A new exhibit at the Maine Historical Society in Portland called “Music in Maine” opened Friday and runs through the end of the year. A fascinating array of instruments, costumes and artifacts are thoughtfully displayed to tell the story of the state’s rich musical history.

From Wabanaki songs that date back thousands of years to boots worn by country star Dick Curless, “Music in Maine” covers many genres, including punk rock and opera.

Visitors will also be able to hear Maine-made music as they roam through the exhibit. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and admission is $10, $5 for ages 6 to 17 and free for 5 and under. Maine Historical Society members get in for free.

“Maine’s landscape and cultural range creates a unique soundscape, and I’m excited to share the diverse ways that people in Maine express their musical talents,” said Tilly Laskey, curator of the Maine Historical Society.

The exhibit is a collaboration between Maine Historical Society and 18 advisors. “They wrote their own stories about subjects like the rise of country and bluegrass music in Maine in the ’30s and the punk rock scene in the ’70s to help provide context to the expansive history of music in our state,” Laskey said.

PSO RELEASES LIVE ALBUM

Portland Symphony Orchestra, which this year celebrates its centennial, released its first album last month.

“Máscaras: Music from Mexico” can be streamed and purchased digitally at navonarecords.com or on CD for $18 at PSO shows. “Mascaras” was recorded over two performances in April of 2023 at Merrill Auditorium in Portland.

The album features “Rotor” by Enrico Chapela,” “Máscaras” by Arturo Márquez, and Ana Lara’s “Ángeles de llama y hielo (Angels of Fire and Ice).” All are working composers in Mexico.

PSO Music Director Eckart Preu said that while the orchestra will continue to preserve its older repertoire of works, it has always included pieces from contemporary composers. Deciding which part of the world to target for this endeavor came easy.

“There’s a lot of phenomenal music coming out of Mexico, and I thought, why don’t we focus on that?” said Preu.

During the pandemic, the PSO started working with New Hampshire-based Parma Recordings to capture performances they could share with audiences, which helped keep the musicians employed during lockdown. Preu knew that Parma was the logical choice when it came time to record the shows for the album. “They knew us as an orchestra, they know the hall, and they knew how to record us,” said Preu.

Parma also understood exactly the type of album Preu wanted to put out. “I wanted to create a recording (that) feels like a concert, so we have an opening piece, a concerto and a symphonic pieces,” said Preu. “When you listen to the CD, you feel like you go on a journey, like in a concert.”

Preu also hopes the album provides inspiration. “I really wanted to create basically a reference recording for other orchestras, orchestras worldwide, to get to know and play this music, which is great music and deserved to be heard.”

“Máscaras: Music from Mexico” is a stunning album. Beginning with the gripping opening notes of Chapela’s “Rotor” and ending with the final gentle ones of Lara’s “Ángeles,” the flow of pieces is a mesmerizing listening experience, even to ears that are untrained in the world of classical music.

SHOW AT OXBOW

Wild Pink is a New York City-based indie rock band that will be performing at Oxbow Blending & Bottling in Portland on Thursday night. Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. show are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Also on the bill are singer-songwriter Greg Mendez from Philadelphia and multi-genre artist Tremolo Fields (David Rogers) from Cape Elizabeth.

“ILYSM” is the latest album from Wild Pink. It’s home to the track “Hold My Hand,” featuring Boygenius member Julien Baker, along with 11 other mostly piano-based atmospheric meditations like “St. Beater Camry” and “War On Terror.”

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