TOPSHAM — The 30th season of the Midcoast Symphony Orchestra (MSO), conducted by Rohan Smith, features music for every classical music lover, whether they prefer serious masterpieces such as Mahler’s “Fifth Symphony” or the so-called “Looney Tunes” that introduced many children to the sounds of the orchestra through cartoons on TV.

The first concert series, nicknamed “Delight and Despair,” will take listeners on a roller-coaster of emotions from Dvorak’s fun “Carnival Overture” to Prokofiev’s tragic “Romeo and Juliet, Suite 2.” Concert series number two, “Children’s Tales and Looney Tunes,” is not just for young people. It features favorite classical music used in old Looney Tunes cartoons, as well as “Peter and the Wolf,” narrated by Caroline Cornish, former co-host of WCSH’s “207” and “The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra,” narrated by Cornish’s daughter, Eleanor Kmack.

During the third concert series, “Two Great 5ths,” guest conductor Jinwood Park will expose the audience to Schubert’s lighthearted “Fifth Symphony,” then bring out the drama in Mahler’s “Fifth.” Finally, in concert series number four, piano soloist George Lopez will transport us to old Russia when he plays Rachmaninoff’s “Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini.” The show also will feature Ravel’s orchestration of “Pictures at an Exhibition by Mussorgsky.”

The MSO will perform each concert series at the Orion Performing Arts Center in Topsham and at the Gendron Franco Center in Lewiston. In addition, audience members are invited to attend preconcert activities at Orion called “More with Midcoast.” Featured activities include an informative demonstration of how orchestras work by MSO’s Mary Hunter, Professor of Music, Emeritus, at Bowdoin College, a “Meet the Instruments” event where people of all ages can try playing various instruments of the orchestra, a performance by a local youth music group and a talk with Smith and Lopez.

Visit MidcoastSymphony.org for concert dates, times and ticket information.

The Midcoast Symphony is made up of volunteer musicians living in Maine. String players who are interested in joining the orchestra can request an audition by contacting orchestra manager orchestra Ray Libby at info@midcoastsymphony.org or 207-315-1712.

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