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A free concert organized from scratch as a gift to the community is something pretty unique in my experience. It happens Friday, Aug. 21, at 7:30 p.m. The First Congregational Church of Camden provides the venue.
It’s a truly ad-hoc community concert, bringing together 46 singers from many towns, and from the Midcoast Community Chorus, accompanied by a dozen different instruments. Many are professionals. All are donating their time. Not one said they were too busy with paid engagements to join us. I think that says something wonderful about Mainers.
The concert has one clear, unifying theme. While definitely a non-partisan, non-denominational, apolitical program, every piece is an American song reflecting our democracy, history and its underlying ideals as expressed in our founding documents. We hope audience members will take away whatever reflections, inspiration, and joy they find in it.
At almost every concert of popular music, there’s an audience sing-along, occasionally two. This one offers five, and they will be crowd-pleasers; it was planned with families in mind, from small children to their great-grandparents.
We begin by joining to sing the National Anthem, with trumpet, drums, and Matt Mainster on the organ. Songs include “”Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor,” “If I Had a Hammer,” and “America the Beautiful.” Six Penobscot Bay Ringers will play “Shenendoah” and “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”
Guests can opt to make a free-will offering to benefit Homeworthy, a Rockland-based non-profit breaking cycles of poverty and homelessness in Midcoast Maine.
The program lasts about 90 minutes with no intermission. Come to 55 Elm St. early for easy parking. Doors open at 7:10 p.m. All are welcome!
Ruth Monsell
Camden