Recent Lincoln Academy graduate Mitch Boucher, of Edgecomb, will perform a concert of baroque and classical organ music to benefit the St. Philip’s Episcopal Church steeple project at the church at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 16.
Boucher, a sophomore at the University of Southern Maine majoring in music composition, will perform several of his own pieces as well as the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, Antonio Vivaldi, and Alessandro Marcello.
Since 2010 Boucher has been filling in as a church organist at various churches in Lincoln County, including St. Philip’s, Damariscotta Baptist Church, Edgecomb Congregational Church, and Waldoboro’s Broad Bay Congregational Church.
Boucher said he has been composing his own music since 2012. His compositions include melodies, preludes, and fugues.
It’s Bach who has been Boucher’s inspiration for composing.
“I feel like he is the link between musical intelligence and emotional and spiritual intelligence through music,” said Boucher.
“He was a very religious composer, but one doesn’t have to be religious to enjoy his music,” he said.
In 2007, at age 13, while watching “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest,” Boucher was struck by the music he heard during a scene of the movie.
The scene that captured Boucher’s attention shows the Flying Dutchman riding out a big storm while organ music is being played. The scene then shifts inside the ship where Davey Jones is seen playing the pipe organ.
“What struck me was the music and it stuck with me,” Boucher said. “I remember thinking that’s what I want to do. The sound was amazing.”
The music heard in that scene of the the movie was composed by Hans Zimmer, and Boucher was determined to learn the piece.
“I couldn’t read music at that time, so it was all by ear,” Boucher said.
His father, Dave Boucher, picked up an old keyboard at the dump and Boucher began learning the composition by listening to it over and over while playing on the keyboard. Boucher said after a year he learned how to play the piece on his keyboard.
The next year Boucher began organ lessons with Sean Fleming at the advice of Bob Hardina, the former minister at the Edgecomb Congregational Church.
Playing the organ was more difficult than the keyboard, Boucher said. At first he had coordination issues using two keyboards and adding both feet to play. Boucher said he took lessons with Fleming for six years.
The 2013 Lincoln Academy graduate played the piano and marimba in his high school ensemble. His senior year he composed two fugues for the high school band concert.
“He is amazing,” his mother, Deb Boucher, said.
After college Boucher hopes to pursue a career in music composition and performance.
“Performing in front of people is something I love to do,” Boucher said.
