Hartford Symphony Brass Quintet
Hartford Public Library
Hartford
June 1, 2026
Before I got off the bus, I could already see dozens of people gathered in the courtyard of the main branch of the Hartford Public Library. What the heck was going on?
I’d made the five minute ride to check out the Hartford Symphony’s Brass Quintet, which was playing at the library. Little did I know their performance was part of the ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the full reopening of the library.
The flagship branch of the Hartford Public Library system suffered major damage after a pipe burst on Christmas Eve in 2022. Leadership for the library decided then that they wouldn’t simply fix the library, but bring it back better than ever. There are studios for digital media production, a reimagined Hartford History Center and more.
“Libraries are among the most democratic institutions in our society,” said the chair of HPL’s board of directors Karen Taylor. “They are places where curiosity is nurtured, possibilities are expanded, and communities come together. From literacy and education to workforce development, immigration services, entrepreneurship, cultural exposure, and civic engagement, this library has been a place where individuals thrive and communities prosper.”
The ribbon cutting kicked off a week of celebrations at the library, including the performance by the brass quintet. They inaugurated one of the library’s newest spaces, the Richard Garmany Fund HPL Hall, a more intimate space for community events and discussions. The quintet consists of Dovas Lietuvninkas and John Charles Thomas on trumpet, Barbara Hill on horn, Brian Diehl on trombone and Jarrod Briley on tuba.
The quintet played a range of music that celebrated the history of Hartford and the diversity of the city. From the soaring sounds of Americana by Aaron Copland to the fusion of Western and Indian music in the work of Reena Esmail, the quintet took the audience on a survey of all the influences that make the capitol city so special.
They performed Pavanne from Symphonette No. 2 by Morton Gould, a fun and celebratory song for the occasion. The quintet sounded great. HPL Hall provided good acoustics thanks to the space, and the expert play of the quintet did the rest. You would think that five brass instruments in a library would be overwhelming, but their play was bright and sharp as opposed to loud. Each artist was able to hit the notes of the song lightly, but with enough staccato force to give the music the oomph it needed without blowing out the audience’s ears.
The final piece of the set was a rendition of the Miles Davis classic So What. Closing with a song that honors Hartford’s tradition as a premiere jazz city was a great decision. The arrangement of the piece took full advantage of the quintet; Briley’s tuba play was phenomenal, taking the bassline and producing a brassy, funky take that had the crowd bopping along with him.
Libraries are important, not only as centers of information and access, but also for the way that they brings communities together around the arts. Hartford Public Library has existed in one form or another for over 250 years — longer than the nation itself. Here’s to another 250 more.
NEXT
The celebration at Hartford Public Library continues all week.
Jamil goes to the Stowe Center to hear more about LGBTQIA+ life in Connecticut.
