The 5 Browns
The 5 Browns -- Ryan, Melody, Gregory, Deondra and Desirae -- are the sons and daughters of Keith and Lisa Brown from Utah.
- Each child at around age 3 showed a clear talent and interest in piano lessons, and while the children were introduced to other instruments, their passion was the piano. Playing came as naturally to them as eating or sleeping and as early as age 9 they had each made their debut with a major symphony orchestra-a major pay-off for the hours of practice and dedication the entire family had devoted [1].
At one time, all the five Brown siblings were students at Juilliard in New York. In fact, the entire family moved to New York to enable their musical education. They drew critical attention in February, 2002, with glowing praise in People magazine, and guest appearances on Oprah and 60 Minutes. They released their first album in 2005, called simply, "The 5 Browns." According to the New York Post, “One family, five pianos and 50 fingers add up to the biggest classical music sensation in years." By the end of 2005, they were among America's top classical recording artists.
The 5 Browns present a spirited classical performance—the exuberance of youth, coupled with 5 maestros performing on five pianos with various ensemble combinations. They dress up, dress down, and are highly creative in their performances. The Sunday London Telegraph and Entertainment Weekly called them “… five young Mormons who all play scorching piano. Thundering down on five Steinways together, they're button-down cute and somewhat otherworldly.” The Dallas Morning News said, "The 5 Browns prove that classical music can reach teens and twenty-somethings on their own ground, but without posturing or cheapening the product.” The Browns have instigated somewhat of a classical music revival—"nearly a third of their audience has seldom, if ever, attended a concert of classical music, while another third is college-age or younger." [2]
In 2009 they performed as part of the New York Mercedes-Benz Fashion week. Designer Zac Posen placed five pianos in a line down the middle of the runway and the 5 Browns played complex five-piano arrangements. That year they also published a lighthearted collection of personal stories entitled Life Between the Keys.
The 5 Browns commissioned and performed a five-piano concerto, The Edge of the World by Nico Muhly, at the Ravinia Festival. The piece premiered in 2011 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Maestro James Conlon.
In October 2013 they made their Carnegie Hall debut and released their sixth album, “The Rite of Spring: Live at the Arthur Zankel Music Center.” They were also part of Oprah Winfrey’s season 2 series “Oprah: Where Are They Now?” on OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network) and CNN’s Piers Morgan Live.
See also MormonMusic.org
