They were Ronald and Avis Romm, heading up the final concert of the San Bemardino Valley Community Concert Association. It was more than simply another trumpet and piano recital. It was an aesthetic event.

The concert started with the trumpet offstage playing an ordinary version of "Amazing Grace" as a prelude. The concert officially opened with Bach's "Prelude in C" made famous by Gounod, who used it for a setting of "Ave Maria."
The Romm's took the same prelude and set their melodies on top of it, calling it "Seeing the Light."
Ravel's famous "Pavane" and Debussy's "Clair de Lune" do not seem like trumpet tunes, but Ronald Romm played them with great sensitivity.
No trumpet concert would be complete without the "Carnival of Venice." This one was no exception. This virtuosic show piece has been popular since Herbert L. Clarke. However, Romm chose the version by Del Staigers that eliminates the smoke but leaves the fire.
A bit of comedy took place with selections from "The Ultimate Opera." Well-known soprano arias were played with the trumpeter in drag.
A version of "Rhapsody in Blue" for trumpet and piano was successful because the trumpeter knew when to lay out and when to play out. He even made the opening solo clarinet whine sound like the clarinet. Local trumpet players might like to know that he used Bb trumpet, Eb trumpet, and a Bb piccolo trumpet in this concert.

A 30-year veteran of the Canadian Brass, Ronald Romm is at home in all styles of music. He has a tone that can be inspiring, melancholy or anything in between ÷ and then some.
He and his lovely wife made us feel as though we were in their living room. He also must have a cast iron lip, as this was his second performance of the day. His biographical sketch looks hard to believe, but every word is true.

He and his wife make a perfect team. Let's hope they come back in the near future to give those who did not make this concert a second chance to hear this remarkable couple.

Ralph Andrews, who has a Ph. D. in music, is a free-lance musician, teacher and a fudge for the Inland Theatre League.