104-year-old Augusta Symphony Orchestra thrives with new conductor and dedicated community musicians

by Barbara Walsh

On an autumn evening in 1920, a small group of Augusta area musicians gathered in the home of Ernest Hill, a renowned performer who had played in orchestras across the country.

The classical music session in Hill’s parlor was so exhilarating that one of the musicians joked, “We ought to hire a hall.”

A few group members took the remark seriously and months later, on January 30, 1921, they performed at the Augusta Union Hall. After a rousing reception from the audience, the musicians decided to call themselves the Augusta Symphony Orchestra and began performing concerts throughout Augusta, Gardiner and Hallowell. The orchestra grew so popular that 1,000 people attended a 1923 holiday concert at the Augusta Opera House.

Today, 104 years later, the Augusta Symphony Orchestra continues to offer concerts and inspire audiences in Central Maine.

The orchestra’s upcoming Sunday, May 11, at 3 p.m., performance will be held at Cony High School. Like the ASO’s original 1920s concerts, they are free and open to the public.

An ensemble of 50 members, the ASO is an eclectic mix of local business owners, IT specialists, medical professionals, engineers, school teachers, music educators, and retirees. Though most of the players live in the Augusta area, several travel from Bangor, Brunswick, Farmington, Camden and Yarmouth to practice and perform. They range in age from 20-year-olds to octo gena rians. Unpaid orchestra members dedicate hours of their time to practice together and take part in “something truly wonderful,” said Mary Ellen Tracy, who joined the ASO 30 years ago and plays the viola. “It’s a super fun group,” Tracy added, “And we love sharing music with the community.”

Regardless of their background, each member shares a passion for playing classical music including pieces created by the masters: Beethoven, Bach, Brahms, and Mozart.

“It’s really amazing music that goes through so many emotions and feelings,” said Betsy Kobayashi, who lives in Manchester, and has played with the ASO for the past 30 years.

Performing the musical pieces, which encompass a wide variety of instruments − from violins to oboes to trombones and kettledrums − is challenging and exhilarating, said Syd Sewall, a retired Augusta pediatrician, who joined the orchestra in 1996.

“Playing some of the music is like climbing Mt. Everest,” said Sewall, who plays the violin and lives in Hallowell. But the rewards, he added, are worth it. “When you are playing in a big group and everything is syncing and working, it’s like a runner’s high.”

Over the past decade, ASO’s conductors have encouraged members to take on more challenging pieces. Their new conductor, Jinwook Park, the former music director of Boston’s Philharmonic and director of Colby College’s symphony orchestra, has inspired the players to elevate their musical talent.

“I’ve heard some people say they’re practicing more than ever now,” said violinist Kobayashi.