By: Deborah Walker 

When Dr. Carlos Brown walked beneath the maples and oaks of Livingstone College, he felt something he had learned to recognize throughout his career: divine alignment. After years of teaching and conducting at both HBCUs and predominantly white institutions, he believed his next chapter needed to carry purpose. In his words, coming to Livingstone was not accidental. It was divinely ordained.

Brown joins Livingstone as an associate professor and the new director of the Concert Choir, bringing a distinguished background shaped by training, discipline, and a lifetime of musical immersion. His musical journey began early. At just three years old, he was directing imaginary choirs around his home. By the third grade, he had picked up the saxophone, an instrument that helped lay the foundation for his understanding of musicianship. His vocal talent emerged later, during his junior year of high school, leading him to attend Benedict College on a full scholarship for concert choir.

His educational path continued at the University of Nebraska for his master’s degree, then at the University of Cincinnati’s Conservatory of Music for his doctorate. Along the way, he taught and conducted at respected institutions including Wiley College, Central State University, Atlanta Metropolitan State College, the College of Charleston, and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. In 2024, he received the Dale Warren Award, a national honor recognizing his outstanding work, leadership, and contributions to choral music. He also serves on the International Conductors Guild board, a testament to his artistic influence and respected voice in the field. His experiences across these varied institutions shaped a director who understands how to cultivate excellence in any environment. They also prepared him to pour the very best of those lessons into Livingstone’s students.

For Brown, this new role is not simply a position. It is a mission.

He envisions the Livingstone College Concert Choir becoming the institution’s flagship ensemble. His plan is to grow the choir to 60 to 70 committed members, while touring with a polished group of 30 to 40 of the strongest and most disciplined performers. To set this standard, he is implementing formal auditions for students who want to join the choir. He believes auditions establish expectations from the beginning and encourage students to rise to their highest level of artistic potential.

Brown will also launch an aggressive recruitment strategy in January. His approach includes connecting with high schools nationwide, revisiting established partnerships, and expanding into international networks, particularly in places like the Bahamas. He wants students to see the choir as a premier ensemble worth striving for and as a life-changing opportunity.

What drives him most is the opportunity to rebuild and reimagine. He speaks passionately about changing the mindset of students who may feel overlooked. His strategy is rooted in daily transformation. In every rehearsal, he pushes students to believe that nothing is beyond their reach. He tells them that success requires doing what others are not willing to do. Over time, this belief system creates discipline, confidence, and a sense of pride.

 Brown understands that excellence is not created overnight. It’s developed through consistency, in long rehearsals, in preparing beyond what is expected, and in learning to work as a unified whole. That is how he intends to turn the choir into a world-class ensemble.

Community and collaboration are also central to his vision. He anticipates joint performances within the department, such as combined Christmas or spring concerts. He is attentive to repertoire as well, choosing music based on the strengths of the students in front of him rather than an idealized choir in his mind. He listens, observes, and builds from what exists, not from what he imagines.

At his core, Brown is motivated by helping students unlock the potential they have not yet seen in themselves. He encourages them to leave Livingstone with the mindset that their future has no limits. His own journey, from a small liberal arts HBCU like Benedict College to stages and classrooms across the country, is a testament to what is possible.

At Livingstone College, Brown sees fertile ground for transformation. In Brown, Livingstone gains a visionary, a builder, and a leader committed to elevating the music program to a level the college can proudly showcase to the world.

With renewed purpose and a clear artistic direction, Dr. Carlos Brown is preparing to usher in a powerful new era for the Concert Choir. And for the students who will learn, perform, and grow under his leadership, the future is not only promising. It is divinely aligned.