Small Ensembles Continue to Serve Maine Pops Community as Summer Season Nears Completion

‍With the Maine Pops Concert Band now preparing for its final two summer concerts in Bath on August 7 and at Scarborough Summerfest on August 21, there are still other musical performance opportunities by the band’s collection of small ensembles that will perform in July and August.

Four of the band’s 10 small ensembles have performances in the region, reaching out to small communities, entertaining travelers flying into Portland, and playing on beaches and boats to entertain the permanent and summer residents as the 2026 summer season nears its end.

The next performance will take place on Wednesday, July 29th as the Beach Street Big Band - the Maine Pops’ 19-member swing band, closes out its public summer performance schedule with a gig at The Temple in Ocean Park, beginning at 7 p.m.  Featured on the program are 12 classic big band pieces, including “Indiana,” “Feeling Good,” “Bye, Bye Blackbird,” and “Moonlight Serenade.”  The concert is free and open to residents and vacationers.

Following a one-hour gig July 25th at Ken’s Place seafood restaurant in Scarborough, the highly active Harbor Brass Quintet will conclude their summer season with two performances at Portland International Jetport.  The quintet has conducted two previous performances inside the arrival hall at the jetport, welcoming travelers arriving in Portland with a variety of music ranging from classical works to contemporary hits.  The ensemble performs on Friday, July 31st and Saturday, August 22. Both engagements begin at 11 a.m. and last an hour.

Last year, the Uniquehorns – the concert band’s French horn ensemble - surprised many residents living along the Panther Pond shoreline in Raymond. The five-member ensemble conducted a floating stage of music from a pontoon boat navigating the pond. Known as “Pon-tunes” the Uniquehorns will double their nautical notes engagements by performing July 31 on Lake Bunganut in Lyman, beginning at 6 p.m., then reprising their Panther Pond excursion with a second concert in Raymond on August 29, at 6 p.m.

Finally, the band’s Polished Brass ensemble will close the small ensemble summer season with a beachfront performance at Camp Timanous in Raymond on Wednesday, August 26th.  Comprised of trumpets, trombones, French horns, trombones, euphoniums, and tubas, the large brass ensemble will perform a 6 p.m. concert open to the public.

All elements of the Maine Pops – the full concert band and its small ensembles – will take a short break in performance in preparing for its 2026-2027 performance season. The concert band traditionally begins rehearsals in early September, with ensembles scheduling rehearsals around the concert band dates. Organizations, schools, senior residences, and other activities wishing to schedule a small ensembles performance can send a request to the band via its president at president@mainepops.org. 

The Maine Pops Concert Band is based in Scarborough, ME. For more information about scheduling, joining, contributing, or sponsoring the Maine Pops Concert Band, please visit http://www.mainepops.org. The Maine Pops is a 501(c)3 educational non-profit corporation. Contributions may be tax-deductible.