UM student wins title of best national anthem singer

AUBURN – Hannah Kramer’s voice swelled as the bombs burst and the rockets glared red. For her, “The Star-Spangled Banner” is a kind of love song.

“I sing to the flag,” she said.

Each of 23 auditioners Saturday at Great Falls School – vying for the title of Maine’s best national anthem singer – had their own secret.

One by one, they each stood on the stage and sang the song without accompaniment, just as they might from center ice at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston or the infield at Boston’s Fenway Park.

Rhonda Trask of Auburn thought of her brothers, Shawn and Gary Martin. Shawn served in Iraq and Gary in Afghanistan.

“I think of freedom,” she said.

Thirteen-year-old Melanie Dorice Saucier of Fort Kent thought about the honor of singing for people, something she began when she was only 2 years old.

Aaren Rivard, a 17-year-old tenor from South China, thought about his technique and the lyrics.

Those first notes have to be clear and low enough to give a singer the room to climb to the end of the song without squeaking at the finish.

“It’s low for me,” Rivard said of the beginning. “I want to hit those notes and start on pitch.”

His version of the song was one of the morning’s highlights.

The audition was created by Jeff Scully, the executive director of Maine Games. His organization runs an Olympics-like festival each summer and several other events.

He hatched the idea of a competition about three years ago. The first two winners sang before Sea Dogs games at Portland’s Hadlock Field. This year, Scully convinced the Boston Red Sox to agree to give the winner a video tryout to sing at Fenway.

Getting there would not be easy.

Scully wanted a traditional interpretation of the song. No monotone antics. No depressing dirges.

“It’s not a funeral march,” Scully said. “It was written in 3/4 time. It’s a waltz.”

At the average speed, the song can be sung in about 1 minute and 15 seconds.

Saturday’s event drew 29 applicants. One dropped out before the audition. Another five failed to show up.

It took more than an hour for all of the singers to take the stage. Many were good.

Others changed keys as they sang the familiar tune. Some sang flatly or missed the melody completely. One forgot the words and started over.

They were judged by a panel of three, including Scully, local singer and actor Alison Traynor and Auburn City Councilor Ray Berube.

They listened to each one. Then, they picked seven to do it again.

In the end, they named Saucier to third place with a bronze medal. Ginger Leigh Smith of Poland and Janice Petrin of Biddeford each earned the second place medal.

Kramer won the gold.

The University of Maine freshman from Cape Elizabeth won’t be a newcomer to singing at sports games. She’s already sung for the Sea Dogs, the Lewiston Maineiacs, the Portland Pirates, the Boston Bruins and the Red Sox.

In most cases, the work gives her free tickets instead of money. The pleasure for her comes from performing for big crowds and singing to her flag.

“It’s the toughest song in the world to sing,” she said. “But I love it.”