Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathryn D. Brown.
Kathryn, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I have been involved in community music in the Dallas area for more than three decades. After finishing my undergraduate degree and teaching band in public schools briefly, I came to Dallas to “get away from it all.” My two years of teaching were not the best years, but I grew up a lot through those experiences. Not long after leaving teaching, I got involved with Dallas’ Oak Lawn Band, a volunteer-based community band. I had the opportunity to play in that ensemble briefly before they asked me to lead. I reluctantly said, “yes,” thinking I would do it until someone who really wanted it could take it. That said… I had the privilege of leading that ensemble for eight years. The Oak Lawn Band and its wonderful musicians returned to me a passion for music, and leadership, along with a new-found love for working with volunteer musicians.
It was through the Oak Lawn Band that I was presented many more occasions to play and to lead—from “gigging” on saxophone and percussion with various ensembles (including the little-known Kidd Kraddick and the Charismatics!), to leading the newly re-formed orchestra at Cathedral of Hope-Dallas, a position that lasted twenty years. The OLB and CoH were instrumental in bringing me to where I am today, giving confidence to reach even higher—returning to school to complete my master’s degree in music (and, eventually, my doctorate), working in higher education at Cedar Valley College, and founding the New Texas Symphony Orchestra.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has been the road—smooth at times, rough at others. Overall, I have been so very fortunate to be open to opportunity when it arose. I am grateful for the good and the bad, because, without any of those experiences, my place in the world would be changed. The difficulties in my initial teaching experiences opened up a world I had never considered—community music and working with these adult musicians helped me find my way back to music, and education, in a way I could never have imagined.
Please tell us about New Texas Symphony Orchestra.
The New Texas Symphony Orchestra is the premiere community orchestra of Dallas. What that means is that the NTSO is the first orchestra of its kind in the city of Dallas—community-based, and all-volunteer. We bring live symphonic music to the area, and it is all performed by musicians who are in it strictly for the love of playing great repertoire and playing it together with like-minded people who want to play the music well.
There is an incredible level of dedication required to put together quality orchestral music. The musicians commit a great deal of time in preparing their parts individually and making weekly rehearsals, in order to bring it all together in a beautiful way. During this time of self-isolation, I am reminded of the sacredness of shared music-making of rehearsals—I miss it and I miss our musicians.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite childhood memory would have to be spending time at Forest Park in Fort Worth. I especially loved taking the train rides they offered at the time. It was a small, open-air train that even crossed University Drive! Another favorite was reading—especially going through my grandmother’s bookshelves. She was a high school English teacher and guidance counselor. I still have her copy of Art Linkletter’s “Kids Say the Darndest Things.”
Contact Info:
- Address: 3630 Harry Hines Blvd. #35
Dallas, TX 75219 - Website: www.ntso.org
- Instagram: NTSODallas
- Facebook: NTSODallas
- Twitter: NTSODallas
Image Credit:
2nd2Nunn Photography
Suggest a story: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
