westbrook, ME on November 3, 2024.

Nearly 85 members of the Maine Pops performed seven compositions in its first performance since its summer concert at the Bath Library Gazebo in August.

In the concert program, Director David Watts wrote, "My inspiration for selecting our repertoire for this season came from people listening to music and making the comment, ‘What’s the name of that song? I can’t place where I’ve heard it before.’”

Watts emphasized to the audience the role of this fall concert. "Some music simply transcends understanding. It
moves our soul," said Watts. "It lives in the recesses of our minds and can bring us joy, sadness, or simply Transport us to another time or location. Let the pieces today transport you."

The band performed the following compositions:

Eighties Flashback (medley)
The Rakes of Mallow
Excerpts from Appalachian Spring
Summer of ’69 (medley)
Adagio for Strings
Light Cavalry Overture
Seventy-Six Trombones

The event opened with a pre-concert performance by the Maine Pops Flute Choir as patrons entered the center.

The next Maine Pops Concert will be its annual Christmas Benefit Concert, slated for Sunday, December 15 at Falmouth High School in Falmouth, Maine. Doors will open at 2 p.m. for a 2:30 p.m. concert.

Maine Pops Concert Band to Perform Annual Fall Concert November 3 in Westbrook

The colorful sight of fallen leaves on the often-damp streets and lawns of Southern Maine continue the transition from summer fun along the beaches to the anticipation of snow and colder weather. With the autumn chill comes the need for indoor entertainment as local music programs begin performances marking the fall and leading to the holiday season.

One of those local bands is the Scarborough-based Maine Pops Concert Band, which will perform their annual fall concert – “Great Composers – Greater Music” – on Sunday, November 3 at the Westbrook Performing Arts Center, located at 471 Stroudwater Street in Westbrook, Maine. The 90-minute performance begins at 2:30 p.m.

To celebrate the great composers, Maine Pops Director David Watts has selected a variety of compositions for performance in Westbrook. The fall concert features music ranging from marches to medleys and classical to popular music. These works include compositions by Leroy Anderson, Aaron Copland, Franz von Suppe, Meredith Willson, and Samuel Barber. Watts also selected a pair of medleys for audience members looking for a “flashback” to the 1960s and 1980s.

The band is soliciting a recommended $15 donation per person to attend the fall performance. Students can attend free of charge.

Now in its 36th year, the Maine Pops – under the direction of Watts – has become one of the largest community concert bands in Maine. There are currently over 100 musicians registered to perform with the band during the 2024-2025 season. Most will be in performance on November 3; the band’s first concert since their August engagement at the Library Park Gazebo in Bath, Maine.

For more information about scheduling, joining, contributing, or sponsoring the Maine Pops Concert Band, please visit http://www.mainepops.org.

Maine Pops Concert Band Concludes Summer Season with Bath Performance

(Photo by Larry Langmore)

A very busy and productive Maine Pops summer concert season ended with a well-attended performance at Bath’s Library Park Gazebo on August 16 in Bath, ME.

An audio recording of the Bath performance is now available on line through the link in this paragraph. (Recording by Arthur McClanahan)

The Bath concert marked the band’s seventh summer performance of 2024. The season began with a small ensemble of musicians who performed in support of the U.S. Coast Guard’s regional change of command ceremony in June, Days later, the band performed at the R.B. Hall Festival in Bridgton, followed by concerts at Camp Ketcha (Scarborough), two Portland senior housing communities, and Portland’s Heseltine Park.

Our final summer concert program included the following 12 compositions:
Star-Spangled Banner
Amparito Roca
Motown Portrait
Veni, Vedi, Vici
I’m Shipping Up to Boston
Just a Closer Walk with Thee
Gallant Seventh
Italian Festival
Dam Busters
The Rolling Stones on Tour
Battle Hymn of the Republic
The Stars and Stripes Forever

The band now receives a nearly three-week break to recover, perform instrument maintenance, and prepare for the start of fall seasons rehearsals, Those sessions are tentatively slated to begin on Wednesday, September 4, beginning at 7 p.m. at Scarborough High School.

2024-08-14 Maine Pops Performs Make-Up Concert at Portland’s Heseltine Park

Although delayed a month due to thunderstorm activities on July 17, the Maine Pops Concert Band was able to return to Portland’s Heseltine Park to perform for residents of the Woodfords Corner Community.

There were no weather problems this evening, but the band did have to make a few modifications to the original program, dropping "Jupiter" from the evening event. However, David Watts added "A Joyful Fanfare" and "Amparito Roca" to the playlist for a fairly large audience that brought lawn chairs, a picnic dinner and ice cream from the vendor adjacent to the park.

This evening’s performance consisted of:
The Star-Spangled Banner
A Joyful Fanfare
The Gallant Seventh
A Motown Portrait
I’m Shipping Up to Boston
A Closer Walk with Thee
633 Squadron
The Rolling Stones on Tour
Amparito Roca
Battle Hymn of the Republic
The Stars and Stripes Forever

The Maine Pops Concert Band will conclude its 2024 summer season with a performance at Bath’s Library Park Gazebo on Friday, August 16 at 6:30 p.m. Once completed, the band will take a two-week break before fall concert rehearsals begin in September.

Maine Pops Concert Band Performs for 100 State Street Senior Residents in Portland

The last of the Maine Pops Concert Band private concerts took place at the senior community center located at 100 State Street in Portland.

About 55 members of the concert band squeezed into the performance terrace to entertain residents who sat either in the complex courtyard or listened from their apartments. The band performed 11 compositions under overcast skies and the threat of circling seagulls.

Tonight’s program:

The Star-Spangled Banner
Where Eagles Dare
Just A Closer Walk with Thee
633 Squadron
Italian Festival
Victory at Sea
The Dam Busters
The Rolling Stones on Tour
Battle Hymn of the Republic
Shipping up to Boston
The Stars and Stripes Forever

The band will take a two-week break, returning to performance on Wednesday, August 14 with a 6:30 p.m. concert at the Cape Elizabeth Village Green in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.