Armstrong Auditorium - News
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The fourth concert of the 2010-2011 season continued at Armstrong Auditorium November 4, when the 5 Browns played for another sell-out crowd. The group is a quintet of concert grand piano-playing virtuosos who all happen to be brothers and sisters.

Patrons enjoyed what PBS describes as “the most notes you’ve heard in one night.” Brothers Gregory and Ryan and sisters Melody and Desirae joined with fellow Steinway artist Greg Anderson, who filled in for Deondra Brown, who became a mother earlier in the week.Anderson also arranges much of the Browns’ music for piano.

The musicians, who all attended the Juilliard School together, introduced each piece in their program, which ranged from Holst’s “The Planets,” to Star Wars themes to Brahms, Rachmaninov and Liszt.

The Browns performed on the Armstrong International Cultural Foundation stage in 2008 in the John Amos Field House, but the November 4 show was their first time in Armstrong Auditorium. The group had the opportunity to tour the building before they began rehearsing.

At intermission, they greeted foundation chairman Gerald Flurry. “Now you guys have a great facility,” Melody Brown said, with Desirae adding, “This place is amazing.”

Greg Anderson said he found that Armstrong Auditorium was unique in that he could hear a good balance between his piano and the other four.

Ryan Brown said that with the theater’s acoustics, “You can just play all out here.”

The concert series continues December 5 with pianist André Watts; the Russian National Ballet Theatre performing Swan Lake on January 25; the Vienna Boys Choir, February 22; the National Philharmonic of Poland, March 3; the Anderson & Roe Concert Piano Duo on March 15; and the Eroica Trio on April 3.