Sutter Creek, CA…The Mother Lode Friends of Music, the regional organization of classical music performances, presents its first concert of the new year on Sunday, January 29, starting at 3 pm at the Sutter Creek Theatre, 44 Main Street in Sutter Creek.

The concert opens with the Nonet with four strings (violin, viola, cello and bass) and five winds (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and horn) of Joseph Rheinberger. Rheinberger, born in the principality of Lichenstein in 1839, was a highly regarded and successful composer in his day. The Nonet is a masterful creation of beautiful melodies with an exceptionally ingenious orchestration for the nine instruments. Performing the work are nine players who have been the foundation of Friends of Music concerts through the years: concert violinist Corina Stoian, violist Ted Seitz, cellist Alice Williams, bassist Henry Gonzalez, flutist Sandra Betti, oboist Jane Buzzard, clarinetist Hank King, bassoonist Gail Buzzard and hornist Bill Minkel.

In the second half, duo pianists Diane Day and Ron Brickman perform the Andante and Variations of Robert Schumann, with its unique instrumentation of two pianos, two cellos and horn. Joining the pianists are cellists Alice Williams and Heather Walkover and hornist Bill Minkel,

Concluding the program, pianists Day and Brickman perform the La Valse, the orchestral masterpiece of Maurice Ravel, in a dazzling transcription for two pianos by the composer himself.

Supported by the dues and donations of its membership, the Friends of Music offers this concert to the general public without admission charge.

For more information go to the Friends of Music’s website,www.mlfm.org or call (209) 283-4227.