<p>The Tehama Concert Series is proud to bring the International String Trio to Red Bluff on Mon., Feb. 25 at the State Theatre.</p>

<p>The concert will begin at 7:30 pm and is free to Tehama Concert Series members.</p>

<p>Single tickets will be sold at the door for $20 for an adult ticket and $10 for students under 25 living at home. For more information, call (530) 727-8727.</p>

<p>True to its name, the International String Trio (IST) has honed an expansive repertoire embracing nearly a dozen styles from far-flung lands.</p>

<p>Employing their instruments as passports, the adventurous triumvirate unlocks the doors to a global array of tunes drawn from folk, popular, classical, film and other sources.</p>

<p>Rather than flaunting their eclecticis, the Boston combo seamlessly renders a treasure trove of melodies with buoyant energy, intimate acoustic dynamics, stylistically informed phrasing, and loving attention to detail.</p>

<p>Featuring Russianborn guitarist Slava Tolstoy, British violinist Ben Powell and Japanese acoustic bassist Ippei Ichimaru, the IST's players embody its cosmopolitan aesthetic.</p>

<p>The trio's riveting performances encompass a breathtaking range of styles, including Gypsy swing, old-time Appalachian laments, traditional Irish reels, celebratory klezmer, passionate tango, graceful French musette, and burning bluegrass.</p>

<p>While steeped in jazz, they play intricately arranged music that leaves room for improvisation without Advertisement focusing on it.</p>

<p>We're jazz musicians, but it's not a jazz project, says Tolstoy, the IST's music director.</p>

<p>We really work on developing tight arrangements that leave maybe 25 percent for improvisation, with moments for everyone to shine. But we have some tunes that are all arranged, from the first note to last.</p>

<p>On a piece like Ashokan Farewell' we just want to concentrate on the beauty of the melody.</p>

<p>There's no soloing because it's unnecessary.</p>

<p>The IST has earned an avid following by developing several tremendously engaging, thematic programs, each thoughtfully designed to explore an enticing array of moods, grooves and textures.</p>

<p>The group's signature show is Around the World in 80 Ways, which showcases the trio's stylistic breadth and musical depth. American Tune celebrates the diversity and richness of American musical traditions, from rural roots to urban innovations.</p>

<p>The highly evocative At The Movies focuses on the trio's original arrangements of beloved movie themes.</p>

<p>And in December the trio breaks out Holiday Music, a program featuring enduring holidays tunes representing Christmas, Hanukah and other festivities.</p>

<p>We've noticed that there are some tunes that people will always come to us to say that's such a great piece, Tolstoy says.</p>

<p>Gig after gig, certain tunes really move people and seize their imagination.</p>

<p>That's when we know we've got a keeper.</p>

<p>The group's latest CD, Appalachia, is an acoustic session featuring the trio's exquisite musicianship and articulate arrangements.</p>

<p>From Por Una Cabeza, the sensuous theme from Scent Of a Woman, and the Gypsy swing treatment of Sweet Georgia Brown to the haunting Hebrew melody Erev Shel Shoshanim, the trio transforms every piece it plays into an enthralling string adventure.</p>

<p>The IST traces its origins back to 2002, when Tolstoy and Ichimaru started performing together, playing trio gigs around Boston.</p>

<p>They worked with various violinists, and quickly realized that the uncommon instrumentation struck a chord with many different audiences.</p>

<p>But it wasn't until Powell joined the group in 2008 that that IST's singular sound crystallized.</p>

<p>What started as a side project evolved into a bustling sonic laboratory, as the trio steadily honed its repertoire and expanded its stylistic reach.</p>