Before a few weeks ago, Matthew Blegen’s history with the Bremerton Symphony included a few solo vocal performances. But now, he’s the new executive director.

“It all happened so fast,” Blegen said. “I was looking for a group to sing with and the (Bremerton Symphony Concert) Chorale needed tenors. So I decided to give that a try.

“It was about then that the Symphony’s executive director resigned to take another position and a friend suggested I apply. I’ve always been very impressed with the organization, so I did.”

Blegen has now been with the Bremerton Symphony for about a month. Former executive director Gena Wales is now the executive director of the Bremerton Chamber of Commerce.

What impressed Blegen about the Bremerton Symphony is its community.

“There are big symphonies throughout the country that are failing right and left,” he said. “Yet, here comes this community symphony that is getting record-breaking attendance. It’s growing and is strong because the community supports it.”

At the Bremerton Symphony, Blegen said, he will take on the role of planning, finances and marketing.

“Here, there is an artistic director — Alan Futterman — who is in charge of directing the music and the concerts,” Blegen said. “Whereas I’m more the guy who watches over the finances, pays the taxes, and markets what we’re doing.

“Because Alan and I have known each other for years and have a great relationship, that makes my job all the more fun.”

Blegen’s job is a full time job and he has an office in downtown Bremerton. His first goal is to make a list of things that the board will review and prioritize at a January retreat.

Ultimately, that list will become the association’s five-year strategic plan.

One of the things he wants to accomplish is to promote the association’s youth orchestra. He wants to add music camps for kids, too.

“A first priority for me is the expansion of the youth orchestra program,” he said. “We’re working to increase its funding so we can give out more scholarships to young musicians who would like to be a part of it but don’t have the financial ability. It costs about $1,000 per member per year.”

Another important thing to Blegen is to make symphony music more relatable.

“We handicap modern audiences,” he said. “We’re not teaching them the meaning behind the music.”

For example, he said, each melodic section has meaning and tells a story. When listeners know to listen for a specific melody and know that it means a broken heart or a lost love, listeners pay attention.

“If you know the emotional ride, then you engage,” he said.

Blegen, who grew up on the New Jersey shore, has lived in the Pacific Northwest since 2002. He had a very successful career in New York in advertising on Madison Avenue in New York City, and later as a public relations executive for several high tech companies. He and his spouse, Eric, have a home in Mason County, on the south shore of Hood Canal.

After spending time working for Microsoft, he was exposed to teaching. Rather accidentally, he learned that there was a need for emergency substitutes in the local schools and decided to try it.

Once there, he discovered that due to funding cuts, schools were losing many of their arts and music programs.

“I was shocked at the complete lack of art exposure,” he said. “There were first graders with no construction paper and no paste.”

That was when he founded Anna’s Bay Center for Music, a music organization run largely by volunteers and based in the tiny community of Union on the south shore of Hood Canal. He ran that program for eight years and just recently left to have a year off to work on his doctorate degree.

He completed his Master of Music in Vocal Performance at the University of Washington in 2006, studying with world-renowned tenor Vinson Cole. He is currently completing his Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting. His research focuses on how musical participation builds civic engagement and strengthens communities.

And then the Bremerton Symphony came calling.

“This was suppose to be my year off,” he joked. “But this was such a great opportunity, I decided I had to go for it.”

Working with the association to arrange and promote their symphony and chorale concerts was just too good to pass up, he said, because it combines both his marketing skills and his love for music.

“A key focus for me, too, is making sure we have something big for our 75th anniversary which is right around the corner,” he said. “And we’re planning to build on key relationships like having a concert with our Sister City in Japan.”

But even with all this on his plate, he’ll make time for August, “Gus” his 3-year-old son.

“We waited 12 years to adopt,” he said. “We were just getting ready to tell our parents that they would never be grandparents when it happened. For Eric and I parenting is such a blessing.”

And their family is complete with Finn and Boris, their two chocolate labs.

Blegen has performed as a classical vocalist with organizations such as the New Jersey State Opera, New York Oratorio Society, William Hall Master Chorale, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the Opera Orchestra of Los Angeles, and Portland Pro Musica.