About Nancy
Nancy Brownstein has been performing music professionally since 1971. She has taught music in the Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC area since 1985. Nancy has performed at the Kennedy Center and has even played with Stevie Wonder!
Bio
Nancy began studying piano at age five, transferring to the elite Peabody Conservatory's preparatory school for eight years while growing up in Baltimore, Maryland. Nancy received her bachelors degree in Music Education from the University of Maryland, College Park in 1972, with a major in piano and a minor in voice.
Nancy's first professional performance was while attending college, singing at happy hour at the Cave Restaurant in Washington, DC. Following graduation from college, she sang on the newly established Autotrain in the nightclub car (an interesting experience). Nancy accompanied herself on piano and guitar. Many musical gigs followed, including performing at Steak and Ale, Washington Marriott, Holiday Inn-Daytona Beach, Red Jacket Inn-New Hampshire and the Baltimore Hilton's piano bar.
Nancy's most exciting job was working at the Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. While performing there in 1982, Stevie Wonder (who was staying at the Shoreham) joined her at the piano one evening to entertain the patrons (see Stevie Wonder and Nancy on the website Photo Gallery.)
Due to Nancy's intense love of Broadway, she taught Musical Theatre at Holton Arms' Creative Summer camps for three years. Nancy had the campers perform a musical revue at the completion of each session. Nancy was also music director for Holton's camp production several summers. During the subsequent winter, she worked with Holton Arms and Landon students to perform "West Side Story" (regarded as one of the most difficult musicals on Broadway) during the school year.
For the past several years, Nancy has focused her musical talents predominantly in the area of event entertainment playing piano at Weddings, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, Anniversary and Birthday Parties, Office and Corporate Events. In 2015, Nancy entered the field of elder entertainment, playing solo piano at various assisted living facilities. Her diverse repertoire is extremely appealing to the elderly. Songs include old and new standards, classical (Chopin and Rachmaninoff are her favorites), top 40, show tunes, and current pop songs.
Nancy also teaches piano, voice and beginning guitar to both children and adults. In addition, she contracts out her exceptional teachers for home music lessons in piano and guitar. Nancy has successfully run her music lesson business for over thirty-nine years to work in private homes.