11 Facts About Iona Brown

Iona Brown, OBE, was a British violinist and conductor.

Elizabeth Iona Brown was born in Salisbury and was educated at Cranborne Chase School, Dorset.

Iona Brown's brother Timothy has been principal horn of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, her other brother Ian is a pianist and her sister Sally plays viola in the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.

From 1963 to 1966, Brown played violin in the Philharmonia Orchestra.

Iona Brown formally left the Academy in 1980, but continued to work with them for the rest of her life.

Iona Brown directed the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra from 1987 to 1992.

Iona Brown was dismissed as conductor because of an inability to commit to more than six weeks per season with the orchestra due to her other posts, a decision she protested.

Iona Brown ultimately returned as the orchestra's principal conductor from 1995 to 1997 following a change in the orchestra's leadership.

Iona Brown was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1986, and in June 2003 was made an honorary Doctor of the University by the Open University.

Iona Brown died of cancer in 2004 at age 63 in Salisbury.

Iona Brown was married twice, and was survived by her second husband, Bjorn Arnils.