SPRING SESSION
BEGINS APRIL 3
March 6-10 Save Your Spot
March 13-17 Early Registration
March 20-24 Family Drop-in Week
March 28-31 Workshop Week
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UPCOMING EVENTS
FRIDAY, MARCH 10
Jordan Tice & Horse County
4-5pm Workshops
7pm Cafe Concert
8pm Jam
Call Today. Space Limited!
TUESDAY, MARCH 14
12-1pm Free Noon Tunes with
Zach Zaitlin
SATURDAY, MARCH 25
6-8pm, Opening Reception for Betsy Thompson's Refuge
featuring live music with
The Cliffhangers
MONDAY, MARCH 27
Spün Bakery opens in 317 Cafe
Hours: 9am-7pm M-F
MARCH 31-APRIL 2
5th Maine Acoustic Festival
TUESDAY, APRIL 4
7pm, St. Lawrence Arts, Portland
"Taking Flight"
a FREE concert
sponsored by St. Lawrence Arts and 317 Main featuring Flight 317 and the Teen Girls Vocal Ensemble.
FRIDAY, APRIL 7
7pm, First Parish Church Yarmouth
Heather Masse & Jed Wilson
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COMINGS AND GOINGS
317 Main Welcomes 3 New Board Members
Meg Baxter has been an inspirational
 force in Maine's non-profit sector for decades.
She served as president of the United Way of Greater Portland for 20 years and is currently the CEO of the Mitchell Institute. Meg is a mother of two, a dog lover and a crossword enthusiast.
Gail Cinelli has decades of experience bringing worthy causes
 to life. She was the Executive Director at The Center For Grieving Children and past Board President for the Spannocchia Foundation. Gail also started The Yarmouth Community Garden as well as a smaller community garden on Squirrel Island in Boothbay Harbor.
She is the mother of 2, Grandmother of 4 and currently a beginning ukulele student at 317 Main.
Emma Wilson is the Managing Director of Art Collector Maine. She serves on the Director's Circle Steering Committee for the Portland Museum of Art and is currently on the board of the Yarmouth Education Foundation.
She is the mother of three teenagers, one of whom is a student at 317 Main.
Welcome New Teaching Artists!
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| Eli Gilbert teaches banjo and guitar |
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Eli Gilbert is a graduate from East Tennessee State University where he majored in Bluegrass and toured with the Bluegrass Pride Band. Fun fact - Eli took his first banjo lesson at 317 Main with Carter Logan.
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Titus Abbott teaches sax and clarinet
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Titus Abbott
has been teaching saxophone and clarinet for the last 25 years. He is active in the local music scene leading the Titus Abbott Collective and collaborating in the Happenstance Quartet.
With Gratitude...
Linda Horstmann
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Thank you Linda |
is
s
teppi
ng down after more than a
decade as 317 Main's Gallery Manager. Over the years, Linda shepherded dozens of artists and their work into 317 Main and deftly hosted at least that many opening receptions. Linda's passion for the arts has made 317 Main a richer place to work and play. We will miss her greatly and wish her luck in her next artistic ventures.
Teaching Artist
Kyle Hardy's time with us was short, but sweet. He's leaving us for a full-time job at a software company. Good luck Kyle!
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Mugs, Hats, Shirts, Stickers and Magnets available at the front desk. Thanks for supporting 317 Main.
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WAKE UP THE FOREST!
Executive Director, John Williams
"When bad times befell the pygmies of the Ituri forest in Central Africa, they assumed that their misfortune was due to the fact that the benevolent forest, which usually provided for all their needs, had accidentally fallen asleep. At that point, the leaders of the tribe would dig up the sacred horns buried underground, and blow on them for days and nights on end, in an attempt to wake up the forest, thus restoring good times."
-Excerpt taken from Flow, written by M. Csikszentmihalyi
We live in very uncertain times! It can be difficult to get through a day without hearing or reading about "bad times" befalling people all over the world.
Yet every week, hundreds of
 different harmonies can be heard wafting through the walls and doors at 317 Main, and at our community music partnership programs located throughout greater Portland.
We know that, in every known culture, music has the profound capacity to uplift people and improve the quality of life for all, and just like the pygmies of the Ituri forest,
we believe that music has the power to bring people together, create tremendous joy, and restore good times!
Please know that regardless of your age, experience, and musical ability, you are welcome and encouraged to enjoy the music at 317.
Music is for Everyone!
-John
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DEEP ROOTS SPOTLIGHT
317 Main at The Cedars
"He's terrific!" exclaimed Norma Spodak, 87, gesturing to 317 Main Teaching Artist Zach Zaitlin.
Norma is one of more than a dozen residents at The Cedars Retirement Community in Portland who attends Zaitlin's 10-week lecture series on The Great Composers.
Every Tuesday, Zaitlin delivers a multi-media presentation that includes slides, videos and audio recordings of master composers including Bach and Mozart.
On a recent Tuesday after listening to Johann Sebastian Bach's "
The Well-Tempered Clavier," Zaitlin asked his students,
"What emotions do you hear in this piece
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Hands went up and after fielding a few replies, Zaitlin offered a brief synopsis of the composer's difficult childhood, providing valuable context for the emotional depth found in many of Bach's compositions.
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Zaitlin leading a class on J. S. Bach at The Cedars
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The class at The Cedars is part of a broader effort by 317 Main to reach Mainers of all ages-
including musicians and music lovers 55+.
Engaging this demographic makes sense. 35% of Mainers are older than 55 and many are passionate about the arts. And there are benefits to making music in the retirement years. "Many studies have shown that creative engagement in the arts is one of the best ways for older adults to stay mentally, emotionally, and physically healthy," says Chris Moore, 317 Main's Director of Music Education.
This spring, 317 Main's Deep Roots (55+) offerings include a Friday morning vocal group with choral director Brad Longfellow and a NEW Folk Music Revival Ensemble that's open to singers and instrumentalists who want to explore this rich musical heritage.
The students at the Cedars say they love having the opportunity to learn something new.
"I wanted to expand my musical knowledge and this is wonderful because I don't travel as much as I used to," Norma said.
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WHAT'S YOUR 317 MAIN STORY?
Molly Gallagher Burk, Director of Development
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Molly and her son Gavin jamming on the uke
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Now more than ever, the arts need your support. Your gifts make 317 Main's programs possible. We rely on your generosity for 40% of our $900,000 annual budget.
Thanks to your support, we've raised 60% of our $417,500 annual fundraising goal for June 30th.
And I know that your generosity will get us to our goal.
Every week, I hear a new story about why our donors give to 317 Main. For some, they're supporting a place that nurtures joyful engagement in music for their family. For others, they are passionate about making music and the arts accessible for all.
My 317 Main story expanded recently when I signed up for a
Little Roots Family class with my son Gavin. We LOVE making music together.
The most memorable story recently came from an adult student whose children also take lessons at 317 Main. Being part of this community has brought their family closer together, helped their children build confidence, and created connections to new friends that otherwise would not have happened.
These stories are part of what keeps me energized to work hard to ensure that 317 Main has a secure financial foundation, and a vibrant vision for the future.
What's your 317 Main story? Why is 317 Main meaningful to you? I want to hear from you!
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SWEET PARTNERSHIP BEGINS
MARCH 27 IN THE 317 CAFE
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Spün Bakery owner Don Gaile has his hands full!
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Please join us in welcoming Spün Bakery to the 317 Cafe this month. Those of you who sampled Don Gaile's quality baked goods at the Yarmouth Farmers' Market last summer know what a coup this is. Don and his staff will offer baked goods, granolas, yogurt parfaits, coffee drinks, teas, cocoa and more from 9am-7pm Monday-Friday beginning on March 27. Spün is also happy to take custom orders.
We sat down with Don to learn more about his family's move from New York City to Maine, his passion for baking and that umlaut.
So....how exactly do we pronounce "Spün?"
It's pronounced 'spoon'. I have to give credit to my son, Justin, for the name inspiration. When the bakery was in the planning stages I knew I wanted a one word name that really stood for everything while being playful and fun at the same time. There were a few names we tried but none really felt right. For inspiration we went through the list of menu items. Nothing came to mind until Justin said, "It's like you can eat everything with a spoon." Pow! We knew we had the name! The unique spelling was something that came right after. I just felt being obvious wouldn't be enough. If you notice, the ü looks like a smiley face. That's another goal of the company - to always put a smile on your face.
Have you always been a baker?
I developed my passion for cooking and baking after I graduated from college and realized I had to feed myself. My first cookbook was The Silver Palate Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins. I was so inspired by the interesting flavors and recipes.
READ MORE OF OUR Q & A WITH DON
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MUSICAL HIGHLIGHTS
FEBRUARY NOON TUNES
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Kathy Slack's Valentine's Day Noon Tunes Show is always a sweet treat. Here are a few harmonic highlights if you missed it.
JANUARY SONGWRITING INTENSIVE WITH CASCO BAY HIGH SCHOOL
The Songwriting Intensive with Casco Bay High School students is our longest running partnership program. Students spend a week with us learning how to write, arrange and perform their own songs.
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