In Sunday’s (11/16) Portland Press Herald (Maine), Bob Keyes writes that Joe Boucher, the Portland Symphony Orchestra’s concert manager, “comes out from behind the shadows to star in the PSO’s pop concert ‘The Piano Men’ ” this weekend, led by Music Director Robert Moody and featuring music of Billy Joel and Elton John. “Boucher, who spent years playing rock ‘n ‘ roll in bar bands, conceived the show and stars as the vocalist and lead piano man…. Boucher and a friend, Boston-based musician Christopher Eastburn … put ‘Piano Men’ together in 2011, renting the State Theatre in Portland for a one-time concert that was recorded and filmed. He recruited Robert Lehman and the Southern Maine Symphony Orchestra to perform and hired the best band he could afford. ‘I called in 20 years’ worth of professional favors,’ he said…. Boucher’s goal is to book the show once a month, taking it out to orchestras around the country. They’ve done a half-dozen concerts so far. The performance with the Portland Symphony will be their largest to date. ‘Doing something like this is like launching a cruise ship,’ Boucher said. ‘It takes a long time to build and a long time to steer.’ ”
Posted November 19, 2014
