PORTLAND — As part of the celebrations planned for the Portland Symphony Orchestra’s 90th anniversary season, the PSO will present four free community concerts in July and August.
The chosen ensemble includes PSO members Yasmin Craig-Vitalius (violin), Kim Lehmann (viola), and Jim Kennedy (cello), and Director of Strings and Orchestral Activities at the USM School of Music and conductor of the Portland Youth Symphony Orchestra, Rob Lehmann (violin).
The “Tune-Up Maine Free Chamber Concert Series” program includes Beethoven’s String Quartet in C minor, Op. 18, No. 4, Mozart’s String Quartet in F Major, KV168, Three Peruvian Songs by Armando Guevara Ochoa, and concludes with the final movement of Dvorak’s String Quartet, Opus 96 “American.”
PSO Executive Director Lisa Dixon said, “One of the Symphony’s strategic goals is to serve our community by providing high-quality artistic programs that are accessible and enriching. We are grateful to the NEA and the ensemble members for helping us present these free concerts. We hope these performances can help thank Mainers for enabling the Symphony to celebrate its 90th season.”
The decision to perform a piece by Beethoven ties into PSO Music Director Robert Moody’s announcement that the PSO would play all nine of Beethoven’s symphonies over the next three seasons, starting with the 2014-15 season.
The featured “Tune-Up Maine” concerts are:
July 31 at 5 p.m.: “Alive at Five” series in Monument Square; Portland
Aug. 2 at 7 p.m.: Messalonskee High School; Oakland
Aug. 14 at 7:30 p.m.: The Boothbay Opera House; Boothbay Harbor
Aug. 17 at 7 p.m.: Wells Reserve at Laudholm; Wells
All concerts are free to attend. The concert in Wells on Aug. 17 requires advance registration, bit.ly/TuneUpWells.
Further information can be found at www.portlandsymphony.org.
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