Auburn Community Concert Band to begin 38th season

AUBURN — The Auburn Community Concert Band, under the direction of Milt Simon, will kick off its annual summer series of weekly outdoor evening concerts at Festival Plaza in downtown Auburn on Wednesday, June 19.

The 7 p.m. performance is the first of 10 programs scheduled for the Main Street location. The free concerts will continue weekly on Wednesday evenings through Aug. 21, weather permitting. If inclement weather is forecasted, the band will hold that week’s performance indoors at the Gendron Franco Center, Cedar Street, Lewiston. The one exception is July 31, for which there is no rain location. The public is advised to visit the band’s website for up-to-the-minute information on concert locations and programs.

This year marks the 38th anniversary since Simon first organized the band. The 49 volunteer musicians range in age from 14 to 90, and collectively represent a total of 18 Maine communities.

Simon said the organization “gives many individuals a chance to utilize musical talents neglected since their high school days, and the entire community benefits.” He added that the Auburn group “is one of the larger community bands in the state of Maine, and often attracts from 300 to 400 people to its weekly concerts.”

Each week throughout the next two months, the band will present a different musical theme, featuring popular songs from the past 50 years.

“If you have a favorite song from the last five decades, chances are good that the ACCB will perform it sometime during our 10-week concert season,” said Simon. “A lot of our songs appeal to audiences of all ages,” he said. As an example, he told about new arrangements added to the band’s repertoire this spring, including Freddie Mercury’s “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” and a medley of songs from the Disney hit movie “Moana.”

People planning to attend any performances at Festival Plaza should bring their own lawn chairs and are advised to arrive well before the 7 p.m. concert start time, as large audiences are again expected this summer. Ample free parking is available in the parking garage located across the street from the plaza. A local food vendor will be set up on site for every concert.

The programs for this summer’s 10-week series are:

June 19: “Forgotten but Unforgettable,” an evening of music nostalgia under the stars.
June 26: “Gone Too Soon,” remembering stars like Michael Jackson, James Brown, Whitney and Elvis.
July 3: “An Evening of Patriotic Music.”
July 10: “American Idols,” including songs from the Beatles, Sinatra, Stevie Wonder and Phil Collins.
July 17: “It’s Showtime!,” showcasing popular songs from the stage and the large screen.
July 24: “The Legends of Rock,” including still-popular tunes by Kansas, the Doors, Journey and Queen.
July 31: “The Voice,” featuring hit songs by Ray Charles, Neil Diamond, Paul Simon and Lady Gaga.
Aug. 7: “Songs that Bridge Generations,” a selection of hit tunes that are popular with all age groups.
Aug. 14: “Let’s Dance,” featuring five decades of dancing music, from the late ‘50s to present time.
Aug. 21: “ACCB’s Greatest Hits,” featuring some of the band’s favorite songs from the past 37 seasons.

The members of this summer’s concert band are: Piccolo, Susan Gayle; flute, Sharon Blodgett, Barbara Jabaut, Carrie Palmer, Kellie Pelletier, River Stickney and Jackie Woods; clarinet, Kiani Camire, Loren Gardner, Denise Leavitt, Dorothy LeClair, Patti Pelletier, Rick Rau, Emily McCarthy-Rucker and Louise Theberge; bassoon, Hayden Pelletier.

Also, alto saxophone, Kerry Gould, David Griswold, Miranda Haggerty, Melissa LeDuc and Sean Racicot-Psaledakis; tenor sax, Angela Greenwald and Marty Lang; baritone sax, Jason Toussaint; trumpet, Elliott Epstein, Peter Floyd, Finn Goodwin, Stephen Lobley, Jill Longstaff, Alisson Morin, Maurice Morin and Nancy Morris; French horn, Stephanie Burke; trombone, Sonny Begin, Margaret Berry, Fred Fahlsing, Mark Jacobs, Carla Lobley, Chip Morrison and Tom Nelson; baritone, Jennifer August, Hadley Blodgett, Dennis Marenius and Jason McVille; tuba, Rick DeBruin, Mike Gamache, Joshua Hofferberth and Duncan Webster; percussion, Dan Leclair and Laurie Swart.