Dr. Julia Brown

Concert Organist and Recording Artist

Julia Brown was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and grew up in Campinas, in São Paulo State. After graduating from Unicamp State University with a degree in piano performance, she received a scholarship from the Brazilian government to study organ at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. She earned her Master's and Doctorate degrees in the class of Wolfgang Rübsam. Back in Brazil between 1996 and 1999, she was president of the ABO (Brazilian Association of Organists) and helped organize the Fifth Convention of Latin American Organists, the Third Festival of Sacred Music in São Paulo, and began a concert series on the historic Cavaillé-Coll organ in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Campinas.

She has appeared in concert in North and South America as well as in Europe. She has performed for the Oregon Bach Festival, the American Guild of Organists' Regional Convention, Latin American Organist Conventions, the International Organ Festival in Uruguay and the International Festival in Juiz de Fora, Brazil. She performed at the 2008 National Convention of the American Guild of Organists in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Her interest in historical performance practice has led her to participate in many master classes including those in Haarlem, Alkmaar, Pistoia, Romainmotier and Vancouver, B.C. As a harpsichordist, Dr. Brown performs with the early music group Cascade Consort which she formed together with colleagues interested in exploring performance practice and early music. She currently serves as Director of Music and Organist at First United Methodist Church in Eugene, Oregon. She is a recording artist for Naxos, having recorded Scheidemann and Buxtehude for the Organ Encyclopedia for that label and has other recordings available, including works for organ four-hands.

Dr. Brown is available for concerts and master classes and can be reached through this website. Please go to the "Contact David" page.

Her current recordings include the following:

*Bach Organ Favorites, Amadis 7144 (1994)
*Concerto de Natal, Paulus (1999)
*Mars Aeliptica (with Rafael Ferreyra), private label available from Dr. Brown (2001)
*Heinrich Scheidemann Works for Organ Vol. 3, Naxos 8554548 (2001)
*Dietrich Buxtehude Organ Music, Vol. 2, Naxos 8555775 (2002)
*Heinrich Scheidemann Works for Organ Vol. 4, Naxos 8555876 (2003)
*Heinrich Scheidemann Works for Organ Vol. 5, Naxos 8557054 (2004)
*Organ Works for Two (with Barbara Baird), private label available from Dr. Brown (2004)
*Dietrich Buxtehude Organ Music, Vol. 5, Naxos 8557555 (2006)
*Dietrich Buxtehude Organ Music, Vol. 6, Naxos (September 2007)
*Dietrich Buxtehude Organ Music, Vol. 7, Naxos (November 2007)
*W.F. Bach Keyboard Works, Vol. 2, Naxos 8570530 (April 2008)
*W.F. Bach Organ Works, Fugues & Chorale Preludes, Naxos 8570571 (March 2011)
*W.F. Bach Keyboard Works, Vol. 3, Naxos 8572814 (recorded June 2011, to be released August 2012)

Here is a sampling of the reviews of Dr. Brown's recordings:

"The playing is fine, and projects a warmly musical personality." BBC Magazine, review of Buxtehude vol. 2, April 2003.

Heinrich Scheidemann: Organ Music Vol. 3 (Naxos)
"(Scheidemann's) austere, often severe music is played with understanding and effectiveness by Julia Brown and takes on vibrant life under her fingers. Her registrations are carefully chosen, combining color, variety, clarity, and balance; and she has a particularly fine sense of touch and articulation."

Dietrich Buxtehude: Organ Music Vol.5 (Naxos)
"Julia Brown's characteristic bite and brilliance are well complemented by the wonderful Martin Pasi Organ of St. Cecilia Cathedral, Omaha [see last issue, p.54]. In her subtlety of articulation and pulse, Brown makes this often familiar repertoire shine in an original light. Bookended by two searching Toccatas in F major, the programme includes a beautiful reading of the colossal 'Nun Freut euch' (BuxWV210) with another chorale fantasia, 'Ich ruf zu dir,' and a number of chorale and free preludes." Choir and Organ, Jan/Feb 2007 (vol 15, #1)