UPPER LAKE, Calif. – The Tallman Hotel in Upper Lake continues its 2016 series of “Concerts with Conversation” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 5, with a talented chamber ensemble headed by the Laura Reynolds, principal oboist with the Santa Rosa and California Symphonies and instructor at U. C. Davis, Sonoma State and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Joining Reynolds for the evening will be local musicians Tom Aiken on harpsichord and oboist Beth Aiken together with visiting artists Eva von Bahr on bassoon and pianist Kymry Esainko.

Titled “Exploring Personalities,” the informal Tallman program will “explore the personalities” of the oboe through pieces showcasing the different “colors” of the instrument.

Five pieces will be on the program including a Vivaldi sonata in which Reynolds is backed by harpsichord and bassoon and a trio for oboe, bassoon and piano by Francis Polanc.

Tallman owner Bernie Butcher recounted the story of how this program came to be. Last fall well-known local musician Tom Aiken mentioned that he and Beth had been asked to join an exciting all-star ensemble for a January concert with Laura Reynolds in Mendocino’s prestigious Opus Chamber Series.

“I asked Tom if he thought it would be possible to repeat this program here in Lake County,” said Butcher. “Tom worked out the details and here we are. The reviews of the Mendocino concert were five-star, so this should be a fun evening.”

Tom and Beth Aiken are equally excited to be performing with this group.

“As an oboist myself,” said Beth Aiken, “it’s a great treat to play with Laura Reynolds who is one of the most acclaimed concert musicians in Northern California.”

“I’ll be playing the harpsichord on Saturday,” said Tom Aiken, “and leaving the piano to Kymry Esainko. He is an absolute master of the instrument and really wowed the crowd at our concert in Mendocino.”

This will be the fourth in the Tallman’s 2015-16 series of Concerts with Conversation.

The series concludes on April 16 with the Macy Blackman Trio, a jazz, blues and boogie woogie program featuring Blackman on piano, Nancy Wright on sax and Bing Nathan on bass.

Tickets for the March 5 show are priced at $25 plus tax and may be purchased by calling the Tallman Hotel at 707-275-2244, Extension 0.

They are also available online through www.eventbrite.com .