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Creative Portland is the proud fiscal sponsor of the inaugural season of the Maine Music Festival, coming soon in over two dozen Portland venues in September 2025. Stay tuned for artist line-ups and news of the revival of the local favorite, Hear Here! the culmination of the three-day Portland edition of the Maine Music Festival!

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Hear, Here! is Creative Portland's performing arts showcase. Held at Merrill Auditorium, the night highlights local acts from diverse sensibilities, sounds, and cultures. 

Portland's music scene is bursting with excellence in all genres from classical to pop, while local performing arts inspire feelings of belonging, community, and celebration through dance, drama, and the written word. 

In the words of Dinah Minot, Executive Director of Creative Portland and Artistic Director of Hear, Here!:

"We are one! We are home, and we belong here.
Sit back, relax and enjoy! Or stand, clap and dance!"


MaineBiz - [Creative Portland's 'Hear Here' concert showcases Maine artists](http://www.mainebiz.biz/article/20190219/NEWS01/190219946)



**Click [here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PSmSwR5sV2eHW9g4nAmU01BMaB63jEpI/view?usp=sharing) for the full program**

Co-presenters Viva & René Goddess Johnson accompanied by digital electronic compositions by Just Plain Jones

**"Alegrías"** • Flamenco Dancer Lindsey Bourassa
 
**"Sunshine"** • Bri Lane, Co-produced by DJ Matt Perry
 
**"Somewhere" (United Nations Refugee Day Video)** • Written by Con Fullam • Performed by Shy
 
**"Umutagara"** + **"Intore"** • Rwandan Drummers and Dancers
 
**"Head Back Home"** • The Jason Spooner Band
 
**"Karnival"** • USM Chamber Singers • Conducted by Nicolás Alberto Dosman • Written by Haitian-American Composer Sydney Guillame
 
**"Lime Butterfly"** + **"Common Rose"** • Dominic Lavoie
 
**"Fallin'"** + **"Coffin"** • Angelikah
 
**"Be in Love"** • Written by Dominic Lavoie • Performed by Ensemble
 
**Drum Solo** • Franchely Benazo
 
**Drum Circle Finale** • Annegret Baier, Jai SanGiovanni, Mike Moody et al

**Scroll down for more information on the talent!**

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The Program

**Click [here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/11tWt6yl_YndvCx4aHti5eB69h39UA7bp/view?usp=sharing) for the full program**

**“Fanfare for a Festive Occasion”** • James Olcott • Performed by PSO’s Betty Rines with USM students Max Richardson & Ryan LePage
 
**“Hear Me”** • Just Plain Jones electronic digital installation with voices from The Telling Room
 
**Sinfonia from Cantata BWV 29 by J. S. Bach** • James Kennerley & the Kotzschmar Organ
 
**“Diamonds”** • JanaeSound • Accompanied by Nathan Polhemus, Andrew LaVogue & Palaver Strings • Arrangement by Kevin Oates • Digital effects by Big Room Studios
 
**Battalia by Heinrich Biber** • Palaver Strings
 
**“Hometown”** & **“On & Off"** • Sarah Violette with Renée Coolbrith • Digital effects by Big Room Studios
 
**“We are Home”** • Batimbo United, Burundi Drummers
 
**Home** • Riley Watts • Music by Kingston Trio
 
**“Blue Again”** & **“Common Blah”** • Weakened Friends
 
**Sizzle Reel & Acknowledgments**

**A Celebration of Portland’s Arts & Cultural Diversity** • Mayor Ethan Strimling
 
**“Ballad of the 20th Maine”**

**FINALE** • Written by Griffin Sherry (Ghost of Paul Revere) • Ensemble arrangement by Kevin Oates

**Scroll down for more information on the talent!**

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Hear, Here! 2019 was brought to you by:

**CURATORIAL TEAM**
 
Christopher Akerlind, Lighting Designer • Michael Danahy, Localmotives/WMPG • Steve Drown, Maine College of Art • Charlie Gaylord, Greetings 207 • Maurice Habimfura, Ikirenga cy'Intore; • Sam Mateosian, Big Room Studios • Peter McLaughlin, SPACE • Russ Pooler, Headlight AV • Jai SanGiovanni, drum circle • Ian Smith, Sun Tiki Studios • Cindy Thompson, Transformit • Riley Watts, Portland Dance Month

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**[ANGELIKAH](https://www.angelikah.com/)** - Angelikah, age 24, is a singer/songwriter, joined by multi-instrumentalist Bill Giordano drummer Dan Boyden, and DJ Matt Perry. In only a year plus performing, she’s quickly earning a reputation for quieting a room with her stunning and serpentine vocal style, rooted in neo-soul music.

“I was born and raised here, and Portland is my home. About a year and a half ago, I started thinking about music as a career and I’ve been really lucky to work with some great local musicians.”

**[BATIMBO UNITED](https://www.facebook.com/BatimboUnitedMaine/)** - Batimbo United is a group of drummers from Burundi who live in Portland and perform traditional drums and dances for ceremonies, weddings, multi-cultural concerts, and public events, including Governor Janet Mills’ inaugural celebration. During the monarchy era in the mid-twentieth century, the King of Burundi held the privilege of owning the drums and commissioning them under exceptional circumstances, such as coronations and funerals. The tradition of Burundi’s drummers has been passed down through generations and has been recognized internationally by UNESCO.
 
Drummers: Yves Karubu, Desire Niyongabo, Steve Niyonkuru, Dieudonne Masabarakiza, Jeanvier Gatavu, Raymond Kubwayo, Carmel Irakoze, Aster Musavyi, Armand Muvunyi, Eric Ndoricimpa, Mupenzi Thomas, Bizimana Albert, Olivier Nkurunziza, Mugisha Audry, Obama Ndayishimiye
 
“As asylum seekers, we are proud to share our culture with fellow Mainers while we spread our message of loyalty and gratitude to God.”

**FRANCHELY BENAZO** - Franchely Benazo artist, dancer, drummer, and comedian is an asylum-seeker from Congo Brazzaiville, who arrived in Portland in 2016. Tonight, she plays the n’gom.
 
"Except for the cold, I feel because people are so warm and friendly. I also	love the ocean and the lobster. Here, I have the freedom to express and say whatever I feel." 

**[LINDSEY BOURASSA](https://www.lindseybourassa.com/)** - Lindsey Bourassa is a flamenco dancer, choreographer, and the founding director of Bourassa Dance Studio of Portland, where she teaches Flamenco Arts. She has dedicated herself to the study of flamenco since 2004, studying in Spain, France, Canada, and the United States. She has taught and performed in both Spain and the United States with national and international flamenco artists.
 
"I am grateful and excited to be a part of the artistic community in Portland; a vibrant, creative, and diverse community brimming with artists and great supporters of the arts." 

**[DAN BOYDEN](https://www.instagram.com/dan_boyden/?hl=en)** - Born into a musical family, Dan began playing in bands here in Portland starting in middle school.  Since then he has performed and recorded with many of the city’s finest bands and artists from Model Airplane and Spose to Jason Spooner and Sara Hallie Richardson.  For 5 years, he checked off 49 out of 50 states touring with New York soul-rock band, Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds (Hawaii, I’m coming for you!).  Now back in Portland, Dan can be found touring the city’s seemingly endless breakfast spots or out gigging with the equally endless pool of amazing musicians like Jason Spooner, Kenya Hall, Connor Garvey, Gina And The Red Eye Flight Crew and many more.

**[IKIRENGA CY’INTORE](https://www.facebook.com/ikirengaUSA/)** - Ikirenga cy’Intore is a non-profit organization composed of artists from Rwanda to promote, preserve, and protect Rwandan folk dance and drumming. Maurice Habimfura, Ismael Hategekimana, Gasigwa Emmanuel, Fidel Mutagoma, Patrick Usengimana, and Uwitonze Dieudonne present two dances tonight: “Umutagara” and “Intore.” The mission of Ikirenga cy'Intore is to advocate for African culture, to portray the true image of Africa, and to connect folk art to Modern Art. 
 
"Portland is the home for my daughter and son, where safety, love, and dance are emphasized. The way the city supports artists makes me feel at home." -Maurice Habimfura, Founder 

**[JANAESOUND](https://www.instagram.com/janaesound/?hl=en)** - JanaeSound (BMI) harnesses an unforgettable voice that is known to stir the soul. The powerhouse rock singer hails from St. Louis, where she began cultivating her love for music at the tender age of 9 through the Opera Theatre of St. Louis. Known for her focus and drive, JanaeSound was tapped to open for FloRida alongside Allen Gates at the 2017 NOW 96.3 NOW Night Out. JanaeSound has appeared at the Heart Soul & Substance Festival, Sunaana Winter Music Festival, Bitter End, The Mint, AllRoads Music Festival, and Harvest Moon Festival. 
 
“Portland has a vibrant and welcoming music scene. I am beyond grateful to be surrounded by such talented artists and to call Portland home.”
 
**[THE JASON SPOONER BAND](https://jasonspooner.com/)** - This multi-award winning New England-based songwriter discovered his father's collection of eight-track tapes as a child and never looked back. For close to two decades, Jason Spooner has been a visible and respected presence on the northeastern and national live music circuits. His dynamic band has performed with acts as varied as B.B. King, John Mayer, Jackson Browne, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Ray LaMontagne, Susan Tedeschi, and Peter Rowan.  Whether you're a fan of great songwriting or power-house live performance, Jason Spooner and his fabulous band represents a formidable emerging act that should be watched closely.
 
"Maine and the magical city of Portland specifically, have been central to the creative energy that drives us to write, record and perform music. We all met here and we love and value the spirit of the community along with the inspiration offered by the unparalleled natural beauty. We've been lucky enough to travel through every corner of the country countless times playing original music but we all agree that our favorite part of any trip is crossing the bridge on 95 into the mystical pine forests of Maine... for us, it is the essence of 'home'." 

**[RENÉ GODDESS JOHNSON](lhttps://www.embodiedequity.online/)** - Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and raised in the suburbs of Portland, René Goddess Johnson has spent the last 27 years becoming an equity consultant, director, producer, artist, educator, dancer, choreographer, and theater founder. A queer, black, female refugee, her career in the arts has focused on weaving these intersections into her daily life and work environments. She continues to sculpt her interactive one-woman show, g e e l, where she invites audience participation throughout the show, destroying the illusion of a fourth wall. An enthusiastic teacher, she has designed several educational and performance programs to focus on disparities in minority communities and how to shift them towards a more inclusive language and operation. She serves as a member of The Celebration Barn Theater, Black Artist Forum, The Third Place, and the Lorem Ipsum Theater Collective and is a contributor for Black Girl in Maine Media.
 
“Arriving as a refugee 27 years ago, to a white covered land with more white people then I had ever imagined, felt unreal. My child self never dreamed I would be living here as a 34 year old, multidisciplinary performance artist, community organizer, and racial justice warrior alongside other People of Color who are also creating history.”
 
**[JUST PLAIN JONES](https://justplainjones.bandcamp.com/releases)** - Just Plain Jones is the artistic alter ego of producer-rapper-singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist Patrick Jones. His music weaves together sounds and themes from across the American musical lexicon and pairs them with sharp and witty songwriting. Originally from Washington DC, Jones moved to Portland with all intent to quit music in favor of a new creative outlet. Instead, he found a supportive and close- knit community of musicians, inspiring him to release his 2017 EP, Bright, and begin teaching digital music production to high school students in the greater Portland area. His latest single, “Find Your Peace,” is socially aware, danceable track, and his composition today integrates voices from students at The Telling
Room.
 
“I moved to Maine to be with my family, and ended up finding my purpose. I now get to make music that is genuinely mine, and mentor young and upcoming musicians.”
 
**[JAMES KENNERLEY](https://www.jameskennerley.com/)** & **[THE KOTZSCHMAR ORGAN](https://foko.org/)**- James Kennerley has been called “the greatest improviser of his generation.” He has performed for the Queen of England three times and was a prizewinner at the 2008 Albert Schweitzer International Organ Competition. In 2017, James was unanimously voted to be the 11th Municipal Organist of the City of Portland. Only one other city in the country has such a position. James wants to bring a new audience in to hear the magnificent Kotzschmar Organ, which is designed to replicate the sounds of an entire orchestra and has five keyboards - including one on the foot pedals - as well as 225 ‘stops’ that he pushes and pulls to make various sounds. James is also Organist and Choirmaster at Saint Ignatius of Antioch Episcopal Church, Music Director of Ars Musica Chorale and the New Jersey State Children’s Chorus, and keyboardist with New Vintage Baroque. He is also an accomplished tenor and a prize-winning composer, specializing in music for organ and choral ensembles, and for works that incorporate historic instruments.
 
“I adore Portland - the food, the weather, the arts scene, the people. It’s an amazing city.”

**[BRI LANE](https://www.brilanemusic.com/)** - Bri Lane is a classically trained multi-instrumentalist, and singer-songwriter from Portland, ME. Her experience in music began at the age of 12 when she learned to play the drums, piano and guitar.  Bri's recent single, "Wild Side" has received positive international reception with plays on radio stations in the U.S. and around the world in countries such as Italy, France, and the UK. She is joined by drummer Max Heinz, guitarist Nolan Paul, and DJ Matt Perry.
 
"Portland is my home because it holds the memory of my childhood, the start of my music career, and a close knit creative community. Portland to me means a place where self expression is accepted in all forms and artists are elevated to their highest potential."
 
**[DOMINIC LAVOIE](https://dominiclavoie.com/)** - Dominic Lavoie is a songwriter, musician, and producer from Portland Maine. In 2003, he formed the New England rock band Dominic and the Lucid, which went on to release five albums to critical acclaim, including being awarded three times as Best Male Vocalist by the Portland Phoenix. He is the founding member of Portland psych-folk collective ShaShaSha. In 2019 he released a five song EP ‘Mariposa’, accompanied by a concept movie of the same name. As of late, Lavoie has teamed up with Grammy Award winning producer Steve Berlin (Los Lobos) on an upcoming full length. Dominic works out of the Portland studio Shabbey Load.
 
“Portland is the perfect blend of small town and city. Coming from a tiny town in northern Maine I like bumping into familiar faces when I’m out and about, but it’s big enough that there are always new people within the music community to meet and learn from.”

**[PALAVER STRINGS](https://www.palaverstrings.org/)** - Palaver Strings is a musician-led string ensemble founded in Boston in 2014. The ensemble is in the process of relocating to Portland where it will perform, offer workshops, and launch an afterschool music program. The name “Palaver” comes from the term for a place of discussion and conflict resolution in Liberian culture. The ensemble is driven by collaborative processes, and each member shares a passion for taking classical music beyond the concert hall to engage with new and diverse audiences. In these unconventional settings, the group strives to use music to address social issues, promote education and healing, and inspire support of the arts. Palaver has performed at the Kennedy Center, the Hammond Concert Series, Carnegie Hall, and has toured the East and West Coasts of the United States. Palaver is in its second season as Ensemble in Residence at the Boston Center for the Arts and continues its long standing residency at Bay Chamber Concerts.
 
Musicians - Violin: Su Yin Chan, Josie Davis, Sophie Davis*, Maya French, Jesse MacDonald, Ryan Shannon; Viola: Brianna Fischler, Lysander Jaffe, Elizabeth Moore; Cello: Ben Noyes*, Matthew Smith; Bass: Nate Martin
(*denotes guest musician)
 
“We feel so excited and inspired to be transitioning to Portland, Maine, to begin our residency as a performance and music education organization. We can’t wait to work with families, audiences, and other Portland based artists who bring such a diverse array of knowledge and experience.”
 
**[BETTY RINES](https://www.portlandbachexperience.com/betty-rines-2021)** - Betty Barber Rines began teaching trumpet at the University of Southern Maine in the fall of 1999. She has held the position of 2nd trumpet with the Portland Symphony Orchestra and has been a member of the Portland Brass Quintet since 1985. Ms. Rines has also taught at Bowdoin College, Phillips-Exeter Academy, Waynflete School, and the Portland Conservatory. She studied at Onondage Community College, earned her Bachelor of Music in Music Education at the Crane School of Music, and received her Master of Music in Trumpet Performance at the Boston University School for the Arts.
 
“I got the job with the symphony, fell in love with Maine, fell in love, and have stayed ever since.”
 
**[SARAH VIOLETTE](https://sarahviolettemusic.bandcamp.com/)** - Sarah Violette, formerly known as Lady Essence, is a veteran hip hop artist from Portland, Maine. In 2014, Violette was the recipient of the New England Music Awards Hip Hop Act of the Year and her most recent EP, AnxiousLove, was released on March 16th, 2018, with great reception. Currently working under P.Dank
records, Violette has worked with artists such as Spose, Shane Reis, Alyssa Marie, Renée Coolbrith, and Binary Star. You can find Sarah Violette’s work on all major digital platforms. She is joined today by Renée Coolbrith, a favorite collaborator.
 
“Portland is home to an incredibly diverse music community. Being able to watch so many artists and musicians (including myself) flourish and grow over the past ten years has been amazing.”
 
**[VIVA](https://www.vivathesensation.com/)** - Viva & The Reinforcements delivers spicy cosmopolitan grooves, balancing the zest of burlesque with classic standards to create their own brand of Next Deco Jazz. Viva likes her coffee black, her tequila neat, her men strong, and her women stronger. Backed by an ever-changing fleet of the jazz elite, she’ll slide her way into your fondest memories with just a flick of her hips.
 
“Portland is my mother, expecting me to reach my potential and always giving me the opportunities and love to do so.”
 
**[RILEY WATTS](https://portlandovations.org/initiatives/commisioned-maine-artists/riley-watts-heather-stewart/)** - Riley Watts is a dance artist, arts advisor, choreographer, and teacher based in Portland. In the last decade, dance has brought Riley to more than 30 countries around the world while dancing professionally with The Forsythe Company, Sylvie Guillem, Netherlands Dance Theater 2, Bern Ballet, and Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet. As an active member of the arts ecology in Maine, Riley founded Portland Dance Month in the fall of 2018, has served on the Advisory Committee and as Artist-in-Residence at Bates Dance Festival, is on the Bangor Ballet Board of Directors, and is a Performance Advisor for SPACE. Riley received his dance training at Thomas School of Dance, Bangor Ballet, Walnut Hill School for the Arts, and The Juilliard School. He is currently on a world tour dancing in William Forsythe’s A Quiet Evening of Dance, produced by Sadler’s Wells Theater, London.
 
“The life of a performing artist is both beautiful and challenging; to dance for work is indescribably rewarding and also requires that I travel for more than half the year to perform, choreograph, and teach. After each of my trips, the deep relief I feel when I return home to Portland is something I would not be able to get anywhere else in the world. It’s the feeling of coming home.
 
Home is about the complexities of building a lifestyle around movement: traveling, creativity, inspiration, and excitement - as well as lonely hotels, crowded planes, jet lag, isolation, and distance. I dedicate this performance to my parents and to Maine, where I am so lucky to call home.”
 
**SHY & [PIHCINTU](https://pihcintu.org/) UNITED NATIONS VIDEO** - Welcoming immigrant children from around the globe, The Pihcintu Multicultural Chorus helps restart young lives. War-torn villages, bloodshed, refugee camps, famine, and political turmoil were devastating realities for many of these young singers before being embraced by the warmth, companionship and harmony that Pihcintu provides.  Shy is a 12 year old from Portland, Maine, who attends King Middle School. She arrived in the US from Namibia via Angola in 2018 with her family. As the lead vocalist on “Somewhere,” Shy leads the Pihcintu Chorus in the United Nations Refugee Day Video. 

**[WEAKENED FRIENDS](https://www.weakenedfriends.com/)** - Weakened Friends was founded by songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist Sonia Sturino, bassist Annie Hoffman, and Portland native drummer Cam Jones in 2015. As the group released two independent EPs, they stirred up a palpable buzz. Gigs followed with everyone from CHVRCHES and Silversun Pickups to Beach Slang and Juliana Hatfield as they made their debut at SXSW and earned praise from Vanyaland, CBS, and many more. In 2017, they were crowned the Unsigned Artist of the Year at the Boston Music Awards and Best Indie Act at the Portland Music Awards. Common Blah is Weakened Friends’ debut full-length album. Engineered and produced by Hoffman and perfected over the last year, many of the songs reckon with the feeling of being young, stuck, and settling for less, and use instrumental and emotional volume to reassert a sense of control.
 
“Portland is our home, we tour a lot and when people ask us where we’re from we proudly say Portland Maine. After explaining, ‘no the other Portland,’ we always like to explain why we stay in such a small town, and the short answer is frankly because it’s awesome.”

Hear Here: A Maine Music Festival September 5-7, 2025