Fire & Frost, a seasonal, family-friendly winter concert by the Penobscot Bay Orchestra, will feature Penobscot Bay Orchestra Young Musician Scholarship recipient Miles Ortiz-Curtis as flute soloist.

Two free, one-hour concerts will be offered.

Saturday, Dec. 13, at 2 p.m., at Belfast Unitarian Universalist Church, 37 Miller Street, Belfast, Maine, 04915

Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 7 p.m., at John Street United Methodist Church, 98 John Street, Camden, Maine 04843

Flautist Miles Ortiz-Curtis, winner of the orchestra’s first annual Young Musician Scholarship, will make his debut as soloist with the orchestra. Ortiz-Curtis, a junior at Oceanside High School, earned the award, which provides private lessons and the opportunity to perform with the ensemble. He will be featured in the challenging Flute Concerto No. 7 by François Devienne.

The concert’s centerpiece is the fiery final movement of Dvořák’s New World Symphony. The program also includes several seasonal selections, among them the sparkling pizzicato movement from Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony and Christmas Day, arranged for the orchestra by Artistic Director Deirdre McClure.

"Now in its fifth year, the orchestra’s growth has been remarkable," said PBO. "Founded in 2021 with just 18 players, it has quickly expanded to more than 40 musicians who rehearse weekly at the John Street Church." 

Thanks to generous financial support from the PBO musicians, donors, Maine Community Foundation, Fisher Foundation, and 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. Beginning in 2026, the orchestra will also launch a school assembly initiative, bringing hands-on educational performances to elementary schools throughout the tri-county area.

Miles Ortiz-Curtis, winner of the Penobscot Bay Orchestra Young Musician Scholarship for 2025, is a 17-year-old junior at Oceanside High School in Rockland. Primarily a flutist, Miles has been a member of the school band since December 2023 and has consistently earned first chair in district band for the past five years.

"Since joining the PBO in 2024, Miles has demonstrated remarkable versatility first on oboe, and then by joining the second violin section over the summer, where he took on the challenge of learning an entirely new instrument," said PBO.

This fall, Miles auditioned for the All-State Music Festival, and his long-term goal is to pursue a Doctorate in Music Education at the New England Conservatory School of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. When not playing music, Miles likes to hang out with friends, bake, and travel throughout New England.

The recipient of the Penobscot Bay Orchestra Young Musician Scholarship receives a year of free music lessons and is invited to perform with the orchestra. In December, Miles will perform François Devienne’s Flute Concerto No. 7 in E Minor.

"This concerto is a brilliant example of the Classical style, balancing elegance with virtuosic flair," said PBO. "Charming and graceful, it is a delight for the listener, while demanding technical precision and expressive sensitivity from the flutist."

For more information, please visit the orchestra’s website: www penobscotbayorchestra.org.