Featured news
Concert for Sarah-Get Well Soon!
Mar 18th
By Johnny Brayson
edge staff writer
jbrayson@themaineedge.com
BANGOR – Hospitals are generally not considered the best venue for great live music performances. However, one such event occurred on March 11 on the fifth floor conference room at Eastern Maine Medical Center. Drummer Andrew Clifford, bassist Brad O’Brien and guitarist Bill Thibodeau, all of Main Street Music Studios in Bangor, performed an impromptu concert for patient Sarah Robinson, 24, of Old Town. Also on hand to help out were musician Chris Prickitt of local bluegrass band Evergreen and Aaron Woodman, the lead singer of Robinson’s own fledgling band, Under the Covers.
On March 8, Robinson was diagnosed with a brain tumor. The diagnosis came as a great shock to all who knew her. At the time, she was seemingly healthy and was raising her 3-year-old daughter, Morgan, while her husband, Ben Robinson, was serving his second tour in Iraq with the army. When she developed numbness in her left hand and foot a few weeks prior to the diagnosis, she assumed it was likely a pinched nerve suffered while practicing the drums. It wasn’t until her twin sister, Lindsay Rabideau, a registered nurse at EMMC, took her to get an MRI that the real problem was discovered. What happened next was a truly amazing outpouring of support.
“Sarah loves music,” said Rabideau, “and we were joking about how cool it would be to have a concert here and then it just kind of snowballed.” Rabideau then contacted Main Street Music Studios, where both she and Robinson take music lessons, and Prickitt, who in addition to being a renowned musician was also their 8th grade English teacher. Over 50 friends and family members filtered into the conference room, some traveling from as far away as Boston, MA and Hartford, CT to show their support. Robinson’s husband was even able to return home early from Iraq. The music was wonderful and ran the gamut from classic rock covers to jazzy instrumentals to bluegrass. Even though Clifford made a point of mentioning that this ensemble had never played together before as a band, there was no one in the audience who didn’t enjoy it and wasn’t moved. There was not a dry eye in the house; however, they were not tears of sadness but of optimism and amazement. It was truly a moving experience and without a doubt the best concert a hospital has ever seen. We love you, Sarah. Get well soon.
Click here to view full edge article for Sarah
Click here to see the Wvii spot for Sarah
Get Well Soon Sarah!
-From everyone here at Main Street Music Studios
New Music Video Produced By Green Tank At Main Street Music Studios!
Feb 9th
The new video for Nigel Hall’s take on the Marvin Gaye song entitled “Anger”.
Recorded and Produced at Main Street Music Studios by Andrew Clifford. This video was made possible by the addition of our NEW Video department.
Andrew took the lead in directing the video with the experienced crew of film editors and their high definition video equipment.
The vision was to display the true essence of the feeling of the original song and how the life of a musician can be an emotional struggle, while showcasing the classic vocal styling of Nigel Hall. (Soullive, Lettuce)
“He brings my beats to life with his soulfull rhodes and bass playing. Our musical intuition connects every time, we always create music i’m proud of and his singing is special to say the least”
-Andrew
Donation Program Succeeds and is Still Going!
Feb 4th
Many thanks from all of us here at Main Street Music Studios to ALL the people who donated and continue to donate instruments and accessories. Also, thanks to the school music teachers state wide, we are now finding many homes for these instruments and will continue updating our web page with photos and testimonials showing the impact of our combined efforts with the community! Due to it’s success and impact it’s had on kids and music, we are planning to continue this program year round! Please help spread the word to anyone you know that may have unused musical instruments.
Dear Main Street Music Studios,
Our Mount View Instrumental Music Program thanks you, Main Street Music Studios for reaching out to the community and providing several nice instruments for use in our schools. Through your generosity, we will be able to place several used but good quality band instruments into the hands of students with financial challenges. A majority of student families in our district have financial challenges that too often prevent them from obtaining even used instruments. We try to place good quality used instruments into our program’s inventory to lend to such needy families at no cost.
After hearing about the program, I contacted Main Street Music Studios and found them accommodating and eager to share a number of these donations with us. This program has cost our district nothing but a drive to Main Street Music Studio in Bangor. I specifically know Mr Brian Nadeau (trumpet instructor there) and would recommend his professional services to my students and others as well. Main Street Music Studios has enabled several more future young musicians with their community donation program. I would like to thank the studio, Mr. Andrew Clifford & the entire staff at MSMS for the assistance and generous community spirit.
Michael Flagg- Band Director, Mount View HS/MS
“Please share these photos with your teaching staff at Main Street Music Studios. I hope they understand that their donation of the bass will have a positive influence on this young lady. I am sure she will remember this morning for the rest of her life!”
“During the month of January the Bangor Daily News featured a program run by Main Street Music Studios that collected new or gently used instruments. Music teachers in the Bangor area were asked to find a musician(s), in their schools, who have demonstrated a commitment to the performing arts and who would be the right match for one of the instruments. January 6, 2010, Sam Kenney was the first recepient of one of these instruments. He has shown outstanding effort while playing clarinet over the past two years and recently showed interest in playing the trumpet in jazz band for the 2010- 2011 school year. Congratulations Sam and a big thank you to Main Street Music Studio!”
“Dear Main Street Music Studios. On behalf of the Redeeming Love Church of God in Prospect Maine, I want to thank you and the Main Street Studios for your generous donation. The guitar is a valuable and much needed addition to our youth music ministry. We have been working with young people in the area of praise and worship music. As a newly planted church there are always many items needed to get things going. The young folks are very excited with the new guitar and we very much appreciate it. We continue to lift you and your new endeavor in prayer and wish you much success.”
Sincerely,
Stephen Norris
Worship Leader, Redeeming Love Church of God
Dear Main Street Music Studios,
Here is a picture of my students enjoying their new guitar!! I have heard many a comment about it! You have made the semester of many a student here! Many thanks!! I have attached a photo for you, and thanks again!!
Sincerely,
Kirk Taylor
Al Corey Combo @ Gracie/Husson/Nescom
Jan 25th
Watch Main Street Music Members Brian Nadeau & Andrew Clifford along with the Al Corey Combo Perform a WABI holiday Jazz Show.
Special Thanks To Josh Small, Vid/Audio Team @ Husson, Nescom, WABI, Brian Nadeau & the members of the Al Corey Band for making this possible.
Al Corey Holiday Concert @ Gracie/Husson/Nescom from Andrew Clifford on Vimeo.
Main Street Music Studios featured on Channel 2 news
Jan 25th
Thanks to Bob Evans & Channel 2 news in Bangor for featuring us in a recent news story. View the video below or on the WCSH6 website.
Intro to Bluegrass Music
Jan 19th
Students will gain the skills and confidence to take their Bluegrass Music to the next level.
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Prerequisites:
- A Bluegrass instrument, i.e. banjo, fiddle, acoustic guitar, bass, mandolin, dobro
- Picks, capo, tuner and strap for your instrument
- Basic knowledge of the instrument i.e. G,C,and D chords
- Ability to string, tune, and maintain your instrument is a plus
Materials: Bluegrass CDs and Booklets with chords, words, charts, and tab for 20 bluegrass songs. (Available through instructor for $10)
Course objectives:
- Students will learn the role of each Instrument in a Bluegrass Band.
- Students will explore lead and vocal harmonies in basic Bluegrass songs.
- Students will learn about rhythm, timing and speed.
- Students will practice jamming etiquette and understand solos within a jam setting.
- Students will explore the importance of band dynamics
- Students will perform in a recital at week ten.
Instructional Methods:
- Demonstration
- Lecture
- Audio CD/DVD
- Hands on
- Interactive discussion
2010 Music Classes
Jan 9th
Our 2010 Music Classes are here! All classes run for 10 weeks. They’re designed for any age or skill level- contact us online or call (207) 992-6169 with any questions or to register today.
| Music Theory I Discover, drill and create with the building blocks of music! Topics to be covered include Basic Acoustics, Notation, Rhythms, Solfege, Intervals and Major Triads. This is the first in a series of courses in music theory to be offered at MSMS. |
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| Intro to Jazz Improvisation Learn to improvise by playing! Topics to be covered include Swing Technique and Phrasing, Melodic Improvisation, Blues Forms, Dominant Scales and Basic Chord Structures. |
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| Intermediate Chord/Scale Techniques Improve your improvisatory vocabulary by playing and drilling over classic forms. Topics to be covered include Extended Chord Structures, Passing Tones, Bebop Theory. |
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| Music Production Learn how music production skills apply to today’s music industry. Using advanced technology and skills, this is a hands on class where YOU produce the music. This is the first in a series of courses in music production to be offered at MSMS. |
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| Advanced Chord/Scale Techniques Further develop your improvisatory vocabulary by playing and drilling over more advanced forms. Topics to be covered include Altered Chord Structures, Post-Bop Chromaticism, Advanced Bebop Theory. |
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| Studio Engineering Learn priceless tools about being a recording engineer in today’s industry. In this class we’ll go over Recording, editing, & Mixing in the studio. We will include information such as mic placement, mic choice, signal path, and discuss mixing tools such as compression, eq, effects, and how it can affect the overall sound. |
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| Beginning Turntable Techniques Learn how to DJ using real turntables and advanced dj software. We will study the art of turntables including Mixing, Scratching, Beat Juggling and more! |
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Instrument donation program still running
Jan 2nd
Thank you to the Bangor Daily News for highlighting our recent efforts to donate musical instruments to local kids in need. The article, which appeared on Christmas day, has helped to draw attention to this program.
Even though the holidays are over, the program is still running– if you have a new or gently-used musical equipment in your home or office, please bring it to our studios at 49 Main Street in Bangor. We’ll make sure it gets in the hands of a deserving local child.
Contact us if you have any questions.
TV5 features instrument donation program
Dec 27th
Main Street Music Studios’ instrument donation program was featured on TV5 news. View a video of the segment.
MSMS staff members in holiday music concert
Dec 17th
As members of the Al Corey Band, MSMS staff members Andrew Clifford and Brian Nadeau are performing in this year’s Spirit of Christmas concert.
The Spirit of Christmas concert airs this Saturday, December 19th from 7pm to 8pm on TV5.