Millennium Magazine_2ndEd

A Marquis Who's Who Magazine 73 ALLEN BRINGS, DMA MUSICIAN, PROFESSOR EMERITUS Wilton, CT L ike many musicians before him, Dr. Allen Brings recalls first developing an interest in the performing arts at an early age. He is especially grateful to his father, who introduced him to accomplished composers, such as Mozart and Brahms, in the form of 78 rpm records. When listening was no longer enough to satisfy his curiosity, Dr. Brings began teaching himself simple melodies on the piano. His parents immediately took notice of his innate talent and conviction, which prompted them to enable further learning through formal piano lessons. Moving ahead, Dr. Brings earned a wide range of academic degrees in preparation for a future career as a musician and composer. His formal studies culminated with a Doctor of Musical Arts from Boston University in 1964, by which time he had already gained preliminary experience as an accompanist and educator by assisting his fellow students at every available opportunity. Reflecting on his longstanding career, Dr. Brings attests that he was never attracted to the industry, but rather to becoming a practicing musician, one who continued to listen to music but also learned how to compose it, perform it, teach others what he learned, and, when necessary, write about it. Unsurprisingly, Dr. Brings went on to serve as a professor of music with the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College, where he endeavored to share his knowledge and passion for the discipline with those considering a similar career path. Now recognized as a professor emeritus at the school, he continues to be involved with a wide range of industry organizations, in addition to teaching piano as a member of the Weston Music Center and School of the Performing Arts. Since the 1950s, Dr. Brings has contributed 227 finished compositions to the artistic community, with works ranging from ensemble pieces to solo arrangements. Some of his most recent publications include “4 Revelations of Varying Intensities,” “Duo for flute and piano,” and “3 Scintillae.” As a testament to his skill, he has appeared as a pianist or conductor in many professional recordings of his work.