KINGFIELD – Kingfield POPS has made it possible for MSAD 58 students to participate in three major music enrichment programs this spring.
On Monday, May 24 the Nordica Trio will be performing in the schools of Stratton (8:30 to 9:15 a.m.) and Kingfield (10:15 to 11:00) and on Tuesday, May 25, they will perform in Phillips (12:00 to 12:45) and Strong (1:35 to 2:20) schools.
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Nordica Trio consists of three accomplished and well-known musicians who have performed throughout the state and internationally, and have received numerous awards, grants and honors. Graybert Beacham, who plays violin and viola, is also the district string teacher. Karen Beacham plays clarinet and Martin Perry plays piano.
The community is encouraged to attend. There is no admission fee. Kingfield POPS initiated and funded these events.
Kingfield POPS offered district schools the possibility of participating in a musician-student Pen Pal exchange program this spring. The third- and fourth-grade teachers at Kingfield Elementary School accepted the offer and students are exchanging letters with a violinist from the Bangor Symphony Orchestra, who will come to visit the school, play for the children and talk to them about music.
“This experience is particularly meaningful for students this at this age,” said POPS organizer Vici Robinson, “because they are in their first or second year studying violin in the school string program with Graybert Beacham.”
On May 5 Kingfield POPS provided a bus to transport area band and instrumental students to a live performance of some of North America’s finest traditional musicians at the Skye Theater in Carthage. This was a team effort: music teacher Gail Russ initiated the program; and Phil MacIntrye, owner of the Skye Theater, offered reduced-price tickets for the kids and made it possible for them to “jam”
with the musicians before the evening performance. The musicians involved included world famous fiddler Richard Wood, singer/song writer Gordon Belsher, highly acclaimed fiddler and teacher Ward MacDonald, and award winning Celtic vocalist Colette Cheverie.
According to Russ, 33 students and eight adults attended the performance. “The students and parents all enjoyed the show. They an amazing group of musicians. It’s not very often students from MSAD 58 can play along with a world class fiddler.”
Phil MacIntyre said, “We tried to provide a glimpse into the life of a touring artist and especially wanted to show the students that performers are real people. Even though Richard Wood is a world famous fiddler he loved working with the students on a tune that they could play. It was interesting to see the change from ‘What is this all about?’ to clapping and tapping, hooting and getting lost in the moment and the music. I think it really opened the eyes of the students. I even saw the chaperones’ feet going.”
Kingfield POPS is committed to providing music enrichment programs for area children. “Many people associate the POPS strictly with our summer concert and Festival of the Arts,” said POPS President, Donald Tranten, “but the fact is that while those public events are the most obvious part of what we do, the heart and soul of our mission involves music enrichment for youth, which is all the more important as school programs continue to be cut – and this is one of the reasons we continue to offer tickets to our summer POPS concert with the BSO free of charge to children and youth. “
For more information about Kingfield POPS and its school programs or concerts, go to www.kingfieldpops.com, call 207.265.POPS or find them on Facebook.
