If you visit a casino on even a casual basis, you're probably familiar with the relentless chiming of hundreds of slot machines working in overdrive. It's been years now, but I was covering a piano concert by Herbie Hancock in the Mohegan Sun Wolf Den and, between songs, he remarked to the crowd, "In case you're wondering, those slot machines are ringing in the key of C." And he played a piano note to illustrate.

Since, that's been my primary anecdotal association with "the key of C" — though that could change Friday. The 2015 "What's in a Key" season of the Chestnut Hill Concerts series with — yes — three splendid works in a performance called "Key of C."

On the bill are Bach's Cellos Suite No. 5 in C minor, BWV 1011, Brahms' Piano Trio No. 2 in C major, Op. 87, and Faure's Piano Quartet No. in C minor, Op. 15.

Providing the instrumental virtuosity will be Chestnut Hill artistic director/cellist Ronald Thomas along with violinist Steven Copes, violist Mark Holloway, and pianist Mihae Lee. The concert takes place in Old Saybrook's Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center.

— Rick Koster

Chestnut Hill Concerts, 8 p.m. Friday, Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook; $30 and $35, students $12, kids and teens free if accompanied by adult; (860) 510-0453.