admin
Thu, 06 Oct 2022 13:48:19 +0000

School of Music professor and tubist Velvet Brown to visit Penn State Berks Brown was named Penn State Laureate for 2022-23 admin Thu, 10/06/2022 - 09:48 Credit: Provided by Velvet Brown Expand October 6, 2022 Lisa R. Baldi
WYOMISSING, Pa. — Velvet Brown, 2022-23 Penn State Laureate, will visit Penn State Berks and give a live presentation at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 24. The event, which will take place in the Perkins Student Center Multipurpose Room, is free and open to the public.

A tubist who has been teaching at Penn State since 2003, Brown is an international soloist, composer/arranger, chamber ensemble performer, recording artist, conductor and orchestral player. Brown’s Penn State Berks presentation will feature a multi-layered focus on the African Diaspora, gender and the tuba.

She has performed and taught throughout Europe and the United States, and in Russia, Japan, Cuba and Canada. Brown is currently the principal tubist of the New Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra and was previously principal tubist for the Hope and Harmony Ensemble, which recorded a video of fanfares for the 2021 presidential inauguration conducted by Marin Alsop.

Brown is the co-founder of MOJATUBA: Tuba and Dance Fusion Project and is in her 16th year as lead tuba with Howard Johnson's "Gravity" Tuba Jazz Ensemble. She is a founding and current member of Stiletto Brass Quintet, Monarch Brass Quintet and Brass Ensemble, and the Quintet of Americas. She is also a founding board member of the International Women’s Brass Conference and artistic director of the Chromatic Brass Collective.

As Penn State Laureate, Brown plans to integrate the African diaspora into a shared musical journey across the commonwealth through concerts, recitals, workshops and lectures. In addition to being named Penn State Laureate, Brown is the David P. Stone Chair and associate director for equity, diversity and inclusion in the Penn State School of Music.

“As a performing artist deeply grounded in excellence, I strive to engage audiences with unique collaborative performances, and to enthusiastically share soulful, creative inspirations,” said Brown. “My goal is to merge a musical journey including African American music and education to elicit empowering emotions. It is imperative to reach out to communities regardless of race, origin or background to provide a positive and passionate musical and educational experience.”

You can learn more at Brown’s website and on the Penn State Laureate webpage.

For more information, contact Jeanne Rose, associate professor of English, at jmrose@psu.edu.
Contact
Dr. Jeanne Rose
jmr38@psu.edu
Dr. Jeanne Marie Rose, Associate Professor of English at Penn State Berks
Work Phone 610-396-6213