The Maine Pops Concert Band will perform the first of two Christmas holiday benefit concerts on Saturday, December 4, beginning at 2:30 p.m.
The band will perform "A Cathedral Holiday" at St. Luke’s Cathedral, located at 143 State Street in Portland. This in-person concert resumes the long-standing concert cooperation between St. Luke’s and the Maine Pops; an effort conducted as a virtual event last year during the COVID-19 pandemic. The performance benefits St. Luke’s fundraising efforts focused toward supporting the St. Luke’s School in Duny, Haiti.
The music for this concert includes a medley from “The Polar Express,” Richard Saucedo’s arrangement of “Dashing Through the Snow,” “Silver Bells,” John Cacavas’ arrangement of “Christmas Music for Winds,” Gustav Holts’ “On this Day Earth Shall Ring,” John Lovrien’s “Minor Alterations” and Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride.” The band selected ten compositions for performance.
In conjunction with the health and safety requirements of St. Luke’s Cathedral, all attending guests must provide proof of vaccination from the COVID-19 virus and all must wear masks during the band’s performance. Doors will open to the public at 2 p.m.
St. Luke’s also plans to live stream the performance, which will be available at: https://video.ibm.com/channel/Ev3GjBysEwX.
The Maine Pops Concert Band concludes its fall/winter performance season on December 15 when it performs at the Mountainside Community Church, located at 18 Mountain Road in Falmouth, ME. Like the concert at St. Luke’s, the Mountainside concert is a benefit performance. Donations to the church will go to the purchase clothing and food, supplementing the church’s weekly donations to the homeless in Portland.
The Maine Pops Concert Band is a 501(c)3 educational non-profit corporation. Individuals and organizations wishing to become a band sponsor should contact the band president at president@mainepops.org. Contributions may be tax-deductible.