By Satina Tolman
For The New Era
The notes of Widor, Brahms, Bédard, Bach and more danced through the air on Saturday evening as a unique trio of musicians brought music, memory and emotion to an audience of more than 50 people at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Saturday evening, Aug. 23.
Presented in partnership with SHOCASE of Sweet Home, a nonprofit dedicated to the arts and education, and the Timpanogos Music Series, the free concert featured René Johnson and Dr. Carmen Hall, and their father, Dr. Henry Wolthuis.
The event marked not only a musical triumph but a deeply personal anniversary.
Exactly 50 years ago, Henry and his late wife, Bonita, performed in the same chapel during its dedication. Their daughters’ return to the same space, decades later, with their father was more than a performance. It was a tribute.
“We felt so close to our mom,” Hall said after the concert. Bonita passed away from cancer in 1987, but both daughters recalled her unwavering support. “She was always there, sitting with us during practice,” Hall said.
“Our parents were very involved in our music,” Johnson added.
Now living in Virginia and Utah, respectively, Johnson and Hall are the oldest of Wolthuis’ five children. Their musical roots trace back to their childhood in Sweet Home, where Henry and Bonita raised them and instilled a love for music, faith and service.
Johnson, a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music and a Colleague of the American Guild of Organists, is a respected music educator and past president and current secretary of the Northern Virginia Music Teachers Association. Though she has played piano all her life, she discovered the organ just four years ago and says she’s “passionate” about the instrument. She maintains a thriving piano studio with students of all ages and is a frequent presenter at national music conferences.
Hall is an internationally acclaimed pianist and the founder of the Timpanogos Chamber Music Series in Utah, now entering its fourth season with more than 50 concerts performed.
She also established Young Pianist International, which offers cultural exchanges and global performance opportunities for students. Her group has toured Ghana, Italy, Washington, D.C., Oregon, Utah, and twice each to China and Japan. She teaches at Utah Valley University and serves as president of the Utah Music Teachers Association.
Together, the sisters have recently performed in Rome, Italy, and Groningen, Netherlands. Groningen was especially meaningful to the family, due to their Dutch heritage. But returning to Sweet Home was a real treat for the sisters and audience alike.
Wolthuis, a retired dentist and longtime Sweet Home resident, remains active in both the arts and his community. He is a lifelong organist, tree farmer and a longtime member of the city’s Planning Commission.
The evening opened with two vibrant four-hand piano duets, including a jazzy piece by Nikolai Kapustin and a lively Hungarian Dance by Brahms. Their synchronized playing turned one grand piano into an orchestra of sound, their hands flying with precision and playfulness.
Their father then took the stage with a serene organ solo: “Shepherd’s Pipes Pastorale” by Hubbard William Harris. The music painted pastoral scenes with gentle, lyrical phrases that mimicked the call of a shepherd and the response of sheep.
As the final notes faded and the applause echoed, the audience wasn’t just applauding skill; they were celebrating legacy: one of family, music, faith and the enduring power of a community.
Later, Johnson and Hall reunited on organ and piano, performing several pieces with perfection. Jonathan Scott’s hauntingly beautiful arrangement of “Ave Maria,” based on J.S. Bach’s first prelude was the emotional centerpiece of the night, with many audience members visibly moved. The final piece, a five-part organ and piano duet by Denis Bédard, filled the sanctuary with soaring harmonies and thunderous energy.
“The audience was so friendly and appreciative,” Johnson said. “It was really special to be here.” Hall agreed, calling the crowd “engaged and enjoyable.”
Audience members echoed that sentiment. “I didn’t know what to expect, but I was moved to tears,” said attendee Shirley Austin. “It was amazing.”
At the reception after the concert, one audience member was overheard marveling, “I’ve never heard anything like that. I don’t know how they stayed so in sync. There wasn’t a single mistake in those difficult pieces!”
In addition to performing, the sisters made a special trip while in town to visit their childhood piano teacher, Virginia Buhn, now 97 and living in Eugene. Her husband, Ed Buhn, served as Sweet Home’s mayor from 1971 to 1974.
“One individual can affect your life and the direction you go,” Wolthuis said. “That’s what Virginia Buhn did for the girls.”