 Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Julia Brown pursued undergraduate studies in piano and harpsichord at Unicamp, the State University of Campinas, while also studying organ with Elisa Freixo. She received a scholarship from the Brazilian government to study organ performance at Northwestern University, where she received her MM and DMA degrees as a student of Wolfgang Rübsam.
After returning to Brazil, Brown was president of ABO - the Brazilian Association of Organists - and helped organize the 5th Convention of Latin American Organists, the 3rd Festival of Sacred Music in São Paulo and began a concert series on the historical Cavaillé-Coll organ in the Campinas Cathedral.
Brown has appeared in concert in North and South America and in Europe, having performed for American Guild of Organists Regional Conventions, Latin American Organist Conventions, the International Organ Festival in Uruguay, the Oregon Bach Festival, as well as on National Public Radio (U.S.). She is presently the Director of Music and organist at First United Methodist Church in Eugene, Oregon.
As a Naxos recording artist, her releases of Scheidemann and Buxtehude on Brombaugh and Pasi organs have received high critical acclaim. Discography also includes “Christmas Concert” on the historic organ in Mariana, Brazil, “Bach Organ Favorites” on the Taylor & Boody in Indianapolis and “Organ Works for Two” recorded with duo partner Barbara Baird. Upcoming engagements include a series of concerts in Eugene celebrating Buxtehude’s 300th anniversary, the regional convention of the American Guild of Organists in Portland, the Organ Festival in Bydgoszcz, Poland, and recordings of the keyboard works of W. F. Bach for Naxos.
Press Quotes:
“Brown is unquestionably a first-class artist and superb technician, but she also proves a serious Buxtehudian and an exceptionally sensitive stylist regarding the critical aspects of balancing voices and ensemble-building.” Classics Today 10/10 Review of Buxtehude vol. 5
“(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.” Review of Scheideman vol. 3, Naxos, March 2004
“(Brown’s) ability to match music and organ is quite unique – what a tremendous ear, sense of timing, and relaxed style of playing!...playing which captured what Mattheson described as “Scheidemannesque sweetness” quite so well, nowhere more so than in the Canzona in G which is just breathtaking… Her approach is equally engaging in all styles, from the improvisatory praeambula, through the stricter chorale and plainsong based pieces.” The Organ Vol. 80 No. 317, review of Scheidemann Vol. 3, Naxos.
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