All-Aroostook Festival to feature area’s brightest singers, musicians

By Scott Mitchell Johnson
Staff Writer
    FORT FAIRFIELD – The County’s best singers and musicians will come together Saturday in Fort Fairfield and perform in the All-Aroostook Music Festival concert.
    Sponsored by the Northern Maine Music Educators Association, the concert will be held Jan. 16 at 3 p.m. in the Fort Fairfield Middle/High School gymnasium. Tickets will go on sale to the general public at 2 p.m. and doors will open at 2:30 p.m.
    According to Robert Helstrom, music teacher at Fort Fairfield Middle/High School, the concert will feature students from Hodgdon, Houlton, Southern Aroostook, Union 122, Van Buren, Caribou, Easton, Fort Fairfield, Presque Isle, Limestone, Katahdin, Madawaska, Central Aroostook, Fort Kent, Ashland and Washburn.
    “We’ll have about 250 kids performing,” said Helstrom. “Most schools have an audition process and they send their best students. These are the schools’ most talented musicians, so it will be a great concert.”
    Fort Fairfield last hosted the music festival in 2007.
    “[As the host school], we provide rehearsal facilities, the concert venue itself, instrumentation, meals, concessions and snacks for the students. Members of our Music Boosters contribute volunteers, as well. We have to have a core of adults – parents and teachers – that help keep things running smoothly,” said Helstrom. “It’s a true community effort.
    “Our school will receive part of the gate if there is a profit made, plus proceeds from the concessions,” he said, “so it is a fund-raiser of sorts, as well.”
    Rehearsals for the All-Aroostook Music Festival concert will be held Friday and Saturday at the school.
    “The kids will rehearse Friday for three hours in the morning and three hours in the afternoon, and again on Saturday morning,” said Helstrom. “They’ll definitely be ready to impress the audience.”
    The concert will begin with the middle school chorus performing, followed by the middle school band. Then the high school chorus will sing, followed by the high school band.
    “Each group performs three to five numbers … depending on the length of the songs,” said Helstrom, noting that the concert should last about two hours. “We’re going to do something different this year and combine the high school band and chorus for the last number, ‘Today is the Gift’ by Samuel Hazo. It should be a really nice finale.”
    There are four talented conductors assisting with this year’s festival.
    Jay D. Nelson of Caribou will lead the middle school chorus. Nelson is in his 23rd year as vocal music director in SAD 1 where his duties include teaching middle school music classes and directing the middle school and high school choral ensembles. Nelson will be accompanied by his wife of 24 years, Denise Nelson. She has been a private piano instructor for 26 years, and has accompanied the SAD 1 choruses and several festivals with her husband.
    George Shabo will conduct the middle school band. He is music director of Loranger Middle School of Old Orchard Beach where his marching, concert, and jazz bands have been recognized for their excellence for the past 25 years.                     Matthew Madore, a Van Buren native, will lead the high school chorus. Madore is currently in his second year as the choral director for the Waterville Public School system.
    Kevin Kinsey will conduct the high school band. He is currently in his 11th year as elementary band director for SAD 1 and as director of the University of Maine at Presque Isle/Community Band. He has served as guest conductor at several district and county festivals around the state.                 “People should attend this concert because it includes the best musicians from each Aroostook County community, not in competition, but in collaboration,” said Helstrom. “So often we go to school events where the main focus is to see one school’s team defeat another school’s team; this is an opportunity for Aroostook County students to work together to create something wonderful and special for all to hear and enjoy.”
    Admission is $3 for children, $4 for adults and $10 for families.