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Youth orchestra auditions

ORONO – Musicians in fifth through 12th grades are sought for the Bangor Symphony Youth Orchestra.

Players of any orchestra instrument are invited to audition at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 7, at the University of Maine Class of 1944 Hall on the Orono campus.

The youth orchestra is under the direction of Rebecca Edmonson, who is eager to meet new musicians. While auditions will be held for all instruments, the youth orchestra “has a particular need for brass and percussion this coming year,” she said.

The group rehearses from 1 to 3 p.m. most Sundays throughout the school year at UM, performing at least twice a year in conjunction with the Bangor Symphony, whenever possible.

“Our music is challenging and our schedule is aggressive,” Edmonson said, “but I am always thrilled to watch our young people rise to the demands and deliver amazing results.”

Musicians come from throughout the region to participate, something Edmonson cites as a key strength of the program.

“It’s so good for these kids to meet and play with new band mates,” she said. “Not only do many of them become friends outside of the group, but our emphasis on teamwork really helps improve their music skills.”

Edmonson described the program as a “perfect outlet” for students in school music programs or in private instruction. Aspiring players should have an audition piece prepared.

For information or directions, e-mail bsyoboard@roadrunner.com.

Musicians unable to make the Sept. 7 audition date may call Edmonson at 244-7193 for alternative arrangements.

Youth Page

Look for the monthly Youth Page in The Weekly beginning Sept. 11.

Child care curriculum

The Penquis Child Care Resource Development Center will offer Curriculum Night for child care providers 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays, Sept. 24, Oct. 29 and Nov. 19, at Penquis, 262 Harlow St.

Curriculum Night is all about curriculum. Participants will learn activities to help create fun for children, and the Penquis RDC Library will be open for browsing and borrowing. Sept. 24 deals with fire safety; Oct. 29, fun fall favorites; and Nov. 19, Are you prepared for an emergency?

There is a $5 nonrefundable fee for the class. To obtain more information or to register, call 973-3533 or 888-917-1100.

Colleges

Maine Maritime Academy

CASTINE – Maine Maritime Academy has been listed in the rankings of the nation’s top baccalaureate colleges for the northern region in the 2009 edition of “America’s Best Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report.

Highlights of the rankings are published in the magazine’s Sept. 1-8 edition. The results, along with a complete summary of methodology used to rank each school, are also online, www.usnews.com/colleges

Maine Maritime Academy was ranked for the second consecutive year in the section titled, “Best Baccalaureate Colleges (By Region).”

MMA was placed 10th overall in the listing of public and private colleges located in the North, a region defined as spanning from Maine to Maryland. Last year MMA was placed 14th in the same regional category.

The college also was listed in a number of sub-categories for the region:

. Ranked third in the North in “Average Freshmen Retention Rates: Baccalaureate Colleges.”

. Ranked 10th in the North in both “Best Values: Baccalaureate Colleges” and “Economic Diversity Among Top-Ranked Schools: Baccalaureate Colleges.”

. Ranked third for the second year in a row in the regional list for “Top Public Baccalaureate Colleges,” placing behind two federally run academies. MMA was the first publicly funded, state college to appear on that list.

MMA was founded in 1941 by an act of the 90th Maine Legislature and has no mandatory service obligations for any graduates. The college began the 2008-09 academic year on Sept. 1 with maximum enrollment.

Art show at Husson

The Robert E. White Gallery will show the work of Maine photographer Ken Lamb through Sept. 29. Gallery hours are 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday throughout the year. The gallery is in the Campus Center, Peabody Hall, Husson College, One College Circle, Bangor. Information about the show is available at 941-7129 or e-mail Donahuem@husson.edu.

Ken Lamb provides photographic services from a small, rural town in northern Maine. He is a self-taught photographer who has spent much of his life in the outdoors, observing the habits and lifestyles of the animals he photographs.

He has applied his skills as an outdoorsman to his photography which has enabled him to create his many and varied wildlife and scenery photos. Lamb says he has found it rewarding to share his photos with others.

The Robert E. White Gallery is dedicated to exhibiting works by Maine artists. With a new show approximately every four to eight weeks, the gallery provides students and the community access to a broad spectrum of artists and artistic mediums. The gallery was established in 1992 and named for, and endowed by, Robert E. White, Husson alumnus and former chairman of the school’s board of trustees.

Glasgow Caledonian University

BANGOR – Hilary Sanborn of Dunoon, Argyll, Scotland, graduated on July 3 with a bachelor’s degree in podiatric medicine and surgery from Glasgow Caledonian University in Glasgow, Scotland. She is the daughter of John and Joy Sanborn, formerly of Bangor, and the granddaughter of Don and Jean Sanborn of Hampden.

University of Southern Maine

PENOBSCOT – Elise Bishop of Portland, formerly of Penobscot, was awarded a bachelor’s degree in nursing from University of Southern Maine in Portland on Aug. 15. She previously received a bachelor’s degree in international business and logistics from Maine Maritime Academy in 2007. She graduated summa cum laude from both institutions.

Bishop is the daughter of Janet Allen of Penobscot and Timothy Bishop of Bucksport, and the granddaughter of Robert and Jeannette Grindle of Penobscot. She has accepted employment as a registered nurse in the emergency room at Southern Maine Medical Center in Biddeford.

Maine Community Colleges

AUGUSTA – Maine’s community colleges are reporting an 8 percent increase in the number of applications for the 2008-09 academic year. Applications are up by more than 900, to 12,200 as of early August.

System officials attributed the increase to a weak economy and uncertain job prospects. When the economy softens, the state’s community colleges typically see an increase in applications and enrollment.

“People who are unemployed or underemployed, high school graduates who are just starting out and workers who need to upgrade their skills are all knocking on our doors,” said system President John Fitzsimmons. “Maine doesn’t have an aspirations problem – it has an access problem. We are doing everything in our power to keep the dream of a college education affordable and accessible. The challenge is finding funding to hire more faculty and staff.”

The colleges reporting the greatest growth in applications are Kennebec Valley Community College in Fairfield, up 18 percent; Northern Maine Community College in Presque Isle, up 12.8 percent; York County Community College in Wells, up 10.9 percent; and Central Maine Community College in Auburn, up 10.5 percent.

Southern Maine Community College in South Portland has a 6.6 percent increase in applications over this time last year.

Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor is up 1.8 percent. Washington County Community College is down 9.4 percent, due in part to the fact that many of those laid off from Louisiana Pacific and Domtar in the past few years have already enrolled or completed retraining at the college.

Demand for online courses continues to grow, a likely result of high gas prices. KVCC, which has more students enrolled in online courses than any other community college in the state, reports a 14.5 percent increase in students registered to date for online courses.

The growth in applications continues the system’s dramatic enrollment growth since the transition from technical to community colleges in 2003. Over the past five years, degree-seeking enrollment at the state’s seven community colleges has grown by 55 percent.