Following an exhausting week of high winds and power outages, a hardy group of music lovers gathered with pianist Karen Rhoads and FOBM volunteers for Piano Under the Pines on Saturday, October 12, at the outdoor amphitheater at Cobb Elementary School.
A 501c3 nonprofit, FOBM relies on donations to continue working with CAL FIRE to restore trails in the badly burned Boggs Mountain Demonstration State Forest at Cobb.
Karen performed on a Yamaha P-515 digital piano on this brisk sunny morning to the accompaniment of singing birds and a light breeze through the pine boughs overhead. Her repertoire included Rachmaninoff’s ‘Fourth Musical Moment,’ Chopin’s ‘Revolutionary Etude,’ and the first movement of Beethoven’s ‘Tempest’ sonata, along with works by Bach. Karen also performed her own sonata ‘Firestorm,’ composed following the Valley Fire of 2015.
Karen discussed the music between numbers, and the audience asked questions and made comments. “I promise to research which composers were lefthanded,” she says.
The under 12 children in attendance enjoyed the event as well. A tempting array of refreshments was presented by volunteers. Many thanks to the Middletown School District and to individuals who donated so generously to FOBM at this event.
Karen hopes to make Piano Under the Pines an annual event. Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food Co. co-sponsored the concert. All photos were donated by Cobb photographer Tom Slaight.