The Winner of 2007 International Web Concert Hall
Competition
(Honorary Mention)
Lenora Brown of the Brown/England (USA
- Piano Duo)
 Tell us about your musical background:
My piano training began at the age of seven. I started performing two
solo recitals a year by the age of nine up through and beyond my teenage
years. I also played the viola in High School, Community and University
Orchestras. As a pianist I began winning awards such as Sterling Scholar
Award in Music which is sponsored by a local newspaper, and I was a
first place winner in the Utah State Fair Advanced piano competition,
Music Teachers National Association State and Region Collegiate piano
competitions, Utah Concerts Council competition, and was chosen to
perform in Washington D.C. as Utah’s Talent Find. I have performed
concerts throughout the United States as well as in Japan, Korea,
Philippines, Taiwan, Okinawa and Vietnam.
Are you from family of music background?
Yes. My mother played the piano some and she also sang on the air of a
local radio station. My father played the saxophone and the banjo in
military bands and local orchestras. They were both very gifted
musicians.
About teachers?
After several years of lessons with a local teacher, I was accepted as a
pupil of Gladys Gladstone, a world class pianist, who had been a student
of Artur Schnable. I continued my studies with her for several years
following my graduation from the University of Utah. I also had the
opportunity to take lessons with John Browning and Leonard Shure. I
received additional performance training at the University of Michigan
with Theodore Lettvin, John Perry, and David Burge during an Art of
Piano Performance music program that accepted only 20 pianists worldwide
to participate. I also had the privilege of performing privately for
Vladimir Ashkenazy
How did your teacher influence you as a musician?
My most influential teacher was Gladys Gladstone. She was the consummate
musician and teacher in every sense of the word. From her, I learned
that a truly musical and artistic performance can only be manifested by
playing from the “heart”. I learned that creativity and spontaneity are
essential qualities in great performing. I learned to listen and to care
about every note and to shape those notes into sweeping musical lines in
a manner that conveys the mood, intensity and artistry within a piece.
How did your friend, parents, etc. influence you as a musician?
My parents were my cheerleaders that pushed and supported me every step
of the way. They wept with me in my defeats and they celebrated with me
in my successes. I had wonderful friends in high school and college that
were also musicians. We had great experiences playing in orchestras
together. I am fortunate now to be supported by three wonderful
children, my father, who at age 96 still encourages me in my music, and
a wonderful husband who supports me completely, and is able to make my
music come alive through his ability to record and produce written music
and compact discs.
 Tell us about your twenty-two compact discs recording:
The Brown/England piano duo has recorded three compact discs. The first
is called The Brown/England Piano Duo In Concert and includes works by
Mozart, Chopin, Ravel, and Poulenc and Rachmaninoff.
The second CD is a recording of a live performance of the Poulenc
Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra in which the Brown/England Duo was
guest pianists with the Salt Lake Symphony under the baton of Dr. Robert
Baldwin. Also included on the CD are the Three Andalousian Danses by
Infante. Our latest recording, called Variations and Symphonic Poems
contains Variations on a Theme of Beethoven by Saint-Saens, Variations
on a Theme by Paganini by Lutoslawski, and Variations on “Yankee Doodle”
in the manner of Beethoven, Chopin, Debussy, and Gershwin. The
variations are followed by L’apprenti sorcier by Dukas, Danse Macabre by
Saint-Saens, and Valse de Mephisto by Liszt, (arr. by Gaye England).
Prior to our collaboration as a piano duo, we were both members of the
Ivory Keyboard Quartet. Compact Discs marketed widely are titled, By
Request, First Impressions, Celebrate the Moment and An Ivory Christmas.
Many of my own CDs consist of my live performances as soloist with
orchestras, the Utah Symphony certainly being one of the most
significant. These consist of concerti by Chopin, Grieg, Weber,
Tschaikovsky , Liszt, Bach, Beethoven, the Mozart Concerti K 595 in Bb
Major, K 271 in Eb Major, K482 in Eb Major, K 467 in C Major and the
Mozart Triple Piano Concerto. My Compact Discs of live solo concerts
include the Liszt Paganini Etudes, Four Ballades by Chopin, Bach
Partitas, Beethoven Sonatas Op. 10 #2, Op. 10 #3, Op. 53, Op. 54, Op.
111, Chopin Sonata in b minor, Scherzo in C# minor, Liszt Sonata in b
minor, Schubert Wanderer Fantasy, Fantaisie in C by Schumann, and
numerous other solo repertoire. I market a line of piano arrangement
books and CDs worldwide called Heaven Sent consisting of Hymn
arrangements. There is also a Christmas Piano Arrangement Book and CD
called “Rejoice”. These can all be viewed on my website,
www.lenorabrown.com .
All Compact Discs are produced and marketed by Academy Telecine
Productions.
How many concerts do you have a year?
We are busier than ever with performances with numerous concerts
scheduled through 2008.
What period music do you enjoy playing the most and why?
My personal preferences are the Classical and Romantic periods. I feel
that I relate to the music of these two periods most, but I do love to
play Baroque and Impressionistic music. Out of all of the composers, I
feel that I have the deepest understanding of Beethoven. I have played
and taught most of his sonatas. I can honestly say that it is almost a
spiritual experience for me to play some of the second movements. Brahms
said, “Beethoven has always been my guiding star. The few words, of
which we have records, show how he was inspired by the Creator Himself”.
This is how I relate to Beethoven when I play his music.
In your opinion, what is your strength in your playing as a piano
duo?
 I think that Gaye and I feel the music in the same way much of the time.
Even though we come from very different backgrounds, we connect in a
very important way when we make music together. This is not to say that
we don’t have our differences. Sometimes compromise is very necessary
when playing as a team. When we arrive at a decision about a passage, it
usually makes sense to both of us. We have respect for each other’s
creative ideas and artistic input.
(Gold Medalists at Carnegie Hall 2006)
What do you hope to accomplish as a musician and as an ensemble?
We intend to continue performing and we hope to be able to generate more
opportunities as we go. We love to share our music and we always strive
to perform with vitality, color and the highest level of artistry.
Do you like any other forms of art? such as painting? a favorite
writer?
I love to read, mostly fictional novels. John Grisham is one of my
favorite authors. I also enjoy arranging music and I’m currently
involved in creating and producing more piano arrangement books and CDs
of my arrangements.
What do you do for hobby, if any?
I love to travel and hope to do more of it in the future. I also enjoy
good movies. I also enjoy visiting with my family.
What was the music that changed your life?
It was a performance of the 2nd movement of the Brahms Concerto in d
minor with Vladmir Ashkenazy as the pianist. I’ll never forget how I was
so inspired that I cried. I truly believe that Askenazy was connecting
with Brahms’ feelings when Brahms said, “(When composing) I immediately
feel vibrations that thrill my
whole being. These are the Spirit illuminating the soul-power
within.....”. I heard and felt that illumination and I think it inspired
me to strive to be a more sensitive, artistic musician from that moment
on.
In your opinion, what are the characteristics of a good performer?
A good performer is able to achieve a compelling performance that is
musical and artistic. A good performer has technique mastery that is
integral in projecting the depth and intensity of the music and never
makes the listener conscious of the technique alone. A wide range of
colors and dynamic gradations is essential, as well as creative
imagination, allowing the performer to play with spontaneity. Most of
all, a performer must touch listeners’ souls, achieving a dynamic
performance that is satisfying, exciting and inspiring. If it moves me
and if I feel that the performer understands and projects the essence of
the music, I know it’s a good performance.
I always tell my students that if I get goose bumps when they are
playing a passage, they’ve arrived. I teach piano performance majors,
both undergraduate and graduate levels at the University of Utah. I feel
that it is my responsibility to help them understand how to achieve a
great performance. All too often, students will come up with a “careful”
performance that is usually very dull and uninteresting. I know it is my
job to help them understand that they must work to keep the musical
lines sweeping, create mood and atmosphere, and at the same time strive
for bravura playing that will create excitement. This must be combined
with poise and complete mastery of the repertoire they are playing.
Thank you so much for making the Web Concert Hall Competition possible.
I appreciate the time and effort exerted by the administration personnel
and the judges of this competition. Thank you to Intrepid Pixels
Technology Inc. for organizing and sponsoring the competition.
On be half of the Web Concert Hall, we would like to thank you for your
time and we wish all the success.
You can contact Lenora at:
lenorapianist@yahoo.com
Interviewed by
Webconcerthall November, 2007
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