"The Five Browns" to perform tonight at ETSU

They just may be the most family siblings in classical music.

"The Five Browns" have performed their youthful collaborative classical concerts around the world. Tonight, they'll perform in the finale concert celebration of ETSU's Centennial.

As of late Wednesday, only a few tickets were still available from the ETSU Department of Music.

Before their performance, "The Five Browns" were interviewed on 11 Connects at Noon. Click on the video player to see the interview.

Here's the news release from ETSU.

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The 5 Browns to headline concert celebrating ETSU as an All-Steinway School

JOHNSON CITY - The 5 Browns, a family of five sibling pianists who are rising stars in the music world, will be the featured performers in the East Tennessee State University Department of Music's Steinway Dedication and Celebration Concert on Friday, Oct. 15, at 7:30 p.m. in the D.P. Culp University Center's Martha Street Culp Auditorium.

This concert concludes the department's "Week of Musical Celebrations" commemorating the start of ETSU's Centennial year. The series also includes the Centennial Celebration Concert on Sunday, Oct. 10, at 3 p.m. in the Culp Auditorium and the Trumpet and Piano Celebration Concert with Ronald and Avis Romm on Thursday, Oct. 14, at 7:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 105 S. Boone Street. Both the Trumpet and Piano Celebration and the Steinway Dedication and Celebration Concert are co-sponsored by James and Sandy Powell, longtime supporters of ETSU and the Department of Music.

Ron Losby, president of Steinway & Sons Pianos, and other company officials will be on hand to join ETSU President Dr. Paul E. Stanton Jr., Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor Dr. Charles Manning, and ETSU Department of Music Chairman Dr. Frank Grzych in dedicating the university as an All-Steinway School during a brief ceremony preceding the performance by The 5 Browns.

As an All-Steinway School, ETSU provides only Steinway & Sons pianos in both its practice facilities and recital halls. This designation was made possible through the vision and generosity of the Powells, along with matching funds from the university.

"Being an All-Steinway School is a mark of excellence," Grzych said. "It tells students that the university is committed to helping them receive the best education possible. It allows students the opportunity to develop their skills and talents on quality equipment in a department dedicated to preparing them for the competitive marketplace."

The 5 Browns - Ryan, Melody, Gregory, Deondra and Desirae - became the first family of five siblings ever accepted simultaneously to the prestigious Juilliard School in New York. Today, they are exclusively Steinway Artists and are "delivering on their dream to wake up classical music by introducing it to the widest, largest and most excited audience they can find," according to their Web site.

People magazine dubbed them the "Fab Five" in February 2002, and at about that same time they were featured on "Oprah" and "60 Minutes." Since then, they have been featured on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," "Good Morning America," "Today," "The View" and "The Martha Stewart Show," as well as National Public Radio's "Performance Today." They have also received critical acclaim in such publications as the New York Times, Parade, Los Angeles Times, Sunday London Telegraph and others.

The 5 Browns have released four CDs - a self-titled debut album, "No Boundaries," "Browns in Blue" and "The 5 Browns in Hollywood" - three of which hit number one on Billboard magazine's Classical Album Chart. They are currently working on a new work for five pianos and orchestra composed by Nico Muhly. The 5 Browns will premiere the work in the summer of 2011 at the Ravinia Festival with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, conducted by James Conlon.

They tour extensively and have performed in such venues as the Grand National Theater in China, Suntory Hall in Japan, and, in the United States, the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, Symphony Hall in Chicago and Alice Tully Hall in New York City. In addition, they are the authors of Life Between the Keys, which was published by Phoenix Books in March 2009.

"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," a New York Post critic wrote. And, Entertainment Weekly called The 5 Browns "five young Mormons who all play scorching piano. Thundering down on five Steinways together, they're button-down cute and somewhat otherworldly."

Admission to this concert is $20 for general seating and $10 for students. An opportunity to meet the performers and receive autographs will be held following the concert; CDs will be available for purchase.

For tickets, more information, or special assistance for those with disabilities, call the Department of Music at (423) 439-4276.