This New Year’s Eve you may have seen Jonas Rimkunas, a 2011 GHS graduate, at New Year Gorham performing a selection of showtunes. This gentleman has been entertaining the community with his beautiful tenor voice since he and a few friends created the barbershop quartet, The $1800 Shoes, while he was still in high school, performing at Gorham Community Chorus and school concerts.
After he graduated from high school, Jonas headed north to the University of Maine at Orono (UMO) to pursue a degree in Music Education, which he quickly realized was not his cup of tea. He came back to Gorham for a while, singing with the chorus and exploring all of his varied interests.
In 2014 he gave UMO another shot, this time investigating Environmental Science, but quickly pivoted to an amazing opportunity as an apprentice with “The Carpenter’s Boat Shop” a nonprofit school in Bristol, Maine.
“This tuition-free school with small class sizes, students of all ages, and hands on work is an excellent transition school because classes included a variety of social sciences, team building, and soul searching as well as boat building and carpentry and was just what I needed,” Jonas explained.
Upon completion of his apprenticeship, he shared his acquired skills by teaching there as well.
Photo Courtesy of Jonas RimkunasBut music was never far from Jonas’s mind. In 2015, by chance, he met some other singers looking to create a quartet while he was attending an event. They quickly formed The Odds and Ends Barbershop Quartet and began practicing and performing. Then in 2018 they landed a spot in the Barbershop Harmony Society’s competition in Connecticut and eventually won a place in the international competition held in Orlando, Florida.
“We didn’t win, but I got to hear some of the most gifted quartets out there and I learned a lot,” Jonas shared about his experience.
His joy of singing again ignited, Jonas went back to school four years ago to perfect his gift at the University of Southern Maine (USM) pursuing a Classical Voice degree and is currently working on his Senior recital. He is also applying to graduate schools as his talent prompted his teachers to encourage him to attend the Opera Studio in Maryland.
Jonas speaks highly of USM not only for the encouragement and knowledge he has received but also the depth of talent. “Everyone should check out the USM, now Osher School of Music, events website to get information about all of the upcoming Music Department offerings.” There are five or more performances almost every week, and the quality of music is stunning,” Jonas said enthusiastically.
But this young man always has more than one iron in the fire. For example, he is currently running and building a small carpentry business out of the back of his truck that both pays the bills and nurtures his soul as he helps his neighbors and works with his hands.
Jonas states, “I like to take on small restoration and home improvement projects for friends and others in the community, but my heart still lies in boats, furniture, and small woodworking projects.”
And if that isn’t enough, he has created another quartet that you may have heard of, Points North Quartet. Check them out on the internet and Facebook to hear their beautiful harmonies or even book them for an upcoming event.
Fostering his love of boats and sailing, something he just calls a hobby but actually requires a lot of skill and knowledge, Jonas is going after his Captain’s License now as well. Jonas Rimkunas, a good neighbor listening to his heart and following his dreams.