Alumni Band member and Biddeford High School senior Ethan Paquet is joined by his parents, Kevin and Melissa Paquet, at a concert last weekend in Saco. During the performance, the Alumni Band played an original song composed by Paquet. GRACE LAVERRERE/Journal Tribune
SACO — The Biddeford Alumni Band performed its annual benefit concert last weekend honoring Marcel “Mike” Drapeau and the Drapeau Scholarship and among famous songs from musicals and movies, the musicians also played a song composed by Alumni Band member and Biddeford High School senior Ethan Paquet.
Paquet, a six-year member of The Alumni Band, will be studying musical composition at the University of Southern Maine in the fall. His song, “Langor’s Theme,” made its premiere on Saturday night during a performance at the First Parish Congregational Church in Saco.
Paquet said he created the song on software, and it took some time to complete.
“I wrote it for my USM audition, and it took me about a couple months to really finalize it,” Paquet said.
The title, “Langor’s Theme,” is unique to Paquet.
“The title is actually a character that I created for a French (fictional book) project,” said Paquet. “Since I created the character in my mind, I thought ‘I should write a song for this character.’”
While Paquet said this wasn’t the first time he heard “Langor’s Theme’ played, it was the first time The Alumni Band played it for a larger audience.
“It was a really great experience,” said Paquet. “It’s so nice to hear something you’ve written on a computer with software instruments (come to life).”
Paquet has been involved with music for many years. When he was a student at the St. James School, he was introduced to a higher level of music.
“Back when I was in the St. James band, Mrs. (Debra) Peck was our band director,” said Paquet. “In the seventh grade, she invited me and a couple other students to join The Alumni Band, and I’ve stuck through since then.”
Paquet has been a member of The Alumni Band for six years now.
“I’ve marched in parades (with The Alumni Band) in the summer, and I’ve tried to get to as many of the Christmas and scholarship concerts as I can,” Paquet said.
As a musician, Paquet said he was overjoyed to hear his song played by a band he’s been part of for so many years.
“To actually hear your (song) being played by real musicians, especially a really good band, is awesome,” Paquet said.
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