Downeast

MAMM Announces Major Expansion Downeast

New Staff, Rock Camps, and Community Concerts Bring Transformative Music Education to Rural Youth

Downeast Maine — The Maine Academy of Modern Music (MAMM) is proud to announce a major expansion of its programming into Downeast Maine, building on years of grassroots partnerships and community engagement in the region.

In collaboration with local arts organizations, schools, and volunteers, MAMM will broaden its Downeast programming by launching new rock camps where students will write, rehearse, and perform their own music, while also creating more opportunities for youth to attend and experience live concerts across rural eastern Maine.

Leading the effort is MAMM’s executive director and founder, Jeff Shaw. A Washington County native, Shaw graduated from University of Maine at Machias in 2000 and has long envisioned bringing modern music education to the communities that shaped him.

“This expansion is deeply personal,” said Shaw. “Growing up in Washington County, I know firsthand how important access to arts education can be. We’re not just offering music programs — we’re building confidence, creativity, and community.”

The Downeast expansion will include:

• New Rock Camps designed to give students hands-on experience forming bands, writing original songs, and performing live.
  

• Community Concerts that showcase young musicians while strengthening connections between families, schools, and local businesses.
  

• Partnership-Based Programming with regional schools and arts organizations to ensure sustainable, long-term impact.

MAMM’s approach emphasizes mentorship, collaboration, and performance-based learning. By bringing its proven model to Downeast Maine, the organization aims to reduce geographic barriers to arts education and create meaningful opportunities for rural youth.

Building on a Strong Foundation

Prior to the pandemic, MAMM partnered with Maine Seacoast Mission through its Edge Program to provide in-person music lessons to students in Washington County. When the pandemic began, MAMM quickly transitioned to remote instruction to ensure students could continue their musical development.

In the years following the pandemic, staffing challenges prompted MAMM to rethink its delivery model in Downeast Maine. This shift led to the creation of the Amplify Maine Tour, an initiative focused on bringing professional Maine musicians directly to rural schools and communities.

Through the Amplify Maine Tour, students have experienced live performances by acclaimed Maine artists including The Mallett Brothers Band, Oshima Brothers, Random Ideas, and Ladybrain—providing access to high-quality live music that many rural students might not otherwise experience.

MAMM has also partnered with Cherryfield Elementary School to offer in-school music instruction and creative workshops for classrooms. Most recently, this collaboration has included songwriting workshops led by Maine musician Emilia Dahlin, giving students the opportunity to explore self-expression through original music creation.

Seeing the impact it was already making, MAMM  identified an opportunity to expand in Washington County and formed a Downeast Advisory Board to ensure growth would be guided by local voices.

With leadership from Advisory Board Chair Carla Ganiel, MAMM conducted a listening tour across the region—meeting with educators, families, musicians, and community leaders to better understand local needs and opportunities. Their outreach culminated in a community mixer held in fall 2025 at Tunk Joy Bakery, which brought together families, volunteers, and supporters to build momentum around the growing Downeast initiative.

“By listening to the voices of local youth, musicians, and educators, MAMM built not just a strategy, but real relationships and momentum,” said Ganiel. “Our vision was shaped by the community, and the community will help us bring that vision to life.”

Upcoming Initiatives – Spring 2026

This spring, the Maine Academy of Modern Music (MAMM) will expand its Downeast presence with a series of high-impact initiatives—hosting student rock camps and bringing live concerts to the region—creating meaningful opportunities for young musicians both to perform and to experience professional music in their own communities:

Girls Rock Concerts: On March 20, Milbridge Theatre will host student concerts, including a free daytime performance for MSAD 37 elementary schools and a ticketed evening show for the public featuring local bands Boy Scout and Widow’s Club alongside teen bands from MAMM’s Bangor Rocks program.

Downeast Rock Camp (April Vacation): MAMM will host a Rock Camp where student bands write, rehearse, and prepare for live performance. Participants will be invited to perform at the Annual Smelt Fry hosted by the Downeast Salmon Federation during the third week of April—marking the first public performance for many students.

AMPLIFY Tour with Genevieve Stokes: Former MAMM student Genevieve Stokes—recently signed to Atlantic Records—will return to Maine for performances April 29 in Waterville, April 30 at Narraguagus High School, and May 1 at the Criterion Theatre. Pilot bands from the Downeast Rock Camps will have the opportunity to open for Stokes, gaining valuable real-world stage experience.

MDI Expansion and Listening Tour (Spring 2026): MAMM will explore growth into additional Downeast communities, including a developing partnership with the Criterion Theatre in Bar Harbor, while conducting a regional listening tour to meet with educators, families, musicians, and community leaders to understand local needs and opportunities.

Volunteer & Community Support Opportunities: MAMM is actively recruiting local musicians to serve as mentors, volunteers to serve on the advisory board, donors, and business sponsors to support the expansion of its programming in rural Maine.

Leadership: Professional Excellence Meets Local Roots

MAMM is thrilled to announce the new staff leading the expansion locally:

Adam Steinberg, Downeast Program Coordinator

Adam Steinberg is a critically acclaimed musician, producer, educator, and creative leader whose career spans award-winning artistry, major-label recording, broadcast media, music technology, and progressive education. A Grammy Award Official Participant, RIAA Diamond Award recipient, and three-time Clio Award winner, his recording and production credits are associated with Atlantic, Reprise, Sony, Capricorn, and Capitol Records.

He has performed at premier festivals and venues including Lilith Fair, Newport Folk Festival, The Troubadour, CBGB’s, and Radio City Music Hall, and collaborated with artists such as The Chicks, Sheryl Crow, Patty Griffin, and Natalie Maines. Beyond performance, he served as Faculty and Dean of Students at NuVu Studio in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and as Senior Soundware Engineer at Kurzweil Music Systems, contributing to instruments used by iconic global artists.

As Downeast Program Coordinator for MAMM, Steinberg brings an exceptional blend of professional accomplishment and educational innovation—ensuring rural Maine students receive access to world-class mentorship and collaborative music experiences. 

Morgan Look, Downeast Community Outreach Coordinator

Born and raised in Downeast Maine, Morgan Look is an educator, entrepreneur, artist, and mother of three whose deep roots in the region shape her commitment to expanding opportunities for local youth. Her connection to MAMM began when her daughter attended Rock Camp at the University of Maine at Machias, an experience that profoundly impacted her family.

“I was totally blown away by the skills and confidence she gained in just five days at MAMM Rock Camp,” Look shared. “These kids arrived as strangers and by the end of the week were bandmates, confidently performing for a massive crowd at Bad Little Falls. I knew then that MAMM was the real deal.”

A former PreK–12 art teacher in Jonesport-Beals, Look successfully proposed and helped establish the first full-time high school art program in the school’s history, designing courses in photography, videography, pottery, and creative business development. In 2023, she made the bold decision to leave teaching to learn carpentry and build an A-frame cabin in Cherryfield—reflecting the independence, resilience, and deep sense of place that define her work. Through decades of community involvement and entrepreneurship, she brings trusted local relationships and unwavering dedication to ensuring Downeast youth have access to transformative creative experiences.