Embedded Files
Dear All-Aroostook Middle School Band members,
Congratulations on being accepted into the 2024 honors ensemble! Your hard work, practice, and dedication have paid off and I look forward to working with you on January 12-13 at Ashland Community School.
In your folder you should have a Bb concert warm-up sheet and four pieces of music:
“Canticum” by James Curnow (1988)
“Softly Speaks the Night” by Carol Brittin Chambers (2016)
“Incantation and Ritual” by Brian Balmages ( 2004)
“High Voltage” by Randall D. Standridge (2017)
Over the next few months, please work to master the notes and rhythms in these pieces. During our time together we will work to unify our sound, blend, articulation, and dynamics to bring the music to life for our audience.
After you have learned the notes and rhythms, I encourage you to listen to the reference recordings below.
If you click on the Settings icon (gear) in the bottom right corner of the video, you can slow down the recordings by changing the “Playback speed”. This will allow you to practice along with the sound file at a slower tempo until the music is committed to your muscle memory.
If you have any questions, please connect first with your fantastic music teachers, but also feel free to reach out to me using the e-mail below. Take care!
Musically,
Ben Potvin
potvinb@rsu5.org
Link to the full score: INCANTATION AND RITUAL (click on the paper icon under "Preview")
Ben Potvin (he/him/his)
Ben Potvin (he/him/his)
About Your Conductor
About Your Conductor
A native of St. John, Maine, Ben Potvin was an All-State principal clarinetist at Fort Kent Community High School. He later went on to the University of Southern Maine Osher School of Music, where he would earn a bachelors and Masters in Music Education, with an additional certificate in composition.
Mr. Potvin taught K-12 music in Ashland, ME from 2006-2008 before moving to Woodstock, VT where he taught middle/high school instrumental music and AP Music Theory.
In Vermont, he was active at the district level, acting as the District VI Secretary and Concert Band manager. At the state and regional level, Mr. Potvin hosted the 2009 VMEA State Conference and also served on the Band Committee for the New England Music Festival Association (NEMFA). In 2010, Mr. Potvin was selected as "The Outstanding New Music Educator" for the state of Vermont.
Mr. Potvin returned to Maine in 2011 to be the instrumental music teacher at Kennebunk High School. From 2011 until 2016 he served as the Band Vice President for the Maine Music Educators Association (MMEA). In 2016 he was voted to be president-elect and was the president of MMEA from 2018-2020.
In 2018, Mr. Potvin was the PK-5 general music/chorus teacher at Gerald E. Talbot Community School (formerly Riverton Elementary) in Portland, ME.
In 2019, Mr. Potvin became the band, chorus, and general music teacher at Mast Landing School in Freeport, ME.
In 2021, Mr. Potvin stepped down from the Southern Maine Music Academy (SoMMA) after twelve wonderful years as the music camp director.
Mr. Potvin has played sax and clarinet for various high school musicals and with several professional ensembles including the Dartmouth College Wind Ensemble, East Bay Jazz Ensemble, Maine State Music Theatre and the Casco Bay Wind Symphony. He has served as a district/festival adjudicator and has conducted honors festivals in both Maine and New Hampshire.
Ben resides in Brunswick with his music teacher husband, Nate Menifield, and their bubbly daughter Ava.
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