Maine Acoustic Festival presents 27 Maine Music Students from 18 Towns in Showcase Performance

Portland, Maine - Twenty-seven talented music students from 18 towns in Maine will perform in a student showcase at the second annual Maine Acoustic Festival on Sunday, March 29 at Hannaford Hall in Portland, Maine.

These talented middle school and high school students were selected by audition to participate in an intensive three-day festival of workshops, rehearsals, and performances.  They have distinguished themselves in the traditional acoustic music styles of bluegrass, old-time, newgrass, Franco-American, and Celtic with an additional category for singer/songwriters who write their own songs.

The Festival is produced by 317 Main Community Music Center in Yarmouth and North Yarmouth Academy.

This year's festival participants come from the towns of Wilton, Industry, Farmington, Brunswick, Yarmouth, Portland, Freeport, Falmouth, Chesterville, Eustis, New Gloucester, East Boothbay, Gorham, Georgetown, Bangor, Kennebunkport, Edgecomb, Bowdoinham.

Festival participants will meet in Yarmouth from March 27 - 29 to work in ensembles led by
professional musicians and music educators. This year's instructors are:

Matt Witler (bluegrass),
Wes Corbett (newgrass),
Joey Abarta (Irish),
Jack Devereux (old time),
Eric Favreau (Franco-American),
and Maeve Gilchrist (singer/songwriter).

The Student Showcase performance takes place at 4 pm and is open to the public. Admission is $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. Tickets are available at the door or online at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1342450

Hannaford Hall is located in the Abromson Community Education Center at 88 Bedford Street on the University of Southern Maine campus in Portland. Hannaford Hall is fully accessible. Parking is available in the adjacent garage.

The student ensembles for the 2015 Maine Acoustic Festival are:

Bluegrass
Sarah Logan - Fiddle/Vocal 1
Max Silverstein - Guitar/Vocal 2
Tucker Pierce - Mandolin
Samantha Pierce - Bass

Newgrass
Lizzie Hall - Vocal 1
Mason Strunk - Mandolin/Vocal 2
Finn Woodruff - Fiddle
Molly Brock - Guitar
Perin Davidson - Banjo
Fiona Aherne - Cello

Old Time
Miriam Cohen - Fiddle
Emma Scott - Fiddle
Lizzie Hall - Vocal 1

Franco-American
Nolan Rogers - Cello
Max Kay - Piano
Thaddeus Gunther - Piano Accordion

Irish
Sally Jarmusz - Harp
Rhiannon Ramsey-Brimberg - Harp
Kyle Ryan - Button Accordion
Brendan Hickey - Fiddle
Elanor Skinner - Fiddle

Singer/Songwriter
Liam Swift - Piano/Voice
Lena Rich - Piano/Guitar/Voice
Ben Wesenberg - Cello/Piano/Voice
Claire Scott - Fiddle/piano/Voice
Sumner Bright - Guitar/Voice
Genevieve Curtis - Piano/Voice

There will also be a faculty performance featuring the six instructors playing an innovative and varied evening of top-notch musicianship on Saturday, March 28 at One Longfellow Square in Portland. Admission is $15 for adults; $10 for students and seniors and available at the door. Music begins at 8 pm. One Longfellow Square is located at 181 State Street, Portland.

For more information about the Maine Acoustic Festival, visit www.MaineAcousticFestival.com.