CURRENT SITUATION 2022 -
With 2 years of Covid interrupting local and international touring and performing opportunities, the Brown and Breen Piano Duo has been quiet in recent times, but there are some exciting things now on the horizon for later in 2022.
Previous commission from Ross Edwards and Joe Chindamo are now slated to be recorded late 2022 in Melbourne Australia.
And stay tuned for performance dates for those new works too, late in the year.
Meanwhile, please still enjoy our recordings and videos, some of which are now available free to watch on Ozflix.tv under the OZFLIX ARTS collection, here: https://www.ozflix.tv/#!/collection/4729/ozflix-arts
NATURAL LANDSCAPES - AUGUST 2018
BROWN & BREEN PIANO DUO HARNESS THE EXPRESSIVE INTENSITY OF TWO PIANOS ON THEIR AUSTRALIAN TOUR THIS AUGUST 2018.
Australia's Premier Piano Duo, Bonnie Brown & Louisa Breen will perform at three Melbourne and two South Australian venues this August only.
Delight in an extraordinary touring program featuring works by iconic Australian composer, Ross Edwards who celebrates his 75th Birthday this year, including the world premier of his newest work 'Lake Dreaming,' written for and dedicated to the Brown & Breen Duo. Debussy’s rarely heard jewel for two pianos 'Lindaraja' and 'En Blanc et Noir' - to commemorate the centenary of the composer’s death in 2018 - as well as Ravel's charming and well-loved 'Mothergoose Suite,' Rimsky-Korsakov’s heart-stopping 'Flight of the Bumblebee' and Rachmaninov's monumental 'Symphonic Dances 'for two pianos.
Performances not to be missed
Tuesday 14 August 2018 1:30pm - Beleura - Melbourne
Program
Ross Edwards
Sergei Rachmaninov
Claude Debussy
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
https://www.beleura.org.au/events/the-brown-breen-piano-duo-210818/
Thursday 16 August 2018 6pm - Recital Centre Melbourne
Program
Ross Edwards
Claude Debussy
Nikolai Rimsky - Korsakov
https://www.melbournerecital.com.au/events/2018/natural-landscapes/
Saturday 18 August 2018 3pm - Life Flow Meditation Centre - Adelaide (PIVATE RECITAL)
Program
Ross Edwards
Claude Debussy
Sergei Rachmaninov
Nikolai Rimsky - Korsakov
Sunday 19 August 2018 2:30pm - Ukaria - South Australia
Program
Ross Edwards - World Premier Lake Dreaming
Claude Debussy
Sergei Rachmaninov
https://www.ukaria.com/events/1089
Tuesday 21 August 2018 1:30pm - Beleura - Melbourne
Program
Ross Edwards
Sergei Rachmaninov
Claude Debussy
https://www.beleura.org.au/events/the-brown-breen-piano-duo-210818/
PREVIOUS CONCERTS
ISLAND SONGS - The last work of Peter Sculthorpe
In 2013 Bonnie Brown and Louisa Breen commissioned Peter Sculthorpe, one of Australia's greatest composers, to create a major new concert work 'Island Songs' for two pianos and a didgeridoo. With Mr Sculthorpe passing in August 2014, his final work performed by Brown & Breen went on to great accliam at it's world premier performance in Paris December 2014, with an Australian premier in August 2015. Their forthcoming album also entitled 'Island Songs' includes this work as well as a number of outstanding collaborations with Australia's leading composers.
CONCERT DETAILS
Sydney
The Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre, Penrith
August 13th 2016, 8pm
Melbourne
Alex Theatre, St Kilda
August 20th 2016, 8pm
TICKETS
Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre The Joan
Alex Theatre tickets are available via Ticketek
ABOUT ISLAND SONGS
As well as Peter Sculthorpe's last compostition 'Island Songs', Bonnie Brown and Louisa Breen will perform a number of great Australian piano four hands pieces including the rarely performed and thrilling "Oscillations" by Nigel Westlake, Percy Grainger's "Porgy and Bess Fantasy" (after Gershwin), and gorgeous pieces by Ross Edwards, Elena Kats-Chernin and Miriam Hyde. These major new works were commissioned with the support of the Australia Council and founding patron Ines Scotland.
The Brown and Breen Piano duo have recently returned from a tour of the USA, performances in Melbourne, Sydney, and Paris. This unique and rewarding concert event will occur once only and seating is limited. Please be sure to secure your tickets early as it will sell out.
Entitled Island Songs, the new work has the added attraction of being composed for two concert grand pianos and didgeridoo, which will provide additional colour and variety to the piece and blend the traditions of European classical instruments with indigenous Australian music in a unique way. While Peter Sculthorpe has previously created a work for one piano and didgeridoo, this new work is the first work composed by Peter for two pianos in his more than 350+ compositions.
Bonnie and Louisa are both highly acclaimed pianists locally and internationally. Bonnie has studied and performed in Australia, United Kingdom, China, France, Austria, and Norway, and won numerous competitions, prizes and scholarships since first playing piano at the age of 3, including a Churchill Fellowship and an Australia Council Project Fellowship.
Louisa, too, has been the recipient of a vast number of accolades, including the Chappell Gold Medal in 1999 at the Royal College of Music in London, their highest prize for piano. She has toured Asia and Australasia as a member of the RCM Premiere ensemble and performed regularly as a soloist and as a chamber musician in concerts throughout London and the UK, including such venues as Wigmore Hall, the Purcell Room, Queen Elizabeth Hall, St Martin-in-the-Fields and Winchester Cathedral.
These two young women started their musical training with Suzuki, both attended Preshil School, The Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School, Melbourne University, and the Australian National Academy of Music. Louisa continued her studies internationally in London at RCM, Bonnie in Paris at the Ecole Normale.
As a Churchill Fellow, Bonnie is keen to share the benefits of her overseas training with other Fellows. The Fellowship allowed Bonnie a unique opportunity to study in Paris with international concert pianist Cristina Ortiz.
The Brown and Breen Piano Duo gratefully acknowledge the support of the Australian Council for the Arts in undertaking the Peter Sculthorpe commission and recording project.
Bonnie and Louisa at the Sydney Opera House Utzon Room for the 2015 Australian premiere of Island Songs.
Louisa Breen, Russel Smith and Bonnie Brown
Louisa Breen and Bonnie Brown at the Sydney Opera House