For someone who does not pay the rent as a musician, Pat Brown leads a full musical life with her flute. An optometrist by profession and a dedicated flutist, she has been a member of the Texas Medical Center Orchestra for more than 20 years, serving on the board and helping the group win national awards. When she isn’t rehearsing with the orchestra, she has a trio along with a violinist and a bassist that plays professional gigs around the Houston area. 

Last spring, she met up with ACMP members at the Chamber Music of America conference for a play-in, and was instrumental in gathering players. And now, Pat, a longtime ACMP member, has joined ACMP’s North American Outreach Council.

She took a few moments to share her thoughts about playing the flute and chamber music. – Bob Goetz

How long have you played chamber music?

I have been playing chamber music for over 30 years, many times with ACMP members. Locations include Boston for three years, while pursuing graduate studies in science, as well as travels to Austria, France, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington state. ACMP players have always extended warm welcomes and arranged social gatherings.

What appeals to you about playing chamber music?

Although the individual parts are more exposed in a performance setting, chamber music lends itself to casual, less-stress gatherings, where pure joy of music-making reigns.

What are your favorite chamber music pieces to play?

The Mozart flute quartets and any trios of Haydn and Stamitz to name a few.

What is a happy chamber moment for you?

One of my happy chamber music moments for me was Houston’s 2025 ACMP annual play-in, where I had the opportunity to play in a combination that I had not done before: flute, clarinet, bassoon, horn, and piano. Another exciting moment was playing as one of the soloists in Brandenburg No. 4 on the last day of the conference.