HOULTON, Maine — The University of Maine Symphonic Band will be teaming up with McGill’s Community Band of Houlton Friday, March 31 for a concert.
The Symphonic Band is dedicated to playing serious literature written for band and smaller wind and percussion groups. The members perform in concerts on campus, go on a spring tour, and appear in several run out concerts in public schools throughout the year.
Friday evening’s concert will be held at the Houlton Community Arts Center (high school auditorium), at 7 p.m.
For McGill’s Community Band director Kevin Mania, the concert will be a coming home event as he played percussion for the Symphonic Band while enrolled at the college.
“During the summer I take some time off from Mcgill’s Band to be the dean of students at Maine Summer Youth Music camp on the University of Maine campus,” Mania explained. “The director of the camp is Chris White, who is the Symphonic Band director. He asked if we would like to have the band come play while they are on tour this year and have the community band play as well. I thought it would be great to have them come, and give the McGill’s band members a chance to play a concert right away to have something to work for early in our practice season.”
At that time, the band was under the direction of Curvin Farnham, who became one of Mania’s biggest mentors. The group last played in Houlton in November 2007 on a run out concert, where the Middle School band played as their opener much like the McGills band is doing Friday night.
There is no charge for the concert, but donations will be accepted.
