Instead of a guitar, bass and drums, the stage is set with five pianos. For the 5 Browns, each sibling plays one of the keyboards.
“Since there are only five pianos on stage, I would say that our sound when we’re playing all together is something like an orchestra of pianos, or maybe even one massive piano that can play more notes than ever before,” said Melody Brown.
The 5 Browns, as part of the Performing Arts and Concert Series, perform at 7:30 tonight at the Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium. Tickets are $18 for students, $20 for general admission and $10 for seniors.
The 5 Browns is composed of Melody, Ryan, Gregory, Deondra and Desirae Brown. Each sibling graduated from Juilliard Conservatory, where they each studied piano. They are the only set of five siblings who have been admitted, according to their website.
“We always say that the craziest thing is not that we all play the piano, but that we all found our passion there,” Deondra said.
The Browns were unable to speak for an interview because of family circumstances, but they each corresponded via e-mail.
The Browns did not anticipate working together when they graduated, but they all had a common goal of reviving classical music for a modern audience, Ryan said.
“It’s such a blessing to be playing with four of my best friends,” he said.
Though the Browns disagree occasionally, they have learned to work together during their six years as a group, Desirae said.
“Being siblings we have a lot musically in common,” Desirae said. “We have all had the same training and thus share a similar musical aesthetic and physical approach to the keyboard.”
Each Brown started playing the piano at age three, and they all continued zealously taking lessons, Deondra said.
“I think music must run in the family. … We each fell in love with it,” she said.
The 5 Browns will perform pieces such as Saint-Saens’ “Dance Macabre,” Holst’s “The Planets,” Star Wars and a medley of Hitchcock films from their latest album, Deondra said.
The show will cost $15,000, which Andrew Holzaepfel, associate director of programming, said will be covered by ticket costs.
The group hopes to have an open rehearsal before the performance to interact with students, Desirae said.
“With music, we’re all lifelong students, right?” Desirae said.
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