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Music of Maine
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Maine is a state of the United States, located in New England. Its musical tradition extends back thousands of years to the music of the Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, and other indigenous peoples. Modern musicians from Maine include the bluegrass brothers Roland and Clarence White and the contemporary ragtime performer Glenn Jenks.
In the colonial era, the talented composer, singer, and compiler of tune books and Maine resident Supply Belcher (1751–1836) was known in his time as "the Handel of Maine." Belcher organized the first choir in Maine.
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Major music venues in Maine include Portland's Merrill Auditorium.
The state is home to two prominent country music organizations, Maine Country Music Association Hall of Fame and the Down East Country Musical Association. Musical institutions include the Maine State Music Theater in Brunswick, which has been in operation since 1959 and is the only professional music theater in the state.
The oldest continually operated symphony orchestra in the country is the Bangor Symphony Orchestra. The only other professtional orchestras is the Portland Symphony Orchestra; Portland is also home to the Portland Choral Arts Society and the Portland String Quarter. The DaPonte String Quartet is the only other professional string quartet in Maine. The Portland Opera Repertory Theatre and OperaMaine are the main outlets for opera in the state.
Portland is also home to the Center for Cultural Exchange, which promotes music and other aspects of cultural expression, including through the performances of music from Europe, Africa and Asia. Outside of Portland, there are pockets of people who keep the traditional musical styles of their ancestors, including the Swedish music of Stockholm and New Sweden, the French-Maine community across the state, especially in Upper St. John Valley, home to the Acadian Festival, and the ethnic Russian music of the Kennebec River community in Richmond, Maine.
Maine's musical heritage also include the long-standing barbershop group, Meddiebempsters, at Bowdoin College, which is also home to the Bowdoin Summer Music Festival and the Gamper Festival of Contemporary Music, one of four Maine festivals to focus on Western classical music, along with the Kneisel Hall Chamber Music Festival, Bay Chamber Concerts in Rockport, and the Sebago-Long Lake Festival Players.
Maine has had a long folk fiddling tradition, which has helped inspire many modern bluegrass musicians. Maine's bluegrass and fiddling tradition celebrated at the Eastern Maine Music Festival; there is also a Blugrass Music Association of Maine. Maine's contributions to bluegrass include Clarence and Roland White of the Kentucky Colonels and Jimmy Cox. The Freewill Folk Society at Bates College also continues the folk tradition.
Maine's religious music includes the well-known church choirs of St. Luke's Episcopal Cathedral and two Bangor-area churches both named after St. John (one Catholic and one Episcopal).
The mid-coast region of Maine is said to be the center for jazz; it is home to the Mid-Coast Jazz Society, the Maine Festival in Brunswick, and the Boothbay Harbor Jazz Festival. Johnny Smith, a famous jazz guitarist grew up in Maine.
Bands and artists like The Killing Moon (formerly Animal Suit Driveby), Howie Day, 13 Winters and Corey Beaulieu, the lead guitarist of Trivium, have found a large amount of success outside the state. Although not prominent for its Rock Music, Maine is still home to numerous Venues and Bands that play a diverse range of Rock, Punk, Metal and More. The Underground In Bangor, ME and The Kave in Bucksport, ME are two of the more popular midcoast venues. * Maine Music Trail. Maine Music. Retrieved on December 2, 2005.