USM School Of Music Kicks Off November Events With A Sondheim Birthday Bash Featuring Dozens Of Talented Students

Showcasing the sensational talents of our musical theater majors and friends, this birthday party for Stephen Sondheim features a selection of smart, sassy and scintillating songs written by one of American Musical Theater's foremost composers as we celebrate his 90th birthday! The 26-member cast is one of the largest groups that we've had for our fall musical theatre workshop production, and 12 of the performers are first-year students.

They will be performing selections from most of Sondheim's biggest musicals including "Into the Woods," "Company," "Sunday in the Park with George," "Follies" and more. The format is part concert, part revue, and part party. Vanessa Beyland, faculty in Dept of Theatre and Dance, is providing exciting choreography. Mesa Schubeck, School of Music graduate student and Ed Reichert, lecturer in Musical Theatre, will be accompanying the evening on dueling grand pianos. Length is approximately 80 minutes with no intermission.

The large cast includes the following student performers:

Julia Badaraco, first year, Waterville, Maine

Emily Bartley, first year, Clinton, Maine

Madeleine Blakemore, first year,,Brunswick, Maine

Kallie Brown, first year, North Yarmouth, Maine

Dylan Cao, first year, Sanford, Maine

Mikayla Clifford, junior, Gray, Maine

Abram Dwyer, sophomore, North Yarmouth, Maine

Aliza Dwyer, first year, Ellsworth, Maine

Noli French, sophomore, Gray. Maine

Aaron Kircheis, sophomore, Bucksport, Maine

Katie Lind, sophomore, Standish, Maine

Isaac Martel, first year, Gorham Maine

Megan Mayfield, senior, Marlborough, Massachusetts

Caitlin McGonigle, sophomore, Brentwood, New Hampshire

Ciara Neidlinger, first year, Hiram, Maine

Katie Oberholtzer, senior, Cape Elizabeth, Maine

Miles Obrey, junior, Gorham, Maine

Molly Scott, first year, Biddeford, Maine

Victoria Stackpole, junior, Biddeford, Maine

Ayanna Stover, sophomore, Wiscasset, Maine

Nash Tasker, sophomore, Berwick, Maine

Ben Walker-Dubay, senior, Kennebunkport, Maine

Meg Walz, sophomore, Portland, Maine

Chana Wingard, first year, Orono, Maine

Brandon Wong, sophomore,York, Maine

Caroline Woods, first year, New York, New York

Saturday, November 9, 2019, 2:00 p.m.

"Unfinished Masterpieces" - Southern Maine Symphony Orchestra and University Chorale

Westbrook Performing Arts Center

$8 for adults, $5 for students, seniors, USM employees and alumni

The concert features two beloved masterpieces that were never finished by the original composers. The Southern Maine Symphony Orchestra will perform Schubert's Symphony No. 8, in B minor "Unfinished" conducted by Hanna Flewelling, graduate conducting associate.

The Orchestra will be joined by the USM Chorale, the Southern Maine Youth Chorale and other select high school choirs for a performance of Mozart's largest choral-orchestral composition, Mass in C minor, conducted by Robert Lehmann.

Student soloists are:

Ida Santos and Nicole Ponte, Vocal Performance seniors

Miles Obrey, Vocal Performance junior

Mia Love and Rachel Warren, Music Education sophomores

Daniel Laverriere, Music Education and Performance Dual Major sophomore

Wednesday, November 13, 7:00 p.m.

USM Concert Band and Casco Bay Wind Symphony with John Mackey

Merrill Auditorium, Portland, ME

Adults, $32; Seniors, $25; College Students, $10 with current student ID

After two full days of residency with world-renowned wind band composer John Mackey, on Wednesday, November 13, 2019, the USM Concert Band and Casco Bay Wind Symphony, under the direction of Dr. Jackie Townsend (Director of Wind Studies at USM), will perform a joint concert at Merrill Auditorium in downtown Portland. The concert will include works by Mr. Mackey (including Places We Can No Longer Go) with the composer in attendance, and will feature soprano Malinda Haslett, Ph.D., USM's Director of Vocal Studies.

Friday, November 15, 8:00 p.m.

Faculty Concert Series: Faculty Jazz Ensemble

Corthell Hall, Gorham Campus

$15 for adults, $10 for seniors and USM alumni, and $5 for students.

The Faculty Jazz Ensemble will perform the complete 1962 Capitol Records Nancy Wilson/Cannonball Adderley recording, featuring songs "Happy Talk," "Save Your Love for Me" and "Never Will I Marry," and more. Musicians: Chris Oberholtzer, trombone; Barry Saunders, saxophone; Chris Klaxton, trumpet; Taylor O'Donnell, vocalist; Gary Wittner, guitar; Jed Wilson, piano; Bronek Suchanek, bass; Les Harris Jr., drums.

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