Aaron & Friends

Payton Brown is a Composition Major at the Eastman School of Music, where he studies under David Liptak. Payton has written a multitude of compositions, including a piano solo, a string quartet, and a trio for clarinet, bassoon and piano, all of which were premiered at the Eastman School of Music; a full orchestra piece, which was premiered by the Melbourne Community Orchestra; a woodwind quintet, which was premiered by the Space Coast Symphony Youth Orchestra; and a concert band piece, which was premiered at Satellite High School.   In addition to composition, Payton is an Oboe Performance major at the Eastman School of Music, where he studies under Richard Killmer. He is currently Rotating Principal Oboe with the Eastman School Symphony Orchestra and Eastman Wind Orchestra. Prior to attending Eastman, Payton resided in Satellite Beach, FL, where he studied under Eric Ohlsson, Jamie Roberts, and Robert Sheena. During that time, he volunteered with the Melbourne Community Orchestra and the MusicMDs program, performing for critical care patients in hospitals to assist in their recovery. Payton has performed with the Odessa National Ballet Company in the professional productions of Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty, and was a guest soloist with the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra, where he played Marcello’s Concerto in C Minor. Payton has participated in numerous festivals, including Maine Chamber Music Seminar, Miami Music Festival, Berlin Opera Academy, Hidden Valley Music Seminar English Horn Masterclass with Robert Walters, NAfME All-National Orchestra, Florida All-State Orchestra, Curtis Summerfest, FSU Chamber Winds Seminar, USF Festival of Winds, and the Stetson Double Reed Workshop, where he was awarded the National Bandmaster Association’s Award for Musicianship. He is also a mathematics major at the University of Rochester.  Payton credits his success to the many great music teachers in Brevard County. Specifically, Mark Nelson was instrumental in his compositional development through early and consistent exposure to music theory. In addition, Carey Moorman was crucial in his development as a musician, serving as a role model through his rigorous attention to detail, as well as introducing Payton to chamber music.