Kellie Brown is a professional musician, researcher and teacher.
Kellie Brown, Ph.D., has been a member of the Milligan University music faculty since 1998 and holds the positions of chair of the music department, professor of music and conductor of the Milligan Orchestra. She is a frequent clinician and performer throughout the country and serves as the assistant conductor and associate concertmaster of the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra.
As a soloist, Brown has performed several world premieres including “An Encounter for Violin and Piano” by Jane Perry. She has also conducted numerous world premieres including “Genesis” by internationally renowned composer Kenton Coe. Her passion for and expertise in musical theater has made her in demand throughout the region as violinist, conductor and music director. She has performed in pit orchestras for numerous shows and operas at the Barter Theatre and other regional venues.
“Music was an immersive part of my childhood. I began piano lessons at age 6, then added organ, banjo, clarinet and violin to that by the time I was 12. Violin emerged during high school as the true musical passion for me and is what I pursued in college and for my career,” she says.
She grew up surrounded by music – but not classical music – she grew up in a bluegrass family. Her grandfather, Kenneth Stidham, and his brothers played bluegrass music on WOPI-FM and recorded several albums. In his later years, he devoted himself to gospel music, playing at churches and venues across the country. When he died, he was scheduled to play at the Grand Ole Opry.
Brown may have chosen a different musical path, but she hasn’t left her roots and what her grandfather taught her totally behind. She played the fiddle on “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” with Charlie Daniels when he performed at Funfest in Kingsport, Tennessee. She also played backup for country star Ray Price.
“My involvement in music has been and continues to be encompassing of three areas: performing (violinist and conductor), teaching, and researching/writing. The international success of my book, ‘The Sound of Hope: Music as Solace, Resistance and Salvation during the Holocaust and World War II,’ has opened new doors for me in speaking and writing. I am continuing to publish not only academic articles based on additional Holocaust music research but also more public writing. I have published eight essays in the past year that cover topics of faith, family and literature. I will have a chapter titled ‘If Every Problem Is a Musical Problem: The Power of Music to Generate Hope for Individuals and Society’ in a forthcoming interdisciplinary compilation on hope by Oxford University Press.
“Faith and ministry are important parts of my life. My family has a rich history in the United Methodist Church. My great-great grandfather was a circuit rider Methodist minister in our region. I have been a certified lay minister in the United Methodist Church since 2021 and serve at First Broad Street United Methodist Church in Kingsport, Tennessee. Much of my recent research and writing has centered on my faith journey.
“The Arts uplift. They provide a way for young people to express what they might not be able to put into words or even be conscious that they are feeling. The other aspect of this uplifting is showing young people paths forward, especially those in difficult situations. All we have to do is look to the success of programs such as El Sistema and Musicians Without Borders to see that in action.
“I am grateful to AAME for this honor and for their many years of promoting the vibrant art community of our region,” Brown says.
