By A.J. HIGGINS
Staff Writer Wednesday, May 9, 2007

More than 1,000 visitors regularly attend the program, which merges the media of art, sculpture, pottery and music and presents them against a natural backdrop set along UMA's winding Nature and Fitness Path.

Art exhibits are displayed at every twist and turn, while the school's Café Ensemble performs an eclectic mix of standards and light jazz. Directed by Assistant Professor Russ Lombardi, the group is a jazz band composed of some of UMA's finest music students.

Lombardi said the experience is as much fun for his students as it is for his audience.

"We're always playing there and we're always one of the sights," he said. "People come and stand and listen. They talk to us. I love it."

UMA's Tour Band visits schools and communities around the state, providing clinics and concerts. Under the direction of Professor Charles Winfield, the ensemble plays a variety of jazz compositions and arrangements. In recent years, it has performed at schools in Brunswick, Augusta, Dixfield, Gardiner, Maranacook and Skowhegan.

Another musical program is offered through UMA's College of Arts and Humanities and UMA Senior College, a group of more than 200 individuals who are both students and teachers who are at least 50 years old.

In addition to the new learning opportunities, many of Augusta's retirees enjoy the social stimulation that Senior College provides. The program prides itself on its contributions to the Concerts at Jewett series that in the last six months have featured everything from baroque ensembles to Broadway songs belted out by Birdie Newman Katz, Jillaine McGough and Friends. UMA and the Senior College also arrange other in-school performances. Chet and Deena Day are active in the Senior College Concerts at Jewett Series and said their performances at schools can strike a persistent chord in a child's life.

"It's really wonderful to bring these programs out because some of these programs are being cut (from schools) because of money difficulties," Deena Day said. "And it's good to expose kids to live music."

Still, with all of the concerts, art exhibits and even literary events, such as the statewide Terry Plunkett Maine Poetry Festival, attendance for the events could be better. The Days, Nadel and Lombardi all agreed that sometimes, light attendance could be attributed to a musical style that enjoys less popularity than others.

But other instances of poor showings seem to defy explanation. "There's an awful lot of activity here," Nadel said. "We advertise it, but somehow the attendance from the community is not what one would hope for. I'll be darned if I know why that happens. But all acknowledge that it does happen, so we want to work closer with the UMA Board of Visitors -- who are community members -- to help us promote the events and find out what the barriers are."

Lombardi said he also doesn't "fully understand" why some shows don't draw a larger audience from Augusta as so many people live within minutes of the events.

"I tell people that admission is free and they kind of look at me (skeptically) and then I tell them, 'That's your tax dollars at work,' " he said. "We really try to push the public relations and I'm hoping we can continue. That way, we can make people see how really cool it is to live here."

A.J. Higgins -- 623-3811 Ext. 431

ajhiggins@centralmaine.com