WINCHENDON – A pair of popular local music series, made possible in part with support from the Athol Cultural Council, are returning to Winchendon.

First up is the kickoff performance of the Winchendon Music Festival on Saturday, June 3, at 7 p.m. at the Winchendon History & Cultural Center, 151 Front St., Winchendon. The Eroica Project features the North American premiere of Carl Friedrich Eber’s 1817 arrangement of Beethoven’s Third Symphony.

“This unique transcription for five winds and five strings evokes all the colors of Beethoven’s original masterpiece, with a uniquely intimate texture,” said WMF director Andrew Arceci.

Performers include Andrea LeBlanc on flute, Thomas Carroll and Elise Bonhivert on clarinet, Elizabeth Axtell and Linda Dempf on horns, Manami Mizumoto and Emily Hale on violins, Renee Hemsing on viola, Jacques Lee Wood on cello, and Andre Arceci on bass.

On Monday, June 5, Emily Marvosh and Andrew Arceci perform with several WMF artists, also at the Winchendon History & Cultural Center. The festival continues in August with a lineup that include Floyds Row, George Lykogiannis on piano, the Worcester Jazz Orchestra and other acts.

Performances are free but reservations are required. To reserve space, go to: www.facebook.com/people/Winchendon-Music-Festival.

For people who enjoy a more “traditional” woodwind band sound, Winchendon Winds begin its free series Sunday afternoon, June 4, continuing on June 11 and 18. Those first three performances will take place at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 126 Central St., Winchendon. The theme of the first concert is “Around the World.”

“We’re going to play a lot of music from mostly Europe,” said Winchendon Winds Co-Director Jill Sackett, “but some other locations as well. But they’ll be very recognizable; ballads and folk tunes and very well-known international themes. Irish stuff, Scottish stuff.”

The theme of the program on Sunday, June 11, is “Concert Classics.”

“We’re playing some of the favorites of concert band literature,” said Sackett. “But included that weekend, we’re going to feature our Doug Ruby, our euphonium player. It’s a lower brass instrument. He’s phenomenal. He’s played in a lot of groups around Boston and elsewhere, and he’s going to play a solo piece with the band called From the Shores of the Mighty Pacific.

The June 18 performance is called “Jewels,” and Sackett said that in addition to regular band music, different sections of the band will be featured.

“So, we’ll have pieces that will just use the colors of, say, the brass,” Sackett said. “We’re going to do a brass choir piece, we’re going to do a woodwind choir piece with only the woodwinds, and then we’re going to do a saxophone quartet. So people will get a chance to hear just those particular colors. And, of course, we’ll be playing full band music as well.”

The fourth and final performance in the series, “Concert in the Park,” will be held at noon on July 1 at the new Robinson Broadhurst Perfoming Arts Amphitheater at Winchendon Community Park, 86 Ingleside Drive in Winchendon. Sackett said this performance will be the first of the monthly Saturday family events organized by the Winchendon Recreation Commission. This event will have lawn games, food and live music.

“We’re playing a whole patriotic program. So, people looking for a patriotic live classic band concert can come for that,” said Sackett. “We’re going to be playing a number called the ‘Armed Forces Salute.’ So, we’ll be honoring the veterans with a tune from every branch of the military. And then we’re done for the season for this year.”

In addition to the Athol Cultural Council, Winchendon Winds is underwritten by grants from the cultural councils of Ashburnham, Ashby, Gardner, Hubbardston, Lunenburg, Phillipston, Templeton and Winchendon, in addition to support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the Robinson Broadhurst Foundation, Diane and David Alexander, and the Rita Besseck Trust. Other sponsors include Julia White Cardinal, Mary Ann Jacobs, Market Basket, Walmart, Brooks Automotive, By Light Unseen Media, C&S Pizza, Lickity Splitz, Price Chopper, and the Winchendon Courier.

Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.

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