Mainely Voices, UMaine Renaissance and The Maine Steiners. If you know anything about UMaine music groups, then these three will ring a bell. They are not only a cappella groups on campus, but are also very involved in the UMaine community and community service around the Orono area.
UMaine Renaissance is an involved group. Composed of 10 women, the group started in 1999. To become a part of UMaine Renaissance, you have to be a part of the singing group the University Singers, and because the audition process for that choir is vigorous, all of the women in University Singers are all eligible. But because it is meant to be a small group, they add on to the group depending on who graduated and need for different style of voice. They perform in many different venues such as alumni banquets, fundraisers and awareness charities for UMaine, while schools and churches are some of the many places they play for the community. They also go on two tours, one with the University Singers and one on their own.
Molly Hunt, one of the two co-directors of UMaine Renaissance, loves being a part of this group and loves the people involved.
“The indescribable connectivity which blossoms between us when we create beautiful sounds together. We call ourselves ‘Sisters in Music.’” Hunt, a fourth-year Sociology student who’s been a part of the group for almost three years, said. She says though it is a big time commitment, it is “nourishing emotionally and enriching mentally.”
“It has shown me how ten women from ten completely separate backgrounds can find a commonality which brings joy to not only our lives, but also into the lives of others.”
UMaine Renaissance meets on Mondays and Wednesdays from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
The well known all men’s a cappella group on campus, The Maine Steiners, is quite small, consisting of just six men. The group started back in 1957 as a barbershop quartet, but in the early ’90s, it was resurrected and added more men.
The Maine Steiners’ audition process has three rounds. First round is range testing and a solo of their choice, second round is, if they get a callback, to sing a solo that pushes them out of their comfort zone and is picked for them and third round is a rehearsal to see how they take direction and how they get along with everyone.
They perform in many places just like the rest of the music groups here on campus, but they focus much of their performance time in the public school systems. They do educational outreach programs at schools, teaching kids to sing a cappella and promoting music after school and in schools.
Derek Willette, the music director for The Maine Steiners, came to UMaine just to be a part of the group.
“I only applied here for the Steiners. I saw them perform my senior year in high school and they solidified my answer,” Willette said. “I wanted to be the redhead in the group. I wanted to sing with a bunch of guys. It was the ideal situation.”
Willette, a third-year music education student from Winterport, Maine, hasn’t regretted his choice.
“My main circle of friends has come from this. We always get new members and immediately become part of the family.” The Steiner’s meet three days a week for two hours on those days, depending on scheduling for the six members.
Mainely Voices is the only co-ed a cappella group at UMaine comprised of 17 people (three are abroad this semester). Originally, there were two different groups, Bear Vocals and Mixed Nuts. Five years ago, these two groups combined to make Mainely Voices, making it the newest UMaine a cappella group. The audition process normally has about 50 to 60 people wanting to join the a cappella group, but only normally take three or four people. Their auditions are during the first few weeks of school. The audition requires a solo of the person’s choice, do a blend with a whole group and then a call back for about eight to 10 of them. Like The Steiners and Renaissance, Mainely Voices perform a variety of shows throughout the school year. From normal shows, tours and fundraisers, they will sing whenever and wherever they get the chance.
“People form friendships outside of the music. We are all really tight. It creates a really neat dynamic,” Jason Burns, President of Mainely Voices, said.
Augusta-native Burns, a first-year grad student majoring in Civil Engineering, says that being in Mainely Voices is a great stress reliever. “I have really figured out who I am. There are two Jason’s. Loud Jason in front of a crowd and then laid back Jason not on stage.”
Mainely Voices meets three times a week, on Mondays for one hour and Tuesdays, and Thursdays for two hours.