Have a resolution to see more concerts this year? Thankfully, you don’t have to wait until warm weather months, when most major performance seasons start, to do so.

Some Midcoast towns have several music events right around the corner. This month — and early February — music lovers can find an array of genres performed live in Topsham, Brunswick and Freeport.

Rohan Smith points to a section of the Midcoast Symphony Orchestra while rehearsing concert pieces on May 8, 2024. Smith celebrates his 20th year with the orchestra this year. Kristian Moravec / The Times Record

Midcoast Symphony Orchestra

If you’re a fan of orchestral music or are looking to branch out from your usual tastes, Midcoast Symphony Orchestra an upcoming concert to attend mid-January in Topsham.

The orchestra — lead by vibrant conductor Rohan Smith, who celebrated 20 years at the helm just last year — will perform a diverse array of songs that mainly touch on themes of water.

Some pieces featured on the program touch on classic composers in the orchestral world, such as Baroque composer George Frideric Handel and Romantic composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. However, the setlist also features Modern era music writers such as Henri Tomasi.

For instance, MSO will perform the first two movements from “The River Suite,” composed by jazz great Duke Ellington. The movements — aptly named “The Spring” and “The Meander” begin with bright, pensive and hopeful sounds before moving into easy, occasionally swinging harmonies.

Other pieces in the program include Czech-composer Bedřich Smetana’s symphonic poem about a river, “The Moldau,” and Tchaikovsky’s famous “Swan Theme” from “Swan Lake, Op. 20,” which will feature guest conductor Kyle Almquist. There are plenty more pieces on the program, which can be viewed on MSO’s website.

And for those interested in how classic instruments like violins, cellos and so on work, there will be a free pre-concert event called “Meet the Instruments” prior to the show. At this event, music lovers can learn how MSO musicians play their instruments.

The concert takes place at the Orion Performing Arts Center at 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 19. A concert in Lewiston will be held a day prior. Find tickets at midcoastsymphony.org/concerts/.

Dave Bullard and Neil Lamb. Courtesy of Lemont Block

Dave Bullard Trio, featuring Jim Gallant

Music fans can switch gears and witness guitar mastery at the end of the month when the Dave Bullard Trio and Jim Gallant put on a mix of strings and vocals at the Lemont Hall.

Bullard, a singer-songwriter from Harpswell, performs a variety of guitar genres, sometimes being described as bossa nova, jazz-esque and flamenco in style, though he also has several recordings of his playing online showcasing blues and rock skills on strings.

Jim Gallant. Courtesy of Jim Gallant

Jim Gallant will also bring his bright, upbeat guitar picking spirit to the hall. His style ranges from Celtic jigs to New Age instrumental to singing and playing delta blues.

Gallant also told The Times Record that this month’s performance will feature a few songs from his sixth album, which will wrap up later this spring, titled “Up on Thompson’s Hill.” He said one song that could make a debut at the performance is called “Retail Therapy.”

“Looking forward to it, should be a great time,” Gallant said. “And it will be great to sit down and listen to Dave (Bullard) again.”

The concert takes place at Lemont Hall in Brunswick at 7 p.m. on Jan. 31. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Find tickets at lemontblock.com/events.

Portland Symphony Orchestra Woodwind Quintet and Chamber Series

The following day, Meetinghouse Arts will host two back-to-back performances by Portland Symphony Orchestra groups.

The Meetinghouse Arts buildling. Kristian Moravec / The Times Record file photo

First, there will be a Woodwind Quintet KinderKonzert performing “Aesop’s Fables,” inspired by the ancient Greek collection of stories. The fables feature “The Tortoise and the Hare,” “The Country Mouse and the City Mouse” and “The Bear and the Bees” adapted into music written by composer Tom Myron. The light, whimsical quintet music aims to bring the timeless tales to life.

The event is designed for pre-kindergarten to third grade students, though all are welcome to attend.

Later in the day, there will be a chamber performance by a wind quintet featuring flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and French horn players, along with guest pianist Diane Walsh.

The performance is part of a Chamber Music Series in celebration of PSO’s 100th season of performances. In the series, small music groups will venture outside of Merrill Auditorium stage in Portland and come to places like Freeport to perform.

The program for this afternoon performance is a short list but full of rich sounds. The ensemble will play Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Quintet for Piano and Winds,” a piece written in 1796 — the first or “early” composition period of his career. The second piece is Francis Poulenc’s “Sextet for Piano and Winds.” Poulenc, a modern composer from the 20th century, fills this piece with many different musical influences such as jazz, classical-era music and more.

Both concerts take place at Meetinghouse Arts on Feb. 1. The KinderKonzert is free, though donations are welcome, and is at 11 a.m. The Chamber Music Series is at 2 p.m., though doors open at 1:30. Tickets for this show are pay-what-you-can, with a suggested price of $23.

Find tickets and more information at meetinghousearts.org.

Canceled

The Concert for a Cause that was scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 11, in Brunswick has been canceled due to the death of musician David Mallett.