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North Iowa Area Community College along with David and Kathy Beck are honored to present The Five Browns. The Five Browns will take the North Iowa Community Auditorium stage on Thursday, March 27, at 7:30 p.m. as a part of the 2007-2008 NIACC Performing Arts Series. Tickets are on sale now and cost $25 in advance and $30 at the door.

The 5 Browns - Ryan, Melody, Gregory, Deondra and Desirae – are the sons and daughters of Keith and Lisa Brown from Utah, who wanted their Mormon children to have music in their lives.  The goal was to raise “five good people.”  Not only did they achieve their goal, but they also managed to raise five great pianists.  Each child, at around age 3, showed a clear talent and interest in piano lessons. 

While the children were introduced to other instruments, their passion was to become the piano.  Playing came as naturally to them as eating or sleeping and as early as age 9, they had each made their debut with a major symphony orchestra – a major pay-off for the hours of practice and dedication the entire family had devoted.

The quintet enjoyed their first wave of critical attention in February, 2002, when People magazine dubbed them the “Fab Five” and they were also featured on Oprah and 60 minutes during this same time.  The siblings caught the eye of multi-platinum recording producer Joel Diamond, who landed them an international recording contract with SONY BMG Masterworks and became their personal manager. 

Their success grew with the 2005 release of their debut album on RCA Red Seal.  Simply titled “The 5 Browns,” the New York Post proclaimed:  “One family, five pianos and 50 fingers add up to the biggest classical music sensation in years...When these kids do Rachmaninoff, they’ll make you forget about Marshall amps.”  By the end of 2005, The 5 Browns were one of the top classical artists of the year.  Performing together, individually and in different combinations, they have created a unique phenomenon in classical music that is reflected in the title of their new album, Browns in Blue, released this past fall.

In the music world they are an unprecedented concert attraction:  a singular quintet of world-class concert pianists, performing on five pianos and various ensemble combinations, dedicated to bringing classical music to the lives of people everywhere.  They present the music true to themselves by focusing not only on the content, but through their presentation style.  To that end you won’t see The 5 Browns in tux, tails or formal gowns.  Instead they take advantage of their two act concert to not only show their more “dressed up” side, but also their casual and “cool” side, as they can feel just as comfortable playing in concert dress or in jeans.

Audiences in the UK, France and Germany, as well as Japan and Korea have also been dazzled by The 5 Browns who present themselves just as they really are: young adults with a modern look who love fashion, sports, computer games, dancing and all types of music – most of all, classical.  Even though they appear as though they are ‘ordinary’ young adults, The 5 Browns are flawless in precision and steeped in passion when performing on stage.

The Five Browns recently preformed on NBC’s  Weekend Today and ABC’s The View, as well as appearing with Martha Stewart on  Martha, and on The Tony Danza Show. The Five Browns have also been featured in:  Elle Girl, Time for Kids, USA Today, Cosmo Girl, Teen, Entertainment Weekly, Readers Digest, and Keyboard.

For tickets to The Five Browns, call the NIACC Box Office at 1-888-466-4222, ext.4188.  Platinum sponsors for the 2007-2008 series include NIACC, Globe Gazette Elizabeth Muse Norris Charitable Fund; the Globe Gazette; Alliant Energy; Community National Bank; Henkel Construction; and Principal Financial Group.  Gold sponsors include David and Cathy Beck; First Citizens National Bank; First State Bank of Belmond; Kraft; Mercy Medical Center – North Iowa; Martin, Cooney, MacNider & Cooney, Financial Consultants of Raymond James and Associates, Inc.; Sukup Manufacturing; and UBS Wealth Management.  In kind sponsors include Hanford Inn; KIMT; and Pepsi.

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