by Lauren Vogel Weiss

Richard Brown, a percussionist who performed with the Houston Symphony and Houston Grand Opera, as well as his own dance band, died on March 19, 2025 in Houston at age 77.

“The world is darker without Richard Brown in it,” stated Brian Prechtl, a percussionist with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, in a social media post. “We will remember all the love he brought into our lives and all the beauty we created together. There will never be another Richard!”

Brown was born on September 10, 1947 in Philadelphia, Penn. After beginning his musical journey on the accordion, he switched to percussion.

Russell Hartenberger, Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto and a founding member of Nexus, recalled meeting Brown in 1962 when they were both students of Alan Abel at the Settlement Music School in Philadelphia. “‘Richie’ and I were part of a remarkable percussion ensemble at Settlement that included Bill Cahn, Mark Sunkett, John Soroka, Matthew Hopkins, Billy Hinger, and Michael Udow.”

William L. “Bill” Cahn, longtime percussionist with the Rochester Philharmonic and another founding member of Nexus, also remembered Brown from the Settlement Percussion Ensemble. “I was in high school, and Richard was still in middle school,” Cahn said. “Even then, he exuded ‘type A’ curiosity and energy. Richard and I played together in several grade-school-age orchestras in Philadelphia.”

Michael Udow, Professor Emeritus at the University of Michigan and a longtime percussionist at The Santa Fe Opera, remembered meeting Brown when Udow first moved to Philadelphia in ninth grade. “My initial experience of Richard’s technical and musical prowess was during a museum concert by the Settlement School’s Percussion Ensemble,” Udow explained. “Mr. Abel spoke about the art of snare drumming, and then Richard and John Soroka [retired Principal Percussionist of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra], both secondary school students at the time, played a collaborative performance of a Goldenberg snare drum duet on concert snare drums.”

After studying with Alan Abel at the Settlement School, Brown continued his percussion studies with Charles Owen, then Principal Percussionist with the Philadelphia Orchestra, at Temple University, graduating with Bachelor of Music degree in Percussion in 1969. During this time, Brown played with the Chamber Symphony of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Lyric Opera.

Brown then moved to Washington, D.C., where he was a member of the The United States Army Band. While in Washington, he earned his master’s degree in music from Catholic University in 1971.

In 1972, Brown joined the Houston Symphony percussion section. After eight seasons, he decided to become a freelance percussionist in New York City, playing in musical shows on Broadway such as revivals of West Side Story and Showboat. While he was in New York, he also subbed with The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and The New York Philharmonic. During this time, he also became the percussionist with actress/singer Ann-Margret, performing with her for 15 years, both in Las Vegas and on tour.

“I went from the security of the symphony to the freelance world,” Brown told International Musician in an April 2008 interview. “After five years, security was back on the boards again, so I went for security.”

In 1985, Brown returned to Houston to teach at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, where he had established the percussion studio. [He first joined the Shepherd School as an assistant professor in 1975.] Brown taught there for almost four decades, officially retiring as Professor Emeritus of Percussion in 2018.

“I am deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Richard Brown, a fixture in the Houston music community,” stated Matthew Strauss, percussionist with the Houston Symphony and Associate Professor of Percussion at Rice, in a school press release. “As my predecessor at the Shepherd School of Music, he helped shape the careers of decades of percussionists throughout his tenure. Everybody knew and loved Richard Brown. I will never forget his generosity, kindness, and his hilarious sense of humor.”

Udow recalled that Brown invited him to Houston when the Rice University Percussion Ensemble recorded Udow’s “Rio Grande Riffs” in 2005. “Not surprisingly, his students were exceptionally well prepared, both musically and technically,” Udow stated. “This made for an enjoyable weekend and recording session, with ample time for Richard and me to reminisce about the good old days in Philadelphia.”

Back in Houston, Brown performed again with the Houston Symphony, as well as the Houston Ballet and The Houston Grand Opera, where he served as Principal Percussionist and personnel manager for 26 years (1985–2011).

Along with all these activities, Richard formed the Richard Brown Swing Orchestra in 2000, employing many Houston musicians to perform big band jazz and modern pop for society balls and events.

Brown also became the Principal Percussionist and personnel manager of the Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra in Jackson, Wyoming, eventually becoming Artistic Advisor for the festival.

 “In the summer of 2002,” Bill Cahn recalled, “I was a guest percussionist with the Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra. During the orchestra rehearsals, whenever the section wasn’t playing, Richard was backstage on his cell phone, making arrangements for orchestra personnel that were needed for future programs. We were rehearsing ‘Scheherezade’ and Richard spent virtually all of the second movement backstage. He was still there as the third movement began, and at the very last possible moment, he walked over to the snare drum. In one move, he set the phone down on a trap table and picked up his snare drum sticks at exactly the moment the conductor looked back to give the snare drum cue. Richard played the part beautifully, then put down his sticks, picked up his phone, and went backstage again to continue his phone call! The rest of us in the section — Bill Hill, John Kinzie, Brian Prechtl, Wylie Sykes, and Ed Domer — just looked at each other with smiles of wonderment and admiration.”

Wylie Sykes, a member of the Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra percussion section, posted on social media: “Richie was the one that brought us together all those years ago. He befriended us, led the section, and was the unifying force. Thank you, Richard, for everything. My life is better having known you.”

Brian del Signore, Principal Percussionist with the Houston Symphony since 1986, recalled his friend. “In addition to his multi-faceted percussion career, Richard will be remembered for the employment he was able create, manage, and share with so many musicians.”