The Firelands Brass Quintet is comprised of, from left, Amanda Bekeny, Greg Hillis, J.c. Sherman, Adam Reardon and Ted Clark. (Submitted photo)

BY SHERI TRUSTY

PORT CLINTON – When Covid shutdowns were instituted right after the Firelands Brass Quintet was founded, it looked like the group was facing an insurmountable wall. Instead, it inspired fresh ways to reach a new audience and opened doors to more performances.

On Friday, July 18, the quintet will perform at RiverFront Live in downtown Port Clinton at 6 p.m. The five performers are members of the Firelands Symphony Orchestra (FSO).

“We were founded just before Covid, to do performances at the Catawba Island Club (CIC), and then the quarantine shut everything down,” said FSO’s principal tubist, J.c. Sherman, who leads the quintet.

Instead of performing at CIC, the group began playing mini concerts outside the windows of nursing homes.

“It was so popular, we kept doing it, and then people started contacting us for more concerts,” Sherman said.

The Firelands Brass Quintet includes Sherman on tuba and bass trombone, Amanda Bekeny on trumpet, Ted Clark on trumpet, Greg Hillis on French horn, and Adam Reardon on trombone.

The quintet plays many concerts annually, so they offer a different program each year to provide something new for their fans.

“We do a very diverse program that spans 500 years, from Giovanni Gabrieli to Baroque, classical and Romantic,” Sherman said. “Then we transition to the more modern music of jazz and musical theater. We have as much diversity as we can.”

On July 18, the audience may hear music from Sousa, Cole Porter, Victor Ewald and Bach.

“Wilke Renwick’s ‘The Dance’ is a good show opener. I always say it’s a dance for someone with one leg longer than the other,” Sherman said, laughing.

The crowd can expect an evening of enjoyable interaction with the quintet. As the members catch their breath between songs, Sherman shares background on the pieces and personal connections to the music.

“We try to make it an entertaining presentation and informative,” he said.

Being a part of the quintet has allowed its members to meet people throughout Ottawa County.

“We like being chamber musicians and playing smaller venues,” Sherman said. “We’ve played in Port Clinton, Catawba and Lakeside with the quintet and the orchestra. That whole area is like a second home to us.”

The group’s RiverFront Live performance will allow the audience to experience a unique musical evening and a taste of FSO.

“It’s an opportunity to hear a subset of FSO and also show the audience the symphony as well,” Sherman said.

For more information on the quintet, visit www.firelandssymphony.com. For more information on RiverFront Live, visit the RiverFront Live Group Facebook page.