The next free concert from the Santa Barbara Music Club, at 3 p.m. Saturday, April 15 in First United Methodist Church, 305 E. Anapamu St., will feature performances by Professor Steven Gross, French horn, and Pascal Saloman, piano; with UCSB student artists Madison Babovec, Max Dei Rossi, Annie Hargis, Connor Hahn, Pablo Juan Hernandez*, and Robin Kolankarai, horns; Allison Rigler, trombone; and Landon Parcel, trumpet. *Also trumpet.

These musicians have assembled an extraordinarily beautiful potpourri of works, including:

The “Scherzo Concertante” by Vaclav Nelhýbel (1919-96); “Sonata for Horn, Trumpet and Trombone” (1922) by François Poulenc (1899-1963); “Konzertstück for Four Horns and Orchestra, Opus 86” (1849) by Robert Schumann (1810-56), arranged by Max Dei Rossi, a member of the Horn Ensemble; “Die Himmel rühmen des Ewigen Ehre No. 4” from “Six Songs, Opus 48” (1802) by Ludwig Beethoven (1770-1827); “Tango” from “Fripperies (1964)” by Lowell Shaw (b. 1930); the “Adagio” from the “Symphony No. 3 in c-minor, Opus 78 ‘Organ’” (1886) by Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921), arranged by hornist Wendell Rider; “Concerto for Horn and Orchestra in Bb-Major, Opus 91” (1951) by Reinhold Glière (1875-1956); “Marche Royale du Lion” from “Carnival of the Animals” (1886) by Saint-Saëns; and “Polaris, for 4 Horns & Piano” (2020) by James Naigus (b. 1987).

This concert is likely to be very easy on the ears. Brass ensembles are proving very versatile, and the overall effect is often lyrical, rather than martial or heraldic. Some of it will sound very much at home in the ecclesiastical venue, but in a meditative, rather than preachy, way.

All of it, so far as I can tell, subscribes to the notion that music is mostly to pleasurably excite, rather than challenge, the listener. Of particular note is the most recent composition, James Naigus’s sublime “Polaris.”

Be sure to bring your checkbook or billfold, because, while this concert is free, the program will probably inspire you to donate to the club that made it possible.

Masks are required and must cover both nose and mouth. Social distancing is required.

For information on this and other Santa Barbara Music Club programs and performing artists, visit www.SBMusicClub.org.