PORTLAND – Thanks to the Rangeley Friends of the Arts, 50 students from Rangeley Lakes Regional School in grades 3, 4, and 5 had the opportunity to attend a Portland Symphony Youth Concert at Merrill Auditorium.
Conductor Robert Moody introduced the audience to the four instrument families highlighting each family in a variety of pieces. The students’ favorite piece by far was music from the film Avatar. Students from Rangeley sat on the edge of their seats as the percussion family resounded with a lively piece and the 70 different instruments sounded like one. Conductor Moody then asked the audience, over 1,000 school children, to purse their lips and make a buzzing sound to mimic the technique used by the brass players. For a moment it sounded as if the auditorium was being lifted off the ground by thousands of bumble bees!
As if that weren’t enough, the RFA also scheduled an afternoon visit to the Portland Museum of Art. Docents made connections to curriculum about geography and mythology through paintings and sculptures.
The students and staff at Rangeley Lakes Regional would like to thank the RFA abundantly for their vision and generosity. The day, rich with culture and awakenings, was unforgettable.
