Rumford Historical Society to host ragtime music program on Oct. 15

RUMFORD — The Rumford Historical Society is meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15, in the Rumford Falls Auditorium, where an East Andover resident will perform the music of an acclaimed ragtime pianist.

President Randall Smith said that East Andover resident Ross Swain will present a program of music entitled “Scott Joplin’s Ragtime Garden” following a brief business meeting.

“Ross is a great piano player, and a great person,” Smith said. “I just talked with him, and he said the piano is all tuned up and ready to go.”

Smith said that normally, the Historical Society attempts to focus their programs on “something to do with the history of Rumford.”

“There was some question about whether or not performing music from Scott Joplin would fit that, but the thing is, the pieces that Ross will perform were composed around 1860, around the same time that Hugh Chisholm moved from Manhattan up to rural Maine,” Smith said. “I think this program will provide a good juxtaposition.”

Smith added that Swain is well-known in the River Valley area and has performed for audiences throughout Maine and New Hampshire.

The meeting and performance is open to the public.

mdaigle@sunjournal.com