Sam Brown is a renaissance lutenist and classical guitarist. He presently lives in Bath, UK, where he pursues a busy performing career.
photo by Guy Hills
"A rising star"
Chris Goodwin, Lute News
"Mystical and mesmeric, Sam interpreted with a strength and sensitivity that captivated the audience..."
Angela McTavish, Good Vibrations
"The beautiful Guitar Concerto (The Travels of Turlough O'Carolan)... was magical from start to finish. Sam Brown is the guitarist and he plays the piece wonderfully. Lovely, ethereal... a wonderful recording!”
Chris Dumigan, Classical Guitar Magazine
"a sensitive accompanist... his beautiful solos were captivating."
Ingo Negwer, Online Musik Magazin
“Nathaniel Mander and Sam Brown played with great fluency, wit and precision… a wonderful evening.”
Simon Johnson, Holburne Museum Magazine
“An unexpectedly revealing evening, master musicians in the making.”
Simon Jenner, Brighton Argus
Sam Brown was first mentored at the Regis School of Music by Sasha Levtov - an inspirational teacher and music lover who influenced him profoundly. A star pupil of the School, he performed for many years with the West Sussex Guitar Club, who elected him an honorary member in 2012.
Sam briefly enrolled at the Junior Department of the Royal College of Music before going on to full-time study there, where he trained with Charles Ramirez. Here he also encountered the lute, and was taught by Jakob Lindberg. After graduating in 2015, Sam moved to Lugano, Switzerland, where he studied at the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italia with Lorenzo Micheli.
After returning to the UK, Sam devoted himself to the lute, although he continues to teach the guitar, his first love. He is dedicated to the music of the 16th and 17th centuries, and is particularly sought after for his sensitive knowledge of lute song, which he frequently performs with Emma Kirkby's group Dowland Works.
Sam has given recitals across the UK and in Spain, France, Germany, Czechia, Switzerland, China and Kenya. He has notably performed at the Barbican centre, the House of Lords, Bolivar Hall, St Martin in the Fields, and St James' Piccadilly, and at the European Lute Festival, Chichester Festival, Klosters Music Festival, and Seville Guitar Festival. In 2015 Sam gave the Kenyan debut of Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez with Nairobi Orchestra. He is also the dedicatee of Barry Mills' guitar concerto The Travels of Turlough O'Carolan, which he has recorded for Claudio Records.
As well as a recitalist, Sam has collaborated on many theatre and dance projects, performing at the Globe, the Shakespeare Institute and for the BBC, and spoken on "the lute in art" at the National Gallery. He has given several lecture-recitals on the lute music of John Danyel, and in 2015 helped organise the first ever conference on Samuel Daniel.
Sam is presently based in Bath, UK, where he teaches and pursues a busy performing career.
Sam is currently supported by Help Musicians UK.
He is also grateful for the support of
EMI Music Sound Foundation
J.R. esq.
Friends of the Regis School of Music
West Sussex Guitar Club
The Rotary Clubs of South-East England
Betty Martin Charity
Talent Unlimited
Sam plays a spruce and yew 7-course renaissance lute by Michael Lowe, and a spruce and ziricote classical guitar by Daniele Chiesa