KINGFIELD - Local musician Dot Lambert will once again take the stage at the 6th annual Kingfield POPS Saturday beginning at 4 p.m. at the Kennedy Farm on Route 142.

Last year Lambert had the honor of conducting the Bangor Symphony Orchestra for one number, "Stars and Stripes," before an audience of about 2,000 people, she said. It was an honor she took in stride.

"I wasn't nervous, not a bit. Those folks were so well-trained they could have done it without anyone conducting. It was just so thrilling," she said Tuesday.

Lambert wasn't sure why she was chosen but suspects a family friend, Donald Tranten, thought of her when the orchestra wanted to showcase local talent and let someone conduct the number. Lambert's love of music and experience leading choirs and cantatas for more than 25 years helped her lead the orchestra with just an afternoon run-through the day of the concert and a copy of the music.

This year, Lambert will direct the Kingfield Chorus, a community chorus formed this spring to perform an Easter cantata at the Western Mountains Baptist Church, she said.

The 14-member chorus will share their music at the start of the Kingfield POPS concert, scheduled for 4:50 p.m. Saturday and during a half-hour performance at the Festival of Arts held downtown during the day, she added. The day performance is scheduled for 1 p.m. on the stage near Camden National Bank.

The group has some old-time favorites to share for the festival performance such as, "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree," "You're a Grand Old Flag," "My Eyes Have Seen the Glory," ending with "Peace On Earth," she said.

For the Kingfield POPS, the chorus will offer patriotic songs including, "My Country 'Tis of Thee," "God Bless America," and "The Star Spangled Banner," she said.

Although the chorus was started through the church, Lambert recruited people who wanted to sing. That brought in local community members as well as a couple of ladies from Strong, she said.

Members include Skip Pike, Ruth White, Glennese Taylor, Ruth Holmes, Eunice Shurtleff, Bruce Taylor, Sylvia English, Pamela Bare, Jane Deely, Jolie Baker, Heidi Baker, Clifford Stone and pianist Dave Hovey.

Lambert's husband, Maurice, a daughter and two granddaughters are part of the chorus.

"The whole family is musical," she added. Most of her eight children and grandchildren share her musical abilities and one son, a pastor, and a daughter both sing and participate in musical programs in their churches.

Serving as senior choir director for the First Baptist Church for 25 years was a "learn as you go" experience, Lambert said. She started her musical training at the age of eight with piano lessons taught by a church organist. Now she teaches piano lessons and leads both senior and junior choirs and directs 25 cantatas.

"It's not difficult. I love it all, but I sometimes worry whether I'll meet people's expectations and whether they'll enjoy it," she said of the performances.

A Kingfield native, her family moved from away during her younger years, but she and her husband returned when he took a position with Knapp Brothers Garage, and they have lived here ever since, she said.

Once the chorus has performed, Lambert will enjoy the rest of the performances now being held for the sixth year.

"I love the orchestra music and never get tired of it. No one here plays that caliber of music," she added.