Members of Sierra Winds, a chamber ensemble of the U.S. Air Force Band of the Golden West at Travis Air Force Base, will perform free concerts Sept. 18 in Williams and Sept. 20 in Yuba City. The trio includes Tech. Sgt. Katherine Salmons, oboe; Tech. Sgt. Daniel Shifren, bassoon; and Master Sgt. Sarah Howard-Carter, flute. Photo courtesy of U.S. Air Force Band of the Golden West

YUBA CITY, CA (MPG) - Three musicians from the U.S. Air Force Band of the Golden West will bring the sounds of flute, oboe and bassoon to Williams and Yuba City during two free concerts in September.

Sierra Winds will perform at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18, at the Sacramento Valley Museum, 1491 E St. in Williams. The trio will then perform at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 20, at the Sutter Theater Center for the Arts in Yuba City.

Based at Travis Air Force Base, Sierra Winds features Master Sgt. Sarah Howard-Carter on flute, Tech. Sgt. Katherine Salmons on oboe and Tech. Sgt. Daniel Shifren on bassoon.

The program will feature works by Julius Röntgen, Alyssa Morris, Gary Schocker, Shawn Okpebholo and Craig Michael Davis.

The trio's members bring backgrounds in orchestral performance, teaching and music education to the ensemble.

Howard-Carter joined the Air Force in 2006 and holds degrees from Shenandoah Conservatory and the University of Tennessee, where she performed as principal flute and as a soloist with the university's wind ensemble at Carnegie Hall. She also served as principal flute and soloist with the Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra. Her orchestral experience includes performances with the Macon Symphony, Augusta Symphony, Savannah Philharmonic, Virginia Symphony and Baltimore Symphony.

Howard-Carter has also taught throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and served as a flute teacher and woodwind coach at the Baltimore School for the Arts and Waldorf School in Baltimore.

Salmons joined the Air Force in 2014. A native of Johnson City, Tennessee, she earned a bachelor's degree from Baldwin Wallace University Conservatory of Music and a master's degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Salmons has held positions with the Owensboro Symphony and Johnson City Symphony and performed with The Cleveland Orchestra, Colorado Springs Philharmonic, Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra and Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra. She also attended the Kent/Blossom and Brevard music festivals.

Shifren, a Los Angeles native, joined the Air Force in 2014. He earned a bachelor's degree from Carnegie Mellon University and a master's degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. In addition to performing bassoon with the Band of the Golden West, he serves as its section chief of publicity.

Sierra Winds is a chamber ensemble of the U.S. Air Force Band of the Golden West, based at Travis Air Force Base. The Band of the Golden West is the only active-duty Air Force band west of the Rocky Mountains. Its musicians perform at concerts, military ceremonies, schools and community events throughout the western United States.

Military bands have served ceremonial and public roles throughout much of the nation's history, performing at national observances, honoring service members and bringing military musicians into communities. Air Force bands continue that tradition through public performances and educational programs.

“There is something very special about welcoming military musicians into our community,” said David Read, executive director of Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture. “They represent an extraordinary combination of artistry and service.”

Admission is free for both performances. The Williams concert begins at 7 p.m. Sept. 18 at the Sacramento Valley Museum. The Yuba City concert begins at 2 p.m. Sept. 20 at the Sutter Theater Center for the Arts. Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture asks those attending the Yuba City performance to preregister at http://yubasutterarts.org.