BANGOR – Composer Thomas Oboe Lee, who was commissioned by the American Composers Forum to write Symphony No. 6, “The Penobscot River” for the Bangor Symphony Orchestra as part of the Continental Harmony program, will be giving free lectures about this new piece.

At 5:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 18, at the Bangor Public Library, Lee will be joined by Pauleena MacDougall, assistant director of the Maine Folklife Center, and Phillip Attean, fifth-generation great-grandson of Penobscot Gov. Joseph Attien. The free lecture will be held in the Bangor Public Library conference room.

Then at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 20, at Borders Books and Music, Lee will enthrall the audience with the story-behind-the-story of his commissioned symphony on the history of Bangor. He will discuss and demonstrate his love for composing and the inspiration he found for his new work, Symphony No. 6, “The Penobscot River.”

The composition has as its theme “Back to the River: Discovering Bangor’s Roots.” The symphony, with choral and dance components, will celebrate the area’s rich cultural heritage and reminisce about the days on the Penobscot.

The choral text is adapted from works such as Thoreau’s “Ktaadin,” Fanny Hardy Eckstorm’s “The Death of Thoreau’s Guide,” John Greenleaf Whittier’s “The Loggers Boast,” and concludes with Bangor’s “Centennial Hymn.” The piece will be part of the Bangor Symphony Orchestra’s legacy to the citizens of Maine.

The Bangor Symphony Orchestra will present the world premiere of the symphony at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 23, at Bangor Auditorium.

The concert also features the University of Maine Singers, the Oratorio Society, Bangor High School Chorus and Robinson Ballet, as well as an intermission performance by the Planet Pan Steel Drum Band. Thanks to the generous support of private foundations and many local corporate partners, all of these events, including the premiere concert, are free and open to the public.

For more information on the symphony premiere, log on to bangorsymphony.com or call the Bangor Symphony box office at 942-5555 or (800) 639-3221.