Pine Grove, CA…Two of the country’s leading trombonists are the featured artists in the next concert of the Mother Lode Friends of Music. The concert is Sunday, April 9 starting at 3 pm in the Pine Grove Community Church, 14045 Ponderosa Way, Pine Grove. Supported by its membership base, the Friends of Music offers this concert to the general public without admission charge.

Bass trombonist Rudi Hoehn is the principal bass trombonist of the Hawaii Symphony and the Santa Barbara Symphony. Rudi received his M.M. degree from The Juilliard School in 2012, where he studied on scholarship with James Markey, then of the New York Philharmonic. Rudi has previously held positions with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra and the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, and has performed with numerous other organizations including the Seattle Symphony, Sarasota Orchestra, and the Sacramento Philharmonic. He has recorded professionally with contemporary music ensemble NOVUS NY, has been featured on NPR’s Performance Today, and was also one of three finalists in the 2012 International Trombone Festival Donald Yaxley Solo Competition. Rudi earned his B.M. degree in 2009 from California State University Sacramento, where he studied with Joel Elias. During 2006-2007, Rudi was awarded Rotary International’s Ambassadorial Scholarship, whereupon he lived in Germany and studied at the Musikhochschule Trossingen with Abbie Conant, retired principal trombone of the Munich Philharmonic.

Tenor trombonist Craig Beattie is a graduate of The Guildhall School of Music of Music and Drama in London. He moved to New York City in 2011 where he graduated from The Juilliard School. Now based in Houston, Texas, Craig is currently Adjunct Professor of Low Brass at Lonestar College, Lee College and an instructor at the British International School of Houston. He enjoys an active performance and chamber career and is a regular guest with ensembles throughout the United States such as Paragon Brass, The River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, Second Baptist Church, The Hawai’i Symphony Orchestra, The Houston Grand Opera, Houston Ballet and the Houston Symphony.

Aided by pianist Ron Brickman, the two trombonists offer a range of music for bass trombone and piano and music for tenor and bass trombone duet. Highlights include New Orleans by Eugene Bozza and the Suite of Negro Spirituals, both for bass trombone and piano, and Conversation for trombone duet by Charles Small.

Opening the program is a performance of the String Quintet in G minor of W. A. Mozart. Scored for
two violins, two violas and cello, the work is universally regarded as one of Mozart’s finest chamber works. It will be performed by an ensemble of professional string players from the Sacramento area: Anthony Wills and Christine Choi on violin, Randy Fisher and Kate Capra on viola, and Jia-Mo Chen on cello.

More information, go the Friends of Music’s website at www.mlfm.org or call (209) 293-4227.