Brown was one the 20th century's finest conductor/soloists. Naim is privileged to have worked with her on some of NCO's most delightful recorded works.
Iona Brown, violinist and conductor, born 7th January 1941, sadly died on 5th June 2004, of cancer at home in Salisbury.
Neville Mariner subsequently wrote that: "Iona personified the essence of the Academy's style of music-making. As a violinist she embraced the romantic movement with warmth and passion, and in the early classical repertoire she displayed a fastidious elegance that observed the performing conventions of the 18th century without letting the music dry out. She was an inspiration to several generations of the orchestra's players, although the altitude of some of her technical and musicianly demands broke a few spirits, and her vibrant personality broke a few hearts.
"For someone who abominated airplanes, she travelled the world of music with remarkable intestinal fortitude; for a lady who loved wine she maintained both her dignity and her figure; and as a companion there was a distinct lack of inactivity. In fact, she was a star."
The Norwegian Chamber Orchestra was founded in 1977 under the leadership of Terje Tonnesen, who still works as the NCO's Music Director, who for many years worked in parallel with Iona Brown, who was Music and Artistic Director until 2001.
The NCO has a reputable recorded history including the seminal Salisbury Cathedral concert (playing Tippett, Grieg and Beethoven) under the baton of Iona Brown for Naim and additional recordings for EMI, Virgin, Chandos, BIS and Simax Classics.