“Serenity on the Lake”

One of the best things about having composer Lucas Richman as the conductor of the Bangor Symphony Orchestra is the music he writes. Often, they are pieces commissioned by concertgoers at the annual fundraising auction to honor family members.

Two years ago, Lee Souweine was the winning bidder. He asked for a piece to honor his late wife Ruth Souweine, who died following a car accident in February 2014.

The evocative piece, titled “Serenity on the Lake,” nearly eclipsed the rest of the program that featured a concert version of Leonard Bernstein’s operetta “Candide.” Most likely everyone in the audience for Sunday’s concert at the Collins Center for the Arts has spent some special time on the water in Maine.

Richman’s music transported them to that time and place and captured all the wonder and joy of camp life. The gentle sounds of the water lapping against the shore, the call of the loons, the brilliant pink and orange sunsets filled the hearts and minds of the audience. It was absolutely magical.

~By Judy Harrison, BDN Staff
April 10, 2019