The fourth entry in AnnArbor.com's free, Friday lunchtime concert series brings some of the city's top classical musicians to our corner patio with the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra's Brass Quintet.

The quintet will celebrate Independence Day by playing patriotic favorites and American standards.

The quintet is led by trombonist Scott Hartley, who has a DMA in trombone performance from the University of Michigan School of Music and has played with the Ann Arbor Symphony for 30 years. He has also been principal trombone of the Pontiac Oakland Symphony for 15 years and subbed with all the area orchestras on a regular basis. Hartley answered a few questions via email.

When was the Brass Quintet first formed?

It was first formed in 1995 to perform for elementary schools.

How is playing in the quintet different from playing in the full orchestra?

We are under our own direction and are playing all of the time; also have a more homogenous sound and tone color.

What’s on the program for Friday?

A lot of our favorites with extra American music. Just good music.

A lot of the quintet’s appearances are in schools. What do you like about those performances?

The young audiences are like any — they feel moved by great music and the energy of live performances. They seem especially impressionable and excited by the presentations.

The A2SO Brass Quintet is one of the Symphony’s four Ensembles In Your Classroom, performing for nearly 30,000 students across Southeastern Michigan each year. Each ensemble visit provides students with live, top-quality, classical music in the comfortable setting of their elementary or middle school.

The A2SO is currently accepting reservations for the Ensembles In Your Classroom program for the 2010-2011 school year. The Ensembles program is a unique opportunity for schools to have an affordable assembly that introduces students to the families of instruments of the orchestra. For more information about the Ensembles In Your Classroom program, the A2SO themed Youth Concert, or a visit from Maestro Arie Lipsky, contact the A2SO Education Director, Laura Dunbar at laura@a2so.com or visit the website www.a2so.com/education.