VIENNA — To celebrate and show off its dynamic new interior face lift, the Union Hall kicks off a new season of entertainment at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 13 with “Different Strokes for Different Folks,” an evening of a cappella music. Three top-notch groups with very different singing styles will perform: Northfield, the Gawler Family and Back Bay Four.

A cappella literally is Italian for “in the chapel” but has come to mean “without musical accompaniment.” A cappella uses the blending of voices to create beautiful harmonies.

Northfield, a locally based ensemble of 11 members, has been part of the western Maine musical scene for 25 years. They are known for their unique and unusual style of early American and European music. They will be singing spring-inspired pieces including a Monteverdi madrigal, a few “shape note” songs, a couple of gossipy French pieces and a spring lieder sort of piece by Fanny Mendelssohn as a foray into the Romantic period.

The Gawler family is also well known in central Maine and has delighted audiences with their talented fiddle, banjo and guitar playing. For this performance, they will feature their rich blend of vocal harmonies in early folk songs primarily about the seasons of farming and agriculture. With their great sense of humor and wide range of traditional music, they are always a delight to hear.

Back Bay Four is a barbershop quartet singing together since 2001. They are all members of the Portland Downeasters and Brunswick No’easters choruses (both barbershop). They were the 2007 Granite and Pine Division Champion quartet. They perform an eclectic mix of traditional barbershop harmonies, light jazz and swing and show tunes, but they especially love doo wop. They are barbershop at its best and not to be missed.

The initial idea for a community building in Vienna started in 1888 when several women in town started the Union Hall Association. This initial group of 18 members raised money and donations to have the Union Hall built by July 1889. Not complete, but usable, the building housed many community gatherings. By 1914, the building was in poor condition and a renewed interest managed to make repairs and complete more work.

Again in 1984, the next generation became interested in the damaged building and began new efforts to bring it back to life. Much work has been completed on the Union Hall since 1984 culminating in the recent paint job. Plans continue for more improvements to keep this gem-of-a-building a Vienna treasure into the future.

For more information, call 207-293-2362.

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