Lake Region Community Chorus seeking new performers for spring concert

All singers are welcome and encouraged to join the Lake Region Community Chorus as it begins its 10th Spring Concert season.

Members of the Lake Region Community Chorus perform
during the group's Annual Holiday Concert in December.
The chorus will conduct registration for 2025 at 6 p.m. 
on Monday, Jan. 27 and 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 3 in
Twitchell Chapel at Bridgton Academy in North 
Bridgton. Anyone in the Lakes Region of Maine is 
welcome to register and participate.
SUBMITTED PHOTO  

If you love to sing and are free on Monday evenings, the members of the chorus would love to have you join them. Registration will begin at 6 p.m. on Monday Jan. 27, 2025 in Twitchell Chapel at Bridgton Academy in North Bridgton. Registration will also be held at 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 3.

Jan Jukkola and Susan Stockwell will be conducting the Spring Session and will be assisted by accompanist, Patrick Speckamp. The LRCC welcomes members from all voice parts including Sopranos, Altos, Tenors and Basses. Auditions are not required but some familiarity with singing and reading music would be helpful.

The LRCC concerts feature a variety of pieces from many musical genres and styles. There is something for everyone and they want to make sure their singers and audiences have a very enjoyable time at rehearsals and performances. This enthusiastic singing group performs a varied program made up of traditional classical pieces, folk songs, show tunes, medleys of hits by The Beatles, John Denver and more.

Chorus rehearsals run from 6:20 to 8:30 p.m. on Monday evenings and there is a $25 registration fee that helps cover the cost of the music.

This year the LRCC spring concert dates are scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, May 23, and 3 p.m. Sunday, May 25 in the Twitchell Chapel at Bridgton Academy in Bridgton.

The chorus had its first meeting in February 2013 to discuss the possibility of forming a choral group in the Lakes Region. It was amazing how quickly everything seemed to come together, and with Laurie Turley as its original conductor, chorus members performed their first concert in June 2013.

Since then, the original group of 36 singers has grown with each season, and now has 58 members from 14 communities, including Windham, Raymond, Bridgton, North Bridgton, Naples, Sebago, Harrison, Waterford, Stoneham, Casco, Denmark, Lovell, Hiram and Fryeburg.

Jukkola says that the LRCC is a community of voices joined together in song and is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Its purpose is to provide an opportunity for individuals with an interest in singing to share their love of choral music through regularly scheduled rehearsals that will culminate in community and outreach performances. It also strives to enhance each member’s ability to sing by teaching vocal exercises and techniques and to enrich their choral experience by providing a wide variety of musical selections that will increase their knowledge and appreciation of choral literature.

Lakes Region Community Chorus performs two concerts each year. One falls in early December and features holiday music. The other is a springtime concert generally falling in mid-May.

For further details or if you have questions about the chorus, call 207-647-2584, send an email to musicsix@cox.net or visit the Lake Region Community Chorus website at http://www.lakeregioncommunitychorus.org/ <

Faith Lutheran Church to host benefit concert for Essentials Pantry

By Kaysa Jalbert

The Dusty Divas are returning for a Wacky Winter Concert at the Faith Lutheran Church for an evening of music, laughter and fun as an effort to raise money for the Windham Essentials Pantry of St. Ann’s Episcopal Church.

The Dusty Divas will perform a 'Wacky Winter Concert' at
Faith Lutheran Church, 988 Roosevelt Trail in Windham
at 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18. The event is a fundraiser on 
behalf of the Essentials Pantry at St. Ann's Episcopal 
Church in Windham. FILE PHOTO 
 

A group of well-trained and educated musicians who perform a variety of genres from classical opera, Broadway hits, unique contemporary music, Christian and jazz, The Dusty Divas have been distracted by “little things” in life like raising a family or earning a living, that made them put their singing careers on a high shelf. Now they’re dusting themselves off to help bring in donations to much needed charities through song and comedy concerts.

This fun-filled fundraiser will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18 at the Faith Lutheran Church, 988 Roosevelt Trail in Windham. Tickets will be sold at the door and are priced at $15 for adults and $10 for children and seniors.

The Essentials Pantry provides items that aren’t covered by food stamps or found at food pantries, such as toothpaste, cleaning products, deodorant, shampoos, diapers, etc. The pantry is open on the last Saturday of the month from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. for people in need at St. Ann’s Episcopal Church, 40 Windham Center Road, Windham.

The Dusty Divas have performed in fundraising concerts for Greater Portland Family Promise, Westbrook Food Pantry, The Essentials Pantry sponsored by Faith and St. Ann’s Churches, Trinity Lutheran and Faith Lutheran Churches.

At the concert you can expect to hear Broadway favorites like Let It Go from “Frozen: The Broadway Musical”, Over the Rainbow from “The Wizard of Oz” and Tonight at Eight from “She Loves Me.” The group consists of four members: Emily Curry, Danielle Vayenas, David Myers-Wakeman and Eliza Ruth Watson, who were brought together by the group’s coordinator and accompanist, Betty McIntyre.

“As an accompanist, I've had the opportunity to work with a wide variety of soloists, ensembles and musical theater groups. As a result, I found many delightful musicians who love to sing, even though for most, it is not their main livelihood,” says McIntyre. “I started providing opportunities for them, always for a charity, but mostly for the joy of singing and using their lovely voices. So, once or twice a year, I send out an email to the group to see who's available, and we go on from there.”

Emily Curry was an active singer at Trinity Lutheran for several years and now sings at Faith Lutheran Church in the choir, as a worship leader and soloist. She is known for her sense of humor and creative collection of hats and costumes during her performances. Emily sings at events such as weddings and funerals on a semi-regular basis and works as a medical receptionist at Intermed for their Ambulatory Surgery Center.

Danielle Vayenas will be stepping onstage for the first time with the Dusty Divas at the Wacky Winter Concert. She has performed as a soloist throughout Maine and the greater Boston area with organizations such as Maine State Music Theater, Biddeford City Theater, Portland Players, Footlights Theater in Falmouth, Choral Art Society, Maine Oratorio Chorale, PORT Opera, Midcoast Symphony, Salem Philharmonic and more.

David Myers-Wakeman, tenor, preforms throughout New England and has received praise for his “beautifully polished tone” and “attractive tenor sound” by former Portland Press Herald critic Allan Kozinn. In Falmouth, he sings professionally with St. Mary Schola and performs regularly as a soloist with choral groups.

Eliza Ruth Watson earned her Bachelor of Music while studying vocal performance with world renowned countertenor, Drew Minter. She then spent nearly a decade in New York City until returning home to Maine where she frequently preforms with local theaters, most recently with Myers-Wakeman and Vayenas in Falmouth Footlights premier of Words & Music.

Betty McIntyre serves Faith Lutheran Church as a pianist, choir director and music director. Additionally, she has led choruses in South Dakota and Maine on and off for over 40 years. While in Maine, McIntyre was the band director at Windham High School for over 30 years and has been working with church choirs for about 25 years.

The church has held similar fundraising events in the past and it plans to continue to host them with increased attendance. Each year they welcome a new set of talented performers. <

‘Windham’s Got Talent’ set to showcase local performers

By Ed Pierce

Simon Cowell probably won’t be on hand as a judge, but that’s not going to stop Windham residents of all ages from showcasing their abilities during the first-ever “Windham’s Got Talent” competition next month.

The first 'Windham's Got Talent' will be held at 6 p.m. 
Friday, Feb. 7 at Windham High School's Performing
Arts Center and will showcase talented performers
and acts of all ages from the community.
COURTESY PHOTO    

Designed as a fundraiser to support Windham Middle School activities, “Windham’s Got Talent” is open to residents, of any age, who wants to step on stage before an audience and display their aptitude for singing, dancing, magic, playing a musical instrument, juggling, dramatic readings, a comedy skit, or any other creative skill.

The event will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7 at Windham High School’s Performing Arts Center.

“Any creative endeavor will do,” said WMS seventh grade math teacher Shelly Cook, who is helping to organize the event. “It could even be solving a Rubik’s Cube in under 30 seconds. That would sure be something we’d all like to see.”

Cook said the talent show organizers see a critical need in funding in Windham for certain school activities such as field trips and other programs and are hoping whatever amount is raised at the talent show will help serve a need for WMS students.

“We hope to make this an annual event and although we don’t know how this first one will turn out, we’re excited about the concept and hoping the community will support this,” she said.

According to Cook, she became involved in charitable causes more than 30 years ago when her husband, now a retired Maine State Trooper, was asked to bring Christmas gifts for ill children during a visit to Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital in Portland as part of the “Hops for Hope” program.

“One boy caught his eye, and he wanted a trooper’s hat,” Cook said. “It gave him some joy. “Years later I asked if we could do something for the school district and we formed ‘Dancing with the Staff. Within a year we had raised $35,000 for the district.”

She did that for a few years and said it was fun but eventually that program ended, and Cook thought of what else could be done to help her students.

“We wanted to bring something back to the community,” Cook said. “We are looking to create a sense of community, to bring people together and to showcase our local talent while fundraising and fostering a sense of community spirit.”

Cook said organizers believe “Windham’s Got Talent” will have a positive impact upon the Windham community and help local residents to create positive and lasting connections with each other.

“This is not just for students,” she said. “We are opening this up to anyone of any age and we expect have participants sign up for ‘Windham’s Got Talent’ from all age groups, both young and older.”

The competition will include one round and feature a panel of four judges. Richie Vickers will serve as the emcee for the event.

For participants, trophies will be awarded to acts finishing in first, second and third place.

A QR code to sign up to compete has been posted on local community boards on Facebook or signups may be done by visiting www.bit.ly/windhamsgottalent

Tickets for “Windham’s Got Talent” will be $10 and $12 for adults and may be purchased at the door on the evening of the competition.

“We invite everyone from the community to come out and see some amazing performers that night and support our school,” Cook said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun and at the same time will benefit our amazing students.”

For more information about “Windham’s Got Talent,” send an email to Cook at scook@rsu14.org <

Richard Nickerson Scholarship Concert promises to be a spectacular evening

By Masha Yurkevich

There are many things that you can do to show your gratitude to someone and thank them for their hard work. You can give them a gift, write them a letter, or you could start a scholarship. Back in the spring of 1997, Dr. Richard Nickerson and his choral students went to Vienna to participate in a music festival and won the most prestigious award of the festival.

This year's Richard Nickerson Scholarship Concert will be
at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 4 at Windham High School.
It supports WHS students pursuing higher education if
they continue to make choral music a part of their
college experience. COURTESY PHOTO  

They were very thankful for all the work that Dr. Nickerson did to bring the group to that place and to show their gratitude and give back, they decided to start a scholarship specifically for choral music. It has been 28 years since then and this year’s annual scholarship concert will be at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 4 at the Windham High School Performing Arts Center.

Daniel Griffin is a Windham High School alumnus and was a Windham Chamber Singer back in the day. His daughter, who also attended RSU 14, was fortunate enough to also be a Chamber Singer, making it a full circle. Now, Griffin is a part of the Scholarship Committee setting up the annual fundraising concert.

While Dr. Nickerson was flattered by the idea of a scholarship in his name, he is very hands off himself regarding the scholarship.

“We have a small committee that meets throughout the year and plans the one fundraising event, the scholarship concert, which happens on the first Saturday of every January,” says Griffin. “We have been doing this for 28 years and we have all musical alumni from Windham High School come back for this.”

Janelle LoSciuto is the Artistic Director for the Richard Nickerson Scholarship concert, and she is the powerhouse that makes the show what it is.

They have had different performers from the very beginning when Dr. Nickerson started teaching music at the school to more recent alumni.

"It is a great type of family event that we are trying to keep on going,” says Griffin.

The $1,000 scholarship is awarded each year to a high school senior that is planning to make choral music a part of their college experience.

“It does not mean that they need to be going into music as far as their degree, they just need to keep it part of their experience, which makes it a little bit broader,” says Griffin. “It could be anybody who is in the Chamber Singers or the chorus.”

Picking one senior for the scholarship is no easy task. Applicants must be planning to attend a two- or four-year college program with choral music as part of their course of studies or extra-curricular activities and write an essay about what does music mean to them, how it has impacted them, and how they plan to make that a part of their life. The committee then goes by a rubric and picks a senior for the scholarship.

This scholarship not only helps the senior financially, but also helps them meet people that might not be within their cohort of learning.

“Unlike theater, not everybody is outgoing that does music; some people are very reserved,” says Griffin. “This gives them an opportunity to find their people in the college or university that they are going to and start making friends. Choral music or being part of some sort of music program is very similar to sports teams; everybody comes together for one particular purpose to improve and work together and harmonize to produce something wonderful.”

This helps with teamwork, improved mental health, cognitive development, social benefits, and a sense of achievement. Being a part of choral choir gives a sense of belonging, emotional expression, self-confidence skills, stress reduction, and cultural enrichment, all very important aspects in young adults today.

There is a lot to look forward to for the upcoming concert; it promises to be an evening filled with fun.

“There are many alumnae coming back, all with different backgrounds, some with operetta experience, some with their own bands, and for this concert, we are inviting all alumni who were a part of the Chamber Singers or chorus to come back and sing, so we will be having an alumni choir,” says Griffin.

All performers are from Windham and admission to the Richard Nickerson Scholarship Concert is by donation.

For further details about the concert, visit https://www.richardnickersonscholarship.org/. <