Friends of the Symphony plan fund-raisers with an international flavor

If you’re a regular concert-goer with the Bangor Symphony Orchestra, then you’re used to taking flight with Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, Bernstein and Stravinsky. You’ll take off with them this year, too, as they are all featured on the classical season lineup.

But you also can take flight with Picasso, and with the musical “42nd Street.” You can have a Russian weekend without ever leaving Maine. And if you’d like to leave the state for a while, there’s always the trip to England in May.

The trip, say organizers in the Friends of the Symphony volunteer fund-raising group, is about as extravagant as a 10-day event can get when it comes to music and flowers and good times. Last Sunday, when members of the orchestra performed at Borders to kick off the new season, the Friends were rounding up reservations for the England tour. There are 44 spots available for this trip, which starts in London and makes stops at Stratford-on-Avon, Bristol, Southampton and Brighton. And, as a money raiser for the symphony, the Friends hope to fill every seat.

“What we are doing, we’re doing thoroughly,” said Nancy Ziegenbein, trip coordinator.

“But it’s leisurely, with no rush,” added Laura Farmer, another member of the Friends. “You get to go with people you know or will get to know. And you’ll be able to see them around town again when the trip is over.”

For Belfast residents, Jim and Linn Johnson, who have been supporters of the BSO for nearly 10 years, the trip was a perfect way to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary.

“We’re deep into music. That’s how we met,” said Jim. He was quick with this follow-up about the symphony: “We love it and we admire it. It’s a damn fine sound, and it’s remarkable in its quality.”

Which is the topic Christopher Zimmerman, conductor and music director, was talking about Sunday. He won’t be taking the tour to his homeland, but said he was impressed with the scope of the event — a day at the Royal Horticultural Society, a walking tour of Oxford, a visit to Shakespeare’s birthplace, and a tour of castles. Still, Zimmerman’s major interests lie in Bangor these days.

“As the conductor, I want to get the orchestra to play better and better,” said Zimmerman. “In the last three years, the audition process has been more rigorous and the personnel has improved.”

Zimmerman also talked about developing the audience through a family concert series, which will take place this year on Saturdays before each of the Sunday concerts. TV personality Jack Perkins will host the series.

The sparkling at-home event, however, will be a weekend of Russian food and music Nov. 8 and 9. Russian treats will be served after the family concert, and a full feast of Russian food will be served after the regular classical concert.

Farther afield, the Friends will sponsor a day trip Oct. 28 to see the art exhibition “Picasso: The Early Years” at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. A second day trip to see the musical “42nd Street” at the North Shore Musical Theatre in Beverly, Mass., will take place Nov. 22.

“We get a variety of people from a variety of age groups for these trips,” said Ziegenbein. “And, of course, it’s a way to support the symphony.”

The Bangor Symphony Orchestra will perform a family concert at 7 p.m. Oct. 11 and the regular series concert at 3 p.m. Oct. 12 at the Maine Center for the Arts. For information on tickets or programs, call 942-5555.