Iona Brown
Encyclopedia
Iona Brown, OBE was a British
violin
ist and conductor
.
Elizabeth Iona Brown was born in Salisbury
. Her parents Antony and Fiona were both musicians. In addition, her brother Timothy
is principal horn player with the BBC Symphony Orchestra
, her other brother Ian is a pianist, and her sister Sally plays viola with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
.
From 1963 to 1966, Brown was a member of the Philharmonia Orchestra
. In 1964, she joined the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, working her way up through the ranks to become a soloist and director in 1974. She formally left the Academy in 1980, but continued to work with them for the remainder of her life.
In 1981, Brown was appointed artistic director of the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra. She served as music director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
from 1987 to 1992. From 1985 to 1989, she was guest director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
. As her health declined and she suffered from arthritis, she shifted her focus from the violin to conducting, and ended her violin career in 1998. In the last years until her death, she was chief conductor of the South Jutland Symphony Orchestra Denmark.
From 1968 to 2004 Brown lived in the Wiltshire village of Bowerchalke
. When she took part in the BBC Radio 4
program Kaleidoscope, explaining how hard it was to play her signature piece The Lark Ascending
by Ralph Vaughan Williams
, she said that the lark song of long walks on nearby 'Marleycombe Down' was a central tenet of her performance.
She was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
in 1986. In June 2003 Brown was awarded an honorary degree
from the Open University
as Doctor of the University.
Brown died of cancer in 2004 at age 63 in Salisbury
. She was married twice, and was survived by her second husband, Bjorn Arnils.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist and conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
.
Elizabeth Iona Brown was born in Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
. Her parents Antony and Fiona were both musicians. In addition, her brother Timothy
Timothy Brown (hornist)
Timothy Brown is a British horn player, a leading chamber musician and co-principal of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. He was a member of the Melos Ensemble in its second phase...
is principal horn player with the BBC Symphony Orchestra
BBC Symphony Orchestra
The BBC Symphony Orchestra is the principal broadcast orchestra of the British Broadcasting Corporation and one of the leading orchestras in Britain.-History:...
, her other brother Ian is a pianist, and her sister Sally plays viola with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra is an English orchestra. Originally based in Bournemouth, the BSO moved its offices to the adjacent town of Poole in 1979....
.
From 1963 to 1966, Brown was a member of the Philharmonia Orchestra
Philharmonia Orchestra
The Philharmonia Orchestra is one of the leading orchestras in Great Britain, based in London. Since 1995, it has been based in the Royal Festival Hall. In Britain it is also the resident orchestra at De Montfort Hall, Leicester and the Corn Exchange, Bedford, as well as The Anvil, Basingstoke...
. In 1964, she joined the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, working her way up through the ranks to become a soloist and director in 1974. She formally left the Academy in 1980, but continued to work with them for the remainder of her life.
In 1981, Brown was appointed artistic director of the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra. She served as music director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra is a 40-member American chamber orchestra based in Los Angeles, California, considered by music critic Jim Svejda as "America's finest chamber orchestra".-History:...
from 1987 to 1992. From 1985 to 1989, she was guest director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra is a British orchestra based in Birmingham, England. The Orchestra's current chief executive, appointed in 1999, is Stephen Maddock...
. As her health declined and she suffered from arthritis, she shifted her focus from the violin to conducting, and ended her violin career in 1998. In the last years until her death, she was chief conductor of the South Jutland Symphony Orchestra Denmark.
From 1968 to 2004 Brown lived in the Wiltshire village of Bowerchalke
Bowerchalke
Bowerchalke or Bower Chalke is a village and civil parish in Wiltshire, England, about southwest of Salisbury. It is in the south of Wiltshire, about from the county boundary with Dorset and from that with Hampshire. It is in the Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs Area of Outstanding...
. When she took part in the BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
program Kaleidoscope, explaining how hard it was to play her signature piece The Lark Ascending
The Lark Ascending
The Lark Ascending is a work by the English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams, inspired by George Meredith's 122-line poem of the same name about the skylark. The work was written in two versions: violin and piano, written in 1914; and violin and orchestra, written in 1920. The orchestral version...
by Ralph Vaughan Williams
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Ralph Vaughan Williams OM was an English composer of symphonies, chamber music, opera, choral music, and film scores. He was also a collector of English folk music and song: this activity both influenced his editorial approach to the English Hymnal, beginning in 1904, in which he included many...
, she said that the lark song of long walks on nearby 'Marleycombe Down' was a central tenet of her performance.
She was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1986. In June 2003 Brown was awarded an honorary degree
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
from the Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
as Doctor of the University.
Brown died of cancer in 2004 at age 63 in Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
. She was married twice, and was survived by her second husband, Bjorn Arnils.