In addition to performing as a full wind ensemble for seasonal and holiday concerts, the Maine Pops Concert Band began expanding its mission to conduct small ensemble performances to serve our regional area. These ensembles not only provide outreach opportunities to connect with various civic, educational, and religious groups, but also provides musical opportunities to Maine Pops musicians looking to build cohesiveness within their sections and expand on their performance experiences beyond the concert hall.
Currently the Maine Pops Concert Band has three ensembles providing entertainment opportunities to local groups: the Maine Pops Swing Band, the Maine Pops Woodwind Quintet, and the Maine Pops Flute Choir. As the band continues to grow, other ensembles may be formed.
The Maine Pops Concert Band ensembles do not charge a performance fee but do accept voluntary donations to help in the funding and acquisition of music to update and expand the small ensemble library.
The Mainely Swing Big Band
The newest of the band's ensembles - the Mainely Swing Big Band - resumes rehearsals on Thursday, September 5 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the First Parish Congregational Church, 12 Beach Street in Saco, ME. The swing band will continue its Thursday night sessions through the fall.
This new group - started in February 2024 - is currently open only to members of the current Maine Pops Concert Band. The ensemble will play traditional big band and swing music from the 30s, 40s, and 50s, plus more contemporary swing music.
Swing band organizers Randy Kitano and Peter Flournoy have filled positions for a traditional big band based on the instrumentation below:
4 trumpets
3 tenor trombones
1 bass trombone
2 alto saxophones
2 tenor saxophones
1 baritone saxophone
1 drummer with full set up
1 keyboard player
1 rhythm guitar player
1 string bass or bass guitar player
1 or 2 vocalists
Alternates/substitute musicians are being recruited from within the Maine Pops. Additional information on rehearsal dates, times, venue, music, etc. will be forthcoming. Once established and ready, the swing band will become available for public performance.
The Maine Pops Flute Choir
Formed in October of 2022, the Maine Pops Flute Choir consists of up to eleven flautists who made their performance debut during the band’s December 2022 holiday benefit concerts at St. Luke’s Cathedral in Portland and at Mountainside Community Church in West Falmouth. The choir uses a variety of flutes – concert flute, piccolo, alto flute, and bass flute – to perform classical, contemporary, and religious works written specifically for flute ensemble. In its first year, the flute choir has performed at retirement homes and during church services in the Portland area.
The Maine Pops Woodwind Quintet
In January 2023, some of the principal players in the Maine Pops formed a woodwind quintet of flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, and bassoon. The quintet began playing at retirement communities that same month. The repertoire ranges from classical music by Barthe, Colomer, and Faure, to popular tunes including The Wizard of Oz, Teddy Bears’ Picnic, the Beatles’ When I’m Sixty-Four, and some original compositions. It is fun to hear the different sounds of the instruments, working together or playing off each other, creating a special musical experience that surprises and delights.
Organizations looking to request a Maine Pops Concert Band musical ensemble should contact president@mainepops.org.