Alex Brown, a student at Wilde Lake High School in Columbia, Maryland, has already earned extensive writing and performance credits at age 17. He was a featured pianist and violinist at the 16th annual Curacao Jazz Festival (near Venezuela); was one of only 10 students from across North America to receive a scholarship for the Telluride All-Stars Band to perform at the Telluride Jazz Celebration (Colorado); performed last year at the All That Jazz Weekend (North Carolina); and was a featured pianist and violinist with his own trio for two consecutive years at the Chestertown Jazz Festival (Maryland). He has appeared on stage with such distinguished jazz musicians as trumpeter Jon Faddis, flutist Dave Valentin, guitarists Larry Coryell and Steve Abshire, saxophonist Jane Bunnett, and bassists Keter Betts, Pepe Gonzalez, and Arvell Shaw, plus the U.S. Jazz Ambassadors of the U.S. Army Field Band and at such venues as the East Coast Jazz Festival and Baltimore Washington Jazz Fest. Alex was accepted into the BMI Jazz Composers’ Workshop in October 2004 and was recently awarded an Honorable Mention by ASCAP for his composition Take the T. He performs throughout the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan area as both a soloist and leader of the Alex Brown Trio.

Alex has played the piano since age six and violin since age eight and is also an accomplished percussionist. His classical credits include numerous first-place awards at local and state levels. At the age of 13, he won first place in the Encore Orchestra Young Artist Competition, then performing Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue in its entirety. He was recently named a Finalist in the Talent Category of the Maryland Distinguished Arts Scholar Program. He has performed with the Maryland All-State Band and Jazz Band for the past three years and will be returning this year to perform with the All-State Orchestra.