Elizabeth C. D. Brown, senior lecturer, is head of the Guitar and Lute program at Pacific Lutheran University and is active throughout the Pacific Northwest as a solo and ensemble performer. Known for her musically passionate performances, she has given solo recitals and performed concertos throughout the West Coast from Vancouver to Southern California, and has been a featured soloist for the Seattle Bach Choir, Fresno Pacific University's Musica Pacifica Baroque, the Northwest Chamber Chorus and St. Mark's Cathedral Associates. An enthusiastic advocate for the guitar and lute, Ms. Brown has given numerous outreach performances at schools, senior centers, and community centers for the Seattle Classic Guitar Society and the Early Music Guild. Also active as a chamber musician, Ms. Brown is a member of Baroque Northwest, and has appeared with ArtsWest, Seattle ProMusica and the City Cantábile Choir. Ms. Brown is a founding member of the early music group La Lira (formerly Le Nuove Musiche), which has released the recording Dolce Desio: The Birth of the Baroque in Italy, France and England. She has been featured on Channel 9's "KCTS Connects" program, and is a frequent guest on Classic King FM in Seattle. Ms. Brown graduated cum laude from the University of Washington with Bachelor of Arts and Music degrees in Guitar and Lute Performance under the direction of Steven Novacek. She has also had additional studies with lutenists Paul O'Dette, Pat O'Brien, Ray Nurse and Ronn McFarlane, as well as guitarists David Russell, Kevin, Callahan, Paul Galbraith and Eliot Fisk. Ms. Brown's first solo recording, La Folía de España: Dances for Guitar, features works for baroque, 19th century and modern guitars, and was released in March 2005 on the Rosewood Recordings label.
For more information on Elizabeth C. D. Brown, including press information, concert calendar, photos, music clips, and articles, please visit: www.elizabethcdbrown.com.
Elizabeth C. D. Brown
Dr. Stephen Howland is a lecturer in Guitar at PLU. He earned his Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance from Arizona State University, Master of Music from ASU, and Bachelor of Music from the University of Idaho. He received the highest marks and many academic honors and awards, including a teaching assistantship at ASU, the Presser Award, and the Eleanor Mader Memorial String Award. He completed his DMA research paper, Edward’s MacDowell’s “Woodland Sketches” Arranged for Guitar: A Performance Edition, Biography, and Literature Review, in 1998. Since 1998 Dr. Howland has been a leading private music instructor in the Seattle area, teaching individual and group lessons at the Rosewood Guitar. He is known for his diversity and expertise in classical, flamenco, lute, vihuela, acoustic steel-string, jazz, and electric styles. He gives regular performances throughout the Northwest. He has frequently been featured at the Seattle Art Museum, the Seattle Asian-Art Museum, the Frye Art Museum, and other NW galleries. Concert highlights include performances throughout the Western US through sponsoring music societies, community colleges, and universities. Local highlights include guitar and piano concerts with Heather Howland, mixed ensembles and solos for local benefits, a lecture-recital for the Seattle Classic Guitar Society, and concerts with the Rosewood Guitar Quartet. He has extensive experience as a guitar, lute, and vihuela accompanist. He has been active in educational outreach activities in public and private schools, performing on and talking about the guitar, lute, and vihuela. He has made several guest concert appearances with the international early music ensemble Musica Dolce. Dr. Howland is also a composer, arranger, and songwriter.
Stephen Howland