FARMINGTON — Jean Sibelius’s magnificent Symphony No. 2 will be the centerpiece of the program when Trond Saeverud leads the University of Maine at Farmington Community Orchestra in its spring concert, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 11, in UMF’s Nordica Auditorium.

The other concert works feature two prominent Maine musicians, Bill Whitener and Mark Tipton. Whitener, the co-principal trumpeter of the Bangor Symphony, will be the soloist in Franz Josef Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto, probably the best-known work in that genre. Tipton, while also renowned as a trumpeter, is featured on this program in his role as a composer, with his piece for two horns and strings entitled “Cor Cordis.”

Sibelius, who wrote in the first half of the 20th century, was often dismissed at the time as a conservative throwback, whose works seemed reactionary in the context of progressive trends in the classical music world. But with historical perspective, he can be seen now as a very important figure. Works such as the Symphony No. 2 abound with mystery, lyricism and the sense of vast landscapes, perhaps suggestive of his native Finland.

Tipton is assistant director and trumpet instructor at the Portland Conservatory of Music, and well known in Maine for his jazz and classical trumpet playing, his live musical soundtracks for several silent films, and his other chamber compositions. His “Cor Cordis,” recently premiered at Colby, is an ideal work to include on this program, since it pays homage to Sibelius, reflecting Tipton’s admiration for that composer, to the extent that much of the work derives from a musical quotation from one of Sibelius’s symphonies.

Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors, and free for children and UMF students with I.D. For more information, email carlsen@maine.edu.


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