About Bonnie Brown
Bonnie Brown is a performer, composer, songwriter and teacher and plays acoustic piano and electric keyboards. Her versatile background enables her to teach all styles of music and adapt to the student's learning style. She has a Bachelor of Music degree with a major in composition and music theory, a minor in applied piano [classical performance] and a minor in applied bassoon [classical performance]. Besides working as a teacher for Lessons in Your Home, she has worked for the Texas Institute for Arts in Education, Pearland after school private lessons, and Writers in the Round.
In an administrative role, Bonnie served 5 years as Executive Director for SumArts, Inc., which organized the Houston Jazz Festival and Juneteenth Blues Festival. She previously worked extensively as concert jazz pianist, classical accompanist for ballet schools, and director of music for theatrical productions. She lead own group, which shared concert stage with notables such as Ahmad Jamal, Kirk Whalum, Charles Rouse and others. She worked as pianist with notable jazz artists: Milt Larkin, Arnett Cobb, Jimmy Ford, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Diunna Greenleaf, Sabu Adeyola, Clyde Adams, Chris Maresh, Kinney Abair, Barrie Lee Hall, Calvin Owens, Mark Simmons, Lan Richards, Paul Carr, Sais Kamaliddin, Conrad Johnson, Ernie Savage, Rock Romano, Sylvester LeBlanc, Seldon Newton, Howard Harris, George Thomas, Leo Polk, Carolyn Blanchard, Liz Gray, Vicky Davis, Carl Adams, Bubbha Thomas and many other Houston area locals.
Having served as resident composer & accompanist for City Ballet of Houston for a number of years, she additionally composed for several other dance companies including Farrell Dyde's Theatre Dance Unlimited. She worked as copyist and musical score editor for renowned composer, Anthony Braxton, and has sub-contracted as music transcriptionist of Duke Ellington scores for the Smithsonian Institute. She's also led her own group for 20 years playing jazz festivals, concerts, and small jazz venues.
Currently performing on jazz festivals, and developing original works Bonnie enjoys teaching theory, song-writing, and piano in all styles: classical, jazz, blues, pop, gospel, etc. She currently holds a position as music director of Gospel Truth Missionary Baptist Church. She is currently working as composer/songwriter to complete an album in progress, and is developing a portfolio of songs in various idioms for the purpose of pursuing contracts with publishers, recording labels, movie & TV sound tracks, etc.
