The average student doesn't listen to classical music. Classical music is for older people with more time than thirst and less hair than homework. The 5 Browns, who are playing tonight at the Overture Center, aim to change that thought.
Ryan, Melody, Gregory, Deondra and Desirae Brown are ages 22 to 29. They grew up in Texas and Utah, then moved to New York City to attend Juilliard. Each started taking lessons at about age 3 and music subsequently became, well, their entire lives.
Today they perform all over the world, playing solos and pieces specially arranged for up to five pianos. Some videos of their performances are available on YouTube.com, and within seconds it is obvious that this family has not only mastered the piano but also is passionate about it.
Barring the amount of time spent developing their remarkable talent, the 5 Browns led lives similar to suburban children. After they finished practicing on the five pianos in their childhood home they did normal, 'kid' things with friends while growing up: saw movies, read books, played video games,"" Ryan said in an interview with The Daily Cardinal.
While living in New York City they were able to wander during weekends and explore the music and museums the city has to offer. ""New York is the center of so much of the arts and culture. It was really a fun time out there,"" Melody said.
The 5 Browns always have a full schedule. They tour during half the year, and the other half is spent rehearsing and getting ready to tour or record. They released three albums, most recently 2007's Browns In Blue, which spent 21 weeks at the top of the Billboard classical music chart. On a few tracks from this record, the quintet veers away from their classical roots and zealously jumps into material strongly influenced by jazz.
To label them a ""phenomenon"" would not be a misnomer, and in the past few years many journalists and television hosts have done exactly that. The difference between the 5 Browns and current classical artists is their age.
As 20-year-olds, they seem young enough for children to see them as ""one of us,"" and their playing is certainly vivacious enough to motivate asking parents for piano lessons. Adults admire the Browns' mastery and dedication despite their ages. Their passion is obvious from the moment they step onstage until the meet-and-greet opportunities after performances.
""Our biggest goal is to try to get younger kids involved with classical music, or show kids who haven't really had the chance to experience classical music before,"" Gregory said.
But these pianists do not spend every night in a strange hotel room. They all have settled in Utah, and this proximity is convenient while they are rehearsing for a tour or album.
Gregory is currently working on his doctoral degree and also has been learning Mandarin. When they have free time the girls enjoy skiing, shopping or movies, and Desirae and her husband frequently attend the nearby Sundance Film Festival. Ryan is an avid gamer, which he defends, but his brother still calls him ""totally lame."" They are also quite aware that this is an election year and often discuss conflicting opinions and new developments.
Next week the Brown family will be performing in Mexico. They often tour abroad; they played in Japan and South Korea last year. They are returning to Asia this year, Deondra said, and will be going to Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan this fall. They are especially enthusiastic about visiting China later this spring.
""We hear that so many millions of children are studying piano over there,"" Desirae said. ""We're excited to go there and maybe be some kind of influence.""
Tickets are still available for tonight's 8 p.m. performance, and student tickets are $10.
Regardless of the listener's age, the intensity of the 5 Browns will definitely fascinate every audience member, whether or not the crowd is comprised of regular concertgoers. Attending a classical concert may not be at the top of a college student's weekend to-do list, but any parent would enjoy hearing, ""I saw an amazing family of pianists on Friday night"" instead of ""Nothing"" as a response to ""What did you do this weekend?""
