Andrew Brownell, Piano

Biography

Since his 2nd Prize finish at the 2006 Leeds International Piano Competition, Andrew Brownell has played to full houses and glowing reviews across North America and Europe, and press regularly remark on his musical integrity, beauty of tone, and scholarly insight.  Musical Opinion wrote recently, “Brownell’s technique is fabulous, as is his innate musicianship, … sensitive and powerful.”  The London Times remarked that Brownell “oozed confidence, crispness, and know-how” in a concert with the Hallé Orchestra.

Andrew Brownell won 2nd Prize ex aequo at the 2002 International J.S. Bach Competition in Leipzig, making him the only American pianist to have ever won a prize in the history of the competition.  He also won 1st Prize at the 2005 J.N. Hummel Competition in Bratislava, and has since achieved widespread recognition as “one of the foremost Hummel interpreters of our time” (Hudobný Život), and is an honorary member of the Hummel Gesellschaft in Weimar.

Highlights for the current season include a return engagement with the Hummel Ensemble at Kings Place in London, a solo recital debut at Wigmore Hall, ongoing collaboration with the Wihan Quartet, world premieres of works by Pierre Thilloy and Bryan Kelly, and concerts throughout Europe and the United States on modern and historical keyboard instruments.

Mr. Brownell’s performances have aired on BBC radio and television, Classic FM (UK), NPR, CBC, Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk, and Slovak Radio.  He has been soloist with orchestras such as the Hallé, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Slovak Philharmonic, and the Hermitage State Orchestra (Russia); and he has collaborated with such conductors as Sir Mark Elder, Owain Arwel Hughes, and Murray Sidlin.

A native of Portland, Oregon, Andrew Brownell began studying the piano at the age of four.  His teachers have included Nancy Weems and Horacio Gutiérrez at the University of Houston; John Perry at the University of Southern California (Los Angeles); and Joan Havill at the Guildhall School of Music in London, where he earned his doctorate and remains this year as an early keyboard fellow.  An enthusiastic collaborative artist, Andrew Brownell was a member of a prize-winning trio at the 1996 Fischoff Chamber Music Competition (USA).  Also an accomplished organist, Mr. Brownell was formerly assistant organist at St. James’ Episcopal Church, Los Angeles, and was recently made a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists.