CAPA Presents THE 5 BROWNS at the Palace 4/15

The 5 Browns-Ryan, Melody, Gregory, Deondra, and Desirae-are living their dream of waking up classical music by introducing it into the lives of people everywhere. They are an unprecedented concert attraction-a quintet of world-class concert pianists and twenty-something siblings performing on five pianos and various ensemble combinations-that invariably stuns critics and shatters the preconceptions of those who think classical music inscrutable or intimidating.

CAPA presents The 5 Browns at the Palace Theatre (34 W. Broad St.) on Thursday, April 15, at 8 pm. Tickets are $32.50, $27.50, $22.50, and $17.50 at the Ohio Theatre Ticket Office (39 E. State St.), all Ticketmaster outlets, and www.ticketmaster.com. To purchase tickets by phone, please call (614) 469-0939 or (800) 745-3000. The Palace Theatre Ticket Office will open two hours prior to the performance. Students between the ages of 13-19 may purchase $5 High Five tickets while available.

The 5 Browns are the sons and daughters of Keith and Lisa Brown, a down-to-earth couple from Utah. Lisa, classically trained to sing opera, decided early on that she wanted her children to have music in their lives, and the piano was an obvious place to begin. As the siblings became old enough to take piano lessons, each showed a clear talent and interest. Not only were they gifted, they enjoyed what they were doing. The children didn't lose interest in piano during adolescence, and continued to practice for three hours each day until about age 11. The hard work paid off as each of the children, by as early as age 9, had made a debut with a major symphony orchestra.

When Desirae began to plan for college, Deondra decided to accelerate her education in order to attend with her sister, and the family began looking into music schools and scholarships. The overwhelming response included full scholarship offers from the finest music schools and conservatories in the nation, but New York's Juilliard School was their choice. One year later, when Gregory, Melody, and Ryan were accepted to Juilliard as well-the first time five siblings were ever accepted simultaneously as students at the school-the entire Brown family moved from Utah to New York.

The 5 Browns swept the classical world in 2005 with the release of their self-titled, debut recording that found them at the top of the weekly Billboard charts and, at the end of the year, named one of the Top Classical Artists of 2005.

Their new album, No Boundaries, includes three stunning music videos featuring the unforgettable melodies of Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" and Stravinsky's "The Firebird" as well as the new work "Simple Gifts/Going Home," variations on Copland's Shaker hymn "Simple Gifts" from Appalachian Spring and Dvo?ák's "Going Home" theme from his Ninth Symphony.

The 5 Browns have discovered that almost a third of their audience has seldom, if ever, attended a concert of classical music, and another third is college-age or younger. Critics agree their fresh approach brings newcomers to the classical music genre, but also hail the pianists' playing as "nothing less than wondrous" while offering "an accessible and exhilarating journey into the world of classical music."

The irresistible story of The 5 Browns has been seen on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," "60 Minutes," "Good Morning America," and "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno." They have appeared on "Martha," "The View," "Entertainment Tonight," A&E's "Breakfast with the Arts," "The Tony Danza Show," and NBC's "Weekend Today." They have been profiled in the pages of The New York Times, People Magazine, Los Angeles Times, Gramophone, Entertainment Weekly, Time for Kids Magazine, Elle Girl Magazine, Cosmo Girl, Readers Digest, and Sunday London Telegraph, and the classical critics for The New York Times and the Chicago Tribune have hailed their artistry.

www.the5browns.com

The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this program with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, education excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. CAPA also appreciates the support of the Abigail Simpson, Grace K. and Robert L. Rohe, and Martha G. Staub Funds of the Columbus Foundation, assisting donors and others in strengthening our community for the benefit of all of its citizens, and the Greater Columbus Arts Council, supporting the city's artists and arts organizations since 1973.

Owner/operator of downtown Columbus' magnificent, historic theatres (Ohio Theatre, Palace Theatre, Southern Theatre) and manager of the Riffe Center Theatre Complex, Lincoln Theatre, Valentine Theatre (Toledo, OH), and Shubert Theater (New Haven, CT), CAPA is a not-for-profit, award-winning presenter of national and international performing arts and entertainment now celebrating 40 years of service. For more information, visit www.capa.com.

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