Jeff Conner of the Boston Brass will have his trumpet, and most likely, a can of bug spray with him for next week’s Meadowlark Music Festival.

 The Boston Brass will perform three of its four concerts outdoors, including next Friday at James Arthur Vineyards, the festival’s most popular site.

“I really haven’t had to worry about (bugs) before,” the Boston Brass founder said with a chuckle in a phone interview. “If I leave out a note to kill a mosquito, I don’t think anybody will hold it against me.”

The Boston Brass, which also will perform a brass and organ concert at First-Plymouth Congregational Church, is one of three artists scheduled for the 2006 chamber music festival, now in its sixth season.

The Chiara String Quartet, in residence at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, will perform at Pioneers Park — a new venue for the festival — as well as the July 15 morning concerts at Grace Lutheran Church in Walton as part of the Mopac Trail biking/walking tours.

Headlining this year’s festival is Arnaldo Cohen, the Brazilian-born pianist who has amazed concert-goers throughout Europe and South America. He will conclude the festival with a concert the evening of July 15 in Kimball Recital Hall.

As for the Boston Brass, it is again Meadowlark’s way of mixing things up. Festival organizers purposely schedule an “atypical” chamber ensemble for the outdoor concert at James Arthur Vineyards.

Past festivals have featured the Brazilian Guitar Quartet (2002) and Quartetto Gelato in back-to-back performances (2003-04). Violin, cello, oboe and accordion make up Quartetto’s unique instrumentation.

Last year, the Rastrelli Cello Quartet wowed the sold-out vineyards crowd with its hip takes on contemporary classics, ranging from Dave Brubeck’s “Take Five” to the theme from the James Bond movies.

The Boston Brass plans to present a variety as well, opening with classical music and finishing with jazz after the intermission. The group’s repertoire will range from the “Largo” movement from Dvorak’s “New World Symphony” to Duke Ellington’s “Caravan.”

 “We have fun with everything we play,” Conner said. “We’ll have a few surprises along the way.”

Conner put the quintet together back in 1986 when he was a student at Boston University. It was a time, he said, when a lot of chamber groups were forming in the Boston area.

The quintet started out freelancing gigs, playing anything from church services to graduation parties. The group headed in a different direction when horn player J.D. Shaw joined the group 10 years ago. Shaw is Boston Brass’ principal arranger.

“We weren’t playing anyone else’s music anymore,” Conner said.

The Boston Brass went from a part-time to a full-time ensemble and hit the road to perform.

“It was a big decision, but it was something we wanted to do,” Conner said.

The decision paid off. The quintet soon gained national recognition. The ensemble has been featured on such programs as “The CBS Morning Show” and National Public Radio’s “Performance Today.”

The quintet also recorded five CDs, including a 2000 collaboration with legendary jazz recording guru Rudy van Gelder on “Ya Gotta Try.” The disc features music from Horace Silver, Chick Corea, Dizzy Gillespie and others.

In 2003, the Boston Brass released “Within Earshot,” a classical disc with pieces by such noted composers as Shostakovich, Ginastera, Dvorak and Liszt.

Joining Conner and Shaw in Lincoln will be Boston Brass regulars Jose Sibaja (trumpet), Andrew Hitz (tuba) and substitute Harry Watters (trombone). Sibaja is the group’s newest full-time member, having joined the group last year. He used to be part of pop singer Ricky Martin’s band.

Conner said the quintet is looking forward to its stay in Nebraska. It will team with teenage organist Samuel Gaskin of Beaumont, Texas, and First-Plymouth’s new minister of music John Cummins for the brass and organ concert.

And then there are the three outdoor concerts — the other two are in Omaha and Fremont, respectively — explaining the need for bug spray.

“If (a bug) flies in my mouth, I’ll have to rest for a couple measures,” Conner laughed.

It’s all part of the business.

Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@journalstar.com.

Meadowlark Music Festival 2006 schedule

The following is Meadowlark’s performance schedule with artists, venues and ticket prices:

7:30 p.m. Wednesday — Boston Brass with Samuel Gaskin and John Cummins, First-Plymouth Congregational Church, 20th and D streets. Tickets: $15

7:30 p.m. Thursday — Chiara String Quartet, Nature Center, Pioneers Park. Tickets: $15.

7:30 p.m. next Friday — Boston Brass, James Arthur Vineyards, Raymond. Tickets: $15.

9 and 10:30 a.m. July 15 (bike tours) — Chiara String Quartet, Grace Lutheran Church, Walton. Tickets: $5.

7:30 p.m. July 15 — Arnaldo Cohen (piano), Kimball Recital Hall, 11th and R streets. Tickets: $15.

Note: Children are admitted free to every event. For reservations, call 488-9555 or visit www.meadowlarkmusicfestival.com.

Nearby concerts

7:30 p.m. Tuesday — Boston Brass, Holland Performing Arts Center, Omaha. Tickets: $15.

8 p.m. Tuesday — Arnaldo Cohen (piano), Whitcomb Lee Conservatory, Doane College, Crete. Tickets: $15.

7 p.m. July 15 — Boston Brass, Midland Lutheran College, Fremont. Tickets: Free.