Pianist-Composer Michael Brown Joins Maryland Symphony Orchestra for World Premiere

HAGERSTOWN, Md. - Oct. 31, 2014 - PRLog -- Pianist and Composer Michael Brown will be doing triple duty when he joins forces with the Maryland Symphony Orchestra for its November Masterworks concerts on Saturday, November 8 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, November 9 at 3 p.m. at the historic Maryland Theatre in downtown Hagerstown.

Guest Artist Brown will perform as soloist on Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major and play the piano as a member of the orchestra for Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 1 in D Major. Brown has also composed a concerto for piano and orchestra especially for the MSO entitled Flourishes, which will receive its World Premiere at the Maryland Theatre with Brown as the piano soloist.

The New York Times declared Brown “one of the leading figures in the current renaissance of performer-composers” and “a young piano visionary.” An equally committed pianist and composer, he is the First Prize Winner of the 2010 Concert Artists Guild Competition. Brown joins the roster of The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s Two program in 2015 and his recent schedule included a Carnegie Hall Stern Auditorium debut; recitals at Wigmore Hall, Louvre, Alice Tully Hall; and performances at the Marlboro, Ravinia, Caramoor, Moab, Mostly Mozart, and Music@Menlo festivals. Recent commissions include those by the Maryland Symphony, Look & Listen Festival, Bargemusic, and Concert Artists Guild. Recent recordings are with his duo partner, cellist Nicholas Canellakis, a four-hand album with pianist Jerome Lowenthal, a debut solo album, a George Perle CD for Bridge Records, and Schubert for Naxos. A native New Yorker, he earned dual bachelor’s and master’s degrees in piano and composition from The Juilliard School, where he studied with pianists Jerome Lowenthal and Robert McDonald and composers Samuel Adler and Robert Beaser. He was recently appointed Adjunct Assistant Professor of Piano at Brooklyn College.

All ticket holders are welcome to attend “Prelude” which takes place one hour before each concert. During this half-hour program, Music Director Elizabeth Schulze shares information on featured composers and works that will enhance concert-goers enjoyment and appreciation of the concert. Guest artists also participate in “Prelude.”

Tickets, starting at $15, may be purchased online, by phone at 301-797-4000, or at the MSO office at 30 W. Washington Street. Students in Kindergarten through 12th grade are admitted free to all Masterworks Concerts. Student Rush tickets for college students (no reservations accepted) are also available at the Maryland Theatre box office, on the afternoon or evening of the performance, for $5.00. Seat selection is at the discretion of box office personnel.

There will be an “After Party” on Saturday evening beginning immediately after the concert at 28 South Restaurant, 28 South Potomac St., Hagerstown. Brown will be in attendance for a “meet and greet.” Tickets are $15 which includes one free drink and appetizers. The restaurant’s late night dining menu will also be available for self-pay.

Artist Sponsors for this concert are Dr. and Mrs. Robert K. Hobbs. Free student tickets are made possible through the generosity of Music Director Elizabeth Schulze and the sole corporate sponsor, Susquehanna Bank.

Season subscriptions (a subscription is a minimum of 3 concerts) are still available and may be purchased via phone or in person at the MSO office. Season subscribers enjoy such benefits as preferred seating, free ticket replacement and flexible ticket exchanges, while receiving significant savings off single ticket prices.

The Maryland Symphony Orchestra is supported by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive. The Maryland Symphony Orchestra is the area’s premier professional orchestra, dedicated to providing musical performances that educate and entertain, while enhancing the cultural environment of Western Maryland and the surrounding region.