The Five Browns A Piano Playing Family

The Five Browns are a group of Young Adult’s, all in their twenties, who are amazing musicians. What makes The Five Browns so different is that they are all from the same family and they are all pianists.

The home of Keith and Lisa Brown might have been similar to any Utah Mormon home but with one small difference, their house was continually filled with music. Their five children, Ryan, Melody, Gregory, Deondra and Desirae simultaneously became interested in the piano and have made it their passion in life.

These musical siblings known as The Five Browns were the first ever to be simultaneously accepted to New York’s Julliard School. This quintet has been described by the New York Post in this way, “One family, five pianos and 50 fingers add up to the biggest classical music sensation in years…When these kids do Rachmaninoff, they'll make you forget about Marshall amps.” The Five Browns are so amazing they simply must be seen to be believed.

The Five Browns are Steinway Artists, which means they have chosen to perform exclusively on Steinway pianos and each owns a Steinway. Other renowned Steinway artists include Sergei Rachmaninoff, Lang Lang, and Duke Ellington.

The Steinway goals are to build the best piano possible, at a standard not a price. This means they make no compromise in quality while continually making improvements to the instrument. Steinway has been in business since 1853, where they were started in New York City. In 1880 Steinway established a second factory in Hamburg, Germany and both factories are still producing pianos to date.

It is quite an honor to be considered a Steinway Artist.

One of the great things The Five Browns have done is to expose classical music to a new audience. Over one third of their audiences have seldom, if ever, attended a concert of classical music, while another third is college age or younger.

They not only have performed in prestigious concerts halls such as Carnegie Hall or the Lincoln Center, but have also performed in school and civic auditoriums, making tickets affordable for families to attend together. Where ever the venue, one thing is for certain, when it comes to a concert given by The Five Browns, it is always  sold out!

One of the most charming aspects of The Five Browns is their “down to earth” demeanor.  They are simply five normal young adults who present themselves as they really are. They can be wearing jeans or be dressed in concert attire and still be comfortable performing.  When they sit down to play a look passes between the five of them and they turn from “regular kids” to master musicians.  They are stunning to watch and inspirational to hear. 

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints or Mormons, The Five Browns have deep religious convictions and a belief in God.

“I think we definitely all realize that we've been given gifts from our Heavenly Father. I mean, I don't want to preach or anything, but like the parable of the talents, you know, it's what you do with what the Heavenly Father gives you. I want to give everything that I can so that the audience is getting the most worthy of my talents. You know, I don't want to fall short for them or for my God”, explained Melody Brown.

Gregory Brown expressed how he feels, “When I get up on stage, it's sort of the same feeling that I feel, like say when I'm saying a prayer or something. It feels like I'm communicating with something inside me and also a higher source at the same time”

The music itself, as played by The Five Browns comes alive and elicits an emotional response from their listeners. It is hard not to acknowledge a spirit that is felt in general and the gracious gift of musical talent that these young adults truly have been given.

“To bring that music alive, we're expressing it through our spirituality a lot of times. And even if you're not spiritual, I think people feel a grandness of the universe, you know. Sometimes they can relate to it on a different level, but through us it's through spirituality” stated Desirae Brown.

In their soon to be released book, Life Between the Keys: The (Mis) Adventures of the 5 Browns, the entertaining prodigies reveal their journey from obscurity to stardom. It explores their most intimate moments along with cherished impressions and memories of their experiences thus far.

The Five Browns have had three #1 albums to date and have spent months at the top of the Billboard Classical Chart.

Mormons are well known for their strict standards and high moral values. Naturally when someone violates these standards as a member of the church it comes under public scrutiny. I echo the words of another who commented, "While much can be said about the modern day influences that are generating a flood of immoral behavior that afflicts so many innocents, ultimately, each person is accountable for their own choices and behaviors regardless of what religion or lack of religion they profess to follow."

I hope that this family can find peace during this time of trial.