The Maine Unit of the American String Teachers will sponsor the 21st annual Statewide String Festival on Saturday, May 12, at Brewer High School.

The association expects 530 students to participate in the five string orchestras, which will rehearse beginning at 10 a.m. that day.

At 4 p.m. there will be a concert for the public at Brewer High School’s gymnasium.

Hostess for the festival is Joanna McCann Cyrus, string specialist for the Brewer School Department. Her brother, John McCann, who teaches strings in Winchester, Mass., schools will be the conductor of Orchestra 5. Their sister, Mary McCann, who also teaches strings in Winchester, will conduct Orchestra 2.

There are two other sisters also involved in the festival. The oldest, Dorothy McCann, will play her viola in Orchestra 5, and Karen McCann, a string specialist for the Farmington schools, will bring 69 of her students to the festival. This is the first time all five of the McCann musicians have participated in the same music festival.

The conductor for Orchestra 1 will be Charlie Oehrtmann, string specialist for the South Paris schools. Conductor for Orchestra 3 will be Pam Spenser, string specialist for the Windham schools, and Monica Valentine, string specialist for the Farmington schools, will conduct Orchestra 4.

Admission charge for the 4 p.m. concert is $2 for adults and $1 for senior citizens and students.