You might not think it when you see him in person, but Bangor Symphony Orchestra executive director David Whitehill is down with Jigga. Jay-Z, that is. And he may not have 99 problems exactly, but the BSO definitely ain’t one.

“I always love it when jazz guys say, ‘It’s just about the music, man,’ because I really think that’s true,” said Whitehill. “But you know, I love the Beatles. How can you not? I like hip-hop, I like lots of rock music. I don’t see any conflict in liking that and loving classical music.”

Whitehill is 29, and has been on the job since last October. He’s quite young for someone so immersed in and knowledgeable about his field. But his youthful energy and enthusiasm are definite pluses for the 112-year-old organization – considering the fact that its core audience remains steadfastly in the 65-and-over demographic, the BSO needs someone to help attract a younger audience.

And Whitehill is committed to doing just that. Starting with the coming season finale, set for this weekend (see accompanying story), the BSO will roll out its new look and announce its 113th season, which is packed with surprises and new events.

And then there’s the new slogan. Ready for it?

“‘Life Is Full Of BSO,'” said Whitehill, with a mischievous grin. “It is. Music is part of our daily lives. It’s everywhere. It’s playing at the gas station, it’s on your iPod, it’s on at the dentist’s. When we say, ‘Life is full of BSO,’ we’re acknowledging the role music plays in our lives. And we’re breaking a bit of a glass curtain. It’s just music. It’s fun.”

It also reflects the deep connection the BSO has with the Greater Bangor community. Even if you don’t go to the symphony, you know it exists, and you know it’s happening. It’s an entrenched part of life here.

“It said, ‘Come see great music live’ before,” he said. “That is still true, but I think we need to talk about the fact that it’s not just about the music – it’s about this community. And I think Bangor’s pretty awesome.”

The coming season features a number of changes, though nothing drastic. Expect more opera, more community involvement and several big-time guest stars – including the February 2009 concert, which will feature pianist Jonathan Biss, in the first show back in the BSO’s home of the newly renovated Maine Center for the Arts.

One notable addition is the new “7 at 7” concert series ($7 admission, 7 p.m.), set for Sept. 27 and Jan. 31. Both concerts are designed to be a kind of open rehearsal. The BSO will perform pieces for scheduled concerts, and attendees will be encouraged to come hang out, listen, watch and ask questions. Maestro Xiao-Lu Li will have a microphone, and will go into greater detail about the compositions the BSO will perform.

The idea is to engage the audience – especially those who have never been to a concert before.

“It’s all about connecting with different levels of sophistication. We want to open ourselves up to our entire audience,” said Whitehill. “We want people to feel at home with the symphony – it doesn’t have to be formal, and you don’t have to have any special knowledge of the music. We want everyone in the community, of all ages and backgrounds, to be able to enjoy the symphony.”

The BSO’s big finale

This Bangor Symphony Orchestra concert is brought to you by the number five. For the season finale on Sunday, the BSO will perform six pieces, each from their respective composer’s fifth symphonies. It covers 219 years of music, from 1756 up through the early part of the 20th century. There’s also a special surprise set for the end of the show – but you’ll have to go to the concert to know what it is. Let’s get to know each of these pieces, and the composers behind them.

MOZART: Most of us, at the age of 9, are outside causing trouble. In 1765, while touring Europe, 9-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was composing his Symphony No. 5 in B-flat major. This symphony is in three parts, beginning with a invigorating first movement, full of bright horns, followed by a more somber andante second movement. It ends with a quick, exciting finale, which is notable in that the major theme was reused by Mozart 20 years later in the Act 2 finale of his comic opera “The Marriage of Figaro.”

BEETHOVEN: Dun-dun-dun-dunnnn. Dun-dun-dun-dunnnn. Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C minor, op. 67 is one of the most famous pieces of music ever composed, and lucky BSO concert-goers will get to hear its first movement, in all its exciting, spine-tingling glory, at the show on Sunday.

SCHUBERT: Woodwinds are the stars in Franz Schubert’s 1816 Symphony No. 5 in B-flat major, D. 485. Excepting the clarinet, all members of that instrument family get a chance to shine, along with horns. It is light, bright and melodically complex.

TCHAIKOVSKY: The themes are big and imposing in Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 in E minor, op. 64; destiny, sorrow, joy, God, war and wild striving toward victory! It’s not subtle, but then again, Tchaikovsky isn’t a subtle guy. It is, however, rousing and emotional, in keeping with Tchaikovsky’s reputation as a master of the dramatic.

MAHLER: Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 in C-sharp minor is his most famous work. Composed in 1904, it’s a sweeping ode to love and loss. The BSO will perform just the fourth movement of the symphony, the F major Adagietto, which is known for its prominent role in the film “Death in Venice,” and for being played at Robert F. Kennedy’s funeral.

SHOSTAKOVICH: In 1937 Dmitri Shostakovich got a standing ovation for his Symphony No. 5 in D minor, op. 47 that lasted 40 minutes. Any wild applause that might be given by the audience at Sunday’s concert might not last 40 minutes, but then again, Shostakovich’s fifth is a brilliant masterwork that’s both delightfully entertaining and emotionally complex.

AND A SURPRISE … We aren’t telling. But if you must squeeze out a hint, let’s just say that the rule of five continues through this special composition, and that you might want to clear a little space in front of your chair if you feel compelled to move around a bit during its performance.