"Even among big-name pianists, there are remarkably few who are able to play music of Liszt and Chopin so convincingly. Frequently Liszt is played with such spasmodic, choppy surges that the music is incomprehensible. Chopin is often interpreted with excessive romanticism. Artur Rubinstein was a splendid exception and so is Lenora Brown”
About us
Meet Heather & Lenora
Welcome! We are a mother-daughter piano duo. We have won international piano competitions and performed at many prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall. We’ve been teaching and performing for decades, and we’re on a mission to help pianists like you get results, even if you're short on time. Â
 Piano Lessons & Courses by Experienced Piano TeachersÂ
There are a lot of people teaching piano lessons online. Unfortunately, many teachers don’t have the education or experience to guide students correctly. The good news is you're in the right place! Lenora is a Steinway Artist & seasoned university piano performance professor. Lenora & Heather are both MTNA Nationally Certified Piano Teachers with decades of teaching experience.  Learn more below. Â
Lenora
Lenora Ford Brown is a Steinway Artist and Piano Performance Professor Emerita from the University of Utah’s School of Music. She is also an MTNA Nationally Certified Piano Teacher and she has maintained a full private teaching studio for over 50 years. She has performed in Europe, extensively in the Far East, and throughout the United States. She is a multiple time winner of the Utah Arts Council Performing Tour, the Best of State award, and was a performer at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Lenora is a concert pianist and has been a soloist with the Utah Symphony numerous times and a guest pianist at conventions, concert series and recitals. She has performed in Washington DC, at Steinway Hall in New York and twice at Carnegie Hall. Lenora creates the piano arrangements for Brillante Piano Duo.
Brillante Piano Duo
Lenora & Heather were first place, gold medalists in the United States Classical International Piano Competition in 2017 and performed in the Winner’s Recital at Carnegie Hall. Since forming their partnership in 2017, Brillante has performed at a variety of venues including the International Mu Phi Epsilon Convention in Colorado, the Temple Square Concert Series and the MTNA fundraising banquet. Recently, they were featured artists at the World Piano Conference in Serbia and at the California and Utah Music Teachers Association Conventions. The mother and daughter live in different states and maintain busy teaching schedules but cherish their time together at the piano during rehearsals, video shoots and concerts.
Heather
Heather Thompson Smits is an MTNA Nationally Certified Piano Teacher and a classically trained concert pianist. She has extensive performing experience and has performed at venues like Carnegie Hall and Merkin Hall in New York and at The World Piano Conference in Serbia with her mother. She has also performed at many state and international music conventions as a featured artist with her mother. Heather received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of Utah. She is passionate about teaching piano and has maintained a full piano studio since 1992. Many of her students have won local piano competitions, received superior ratings in the California Certificate of Merit evaluation program, and have been chosen to perform in county honors and winner’s recitals.
LENORA
Lenora Ford Brown is a Steinway Artist and Piano Professor Emerita from the University of Utah’s School of Music. She is also an MTNA Nationally Certified Piano Teacher and she has maintained a full private teaching studio for over 50 years. She has performed in Europe, extensively in the Far East, and throughout the United States. She is a multiple time winner of the Utah Arts Council Performing Tour, the Best of State award, and was a performer at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Lenora is a concert pianist and has been a soloist with the Utah Symphony numerous times and a guest pianist at conventions, concert series and recitals. She has performed in Washington DC, at Steinway Hall in New York and twice at Carnegie Hall. Lenora creates the piano arrangements for BRILLANTE Piano Duo.Â
HEATHER
Heather Thompson Smits is an MTNA Nationally Certified Piano Teacher and a classically trained concert pianist. She has extensive performing experience and has performed at venues like Carnegie Hall and Merkin Hall in New York and at The World Piano Conference in Serbia with her mother. She has also performed at many state and international music conventions as a featured artist with her mother. Heather received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of Utah. She is passionate about teaching piano and has maintained a full piano studio since 1992.  Many of her students have won local piano competitions, received superior ratings in the California Certificate of Merit evaluation program, and have been chosen to perform in county honors and winner’s recitals. Heather serves as a board chair in the Santa Cruz Branch of MTAC.
BRILLANTE PIANO DUO
Lenora & Heather were first place, gold medalists in the United States Classical International Piano Competition in 2017 and performed in the Winner’s Recital at Carnegie Hall. Since forming their partnership in 2017, Brillante has performed at a variety of venues including the International Mu Phi Epsilon Convention in Colorado, the Temple Square Concert Series and the MTNA fundraising banquet. Recently, they were featured artists at the World Piano Conference in Serbia and at the California and Utah Music Teachers Association Conventions. The mother and daughter live in different states and maintain busy teaching schedules but cherish their time together at the piano during rehearsals, video shoots and concerts.
Salt Lake Tribune
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Ardene Watts, Utah Symphony Assistant ConductorÂ
"Your performance of the Paganini Etudes was brilliant and stylish and brought out levels of musical understanding rare in performances of works presenting such enormous technical challenges. I cannot imagine the hours you lavished on those pieces. The performance was worthy of presentation in Abravanel Hall.”
Deseret News Music Critic, Dorothy Stowe
“Ms. (Brown’s) pianism is excellent for chamber music; she is sufficiently dominant to hold her own, yet sensitive to the needs of others, and her playing glistens gently, her rhythm is impeccable and whatever she does advances the music. Indeed, one was conscious throughout this satisfying performance of its rhythmic security.”
“A very impressive and well-rehearsed performance of this challenging piece. The mother-daughter duo played with a very strong connection together, professional style and good feeling of each other’s parts. The whole performance was very beautiful and compelling.” NORTHERN LIGHTS PIANO FESTIVAL 2021 – GOLD AWARD
