Published July 05. 2021 1:15AM PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The Portland Symphony Orchestra isn’t playing at the Fourth of July extravaganza on the city’s East End beach, but it is gearing up to take the stage for the first time since the pandemic. The symphony will begin its season on Oct. 19 with a homecoming performance at Merrill Auditorium. The performance will include Daniel Sonenberg’s First Light: A Fanfare for Maine, which was commissioned by the PSO and was to premiere at the Maine Bicentennial Concert in March 2020. The orchestra will perform thirty-nine concerts over the season, including a dozen Magic of Christmas concerts.