"Let the Living and the Celestial Sing" free family-friendly spring concert by the Penobscot Bay Orchestra will be held on two occassions. The concert features Glen Sargent as saxophone soloist.

CONCERT 1: SATURDAY, May 9, at 4 p.m., at Belfast Unitarian Universalist Church, 37 Miller Street, Belfast, Maine, 04915;

CONCERT 2: TUESDAY, May 12, at 7 p.m., at John Street United Methodist Church, 98 John Street, Camden, Maine 04843.

Glen Sargent will perform the Concerto for Soprano Saxophone and String Orchestra by Alan Hovhaness, "a hauntingly beautiful showcase for an instrument more often heard in jazz than in the classical spotlight," said PBO, in a news release. "In a work of luminous simplicity and meditative intensity, the saxophone unfolds long, chant-like melodies over gently pulsing strings. "The concert’s centerpiece is the glorious final movement of Brahms's Symphony No. 1 in C minor, in which Brahms introduces one of the most noble and expansive themes in the symphonic repertoire."

The program will also feature Finlandia by Jean Sibelius, Canzon II by Gabrieli, arranged for brass and oboes by Artistic Director Deirdre McClure, and Northern European folk tunes performed by the PBO String Quartet. 

"Now in its fifth year, the orchestra’s growth has been remarkable," said the release.

Founded in 2021 with just 18 players, it has grown to more than 40 musicians who rehearse weekly at the John Street Church. Thanks to generous financial support from the PBO musicians, donors, the Maine Arts Commission, and the Onion Foundation, the orchestra presents six free concerts annually for the community, and provides educational outreach programs designed to expand young people’s access to the arts.

Voluntary donations collected at the door support the orchestra’s Educational Music Programs, including the Young Musician Scholarship, Educational Open Rehearsals, and Youth Chamber Music Programs. This spring the orchestra will also launch a school assembly initiative, bringing hands-on educational performances to elementary schools throughout the tri-county area.

This free, 1.5 hour concert is perfect for all ages, according to PBO.

Glen Sargent was born and raised on Mount Desert Island, and pursued his formal music education at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Applied Performance (Woodwinds). He also completed additional studies at the University of Maine and the University of Iowa. While in Boston, Sargent studied woodwind repair with Emilio Lyons of Rayburn Music—widely regarded as the original “sax doctor,” according to the news release.

After returning to Maine, Sargent taught instrumental music in public schools and private studios while freelancing as an instrument repair technician. In 1986, he joined Northern Kingdom Music in Rockport, where he founded the company’s school music division. Over the next 26 years, that division expanded to serve most Maine school systems from four locations statewide. In 2010 Sargen  launched his own business, Second Wind Music, in Lincolnville, offering specialized woodwind repair services and supplies to musicians in Maine and beyond. In recent years, he has focused on training repair apprentices to help ensure that high-quality repair services remain available to students and performers across the state.

Sargent was appointed Adjunct Instructor of Saxophone and Woodwind Pedagogy at the University of Maine at Orono in 2010, a position he held for seven years while continuing to run his business. During this time, he also taught woodwind instruction at Bay Chamber Music School. A versatile performer, Sargent has appeared with a wide range of ensembles throughout his career.