Music in the Air at Green

The Green Music Center gets a workout this weekend, with several concerts that emphasize the sound of instruments not necessarily associated with classical music: trombones and guitar.

On Friday, as a "festival prelude" the Symphonic Wind Ensemble will serve as homecoming for two local natives: Kyle Covington, principal trombonist of the San Diego Symphony, and Paul Dooley, award-winning composer and lecturer at the University of Michigan.

During the 7:30 p.m. concert, under the baton of Andy Collinsworth, director of SSU Bands and Music Education, Covington will play the Ewazen Trombone Concerto and Dooley's new wind band composition, "Point Blank." Also on stage will be   Gary W. Hill, director of ensembles at Arizona State University. Tickets are $10, available here.

Saturday finds Collinsworth hosting the all-day inaugural Sonoma Invitational Wind Band Festival. Selected high school bands from California and Nevada will receive intensive coaching and clinics with Gary W. Hill, serving as "guest adjudicator." The event is free, and open to the public.

Sunday things take a softer turn with the appearance of the Pacific Guitar Ensemble in a 4:00 p.m. concert. The Ensemble was formed in 2010 by David Tanenbaum, chairman of the guitar faculty of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and Peppino D’Agostino as a large guitar ensemble that could perform a wide variety of repertoire. It currently has eight members (including the founders), all of whom play classical guitar and most of whom play other plucked instruments.

The concert is at Green Music Center, Joan and Sanford I. Weill Hall. $15 general; $12 SSU faculty, alumni and staff; $10 seniors and students; free to SSU students w/ID, purchase tickets online.