At age 22, Seth Yentes has become an accomplished cello player in Maine. His next ambition: Politics.

Yentes, a Monroe Democrat, plans to challenge Rep. Michael Thibodeau, R-Winterport, for the House District 42 seat this year.

He said he has been involved with grassroots organizations in the past, and will use grassroots tactics to beat the incumbent. He said he will knock on every door and get to know the constituents.

“I want to learn what people’s issues are in the area,” Yentes said.

He will focus on the major issues: health care, the economy and the environment.

Yentes said he would like to get younger people involved in small-scale agriculture. He also suggested an incentive program for people to better insulate their houses.

“How do we start to be proactive instead of reactive?” he said.

Along with the cello, Yentes’ talents include grassroots organizing, teaching chess to elementary school students, and growing fruit trees.

He said he’s worked on several campaigns, including past presidential campaigns. He also worked on the campaign for Donna Gilbert, D-Winterport, who lost a race against Thibodeau in 2006.

After filing his paperwork Tuesday, Yentes got the grand tour of the State House from Senate President Beth Edmonds.

Yentes grew up in Monroe. He spent one year at the University of Maine at Orono and two years at Indiana University. Now he’s taking some time off. He’s going for a music degree.

Thibodeau is a first-term lawmaker on the Utilities and Energy Committee. He won 1,940 to 1,651 in 2006.