“The Eric Clapton of the lute”, Sam Brown is counted amongst of the top cordophonists of his generation, known for his imaginative and sensitive style.
Sam first learned classical guitar with the inspirational Sasha Levtov. He discovered the lute at the Royal College of Music, where he trained with Jakob Lindberg. He later studied at the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italia with Lorenzo Micheli.
For the last eight years Sam has performed internationally as a solo and ensemble player, including at Vienna’s Konzerthaus and Wigmore Hall.
Sam is a fluent lutenist, theorbist, romantic and classical guitarist. Especially known for his work as an interpreter of lute-song, he is a founding member of the UK-based lute ensemble Dowlands Foundry and a core member of the Dowland Works collective. He has additionally lectured widely in this field.
Sam has collaborated with Fair Oriana, singers Emma Kirkby DBE, Marie Lys, Nina van Essen and Hannah Ely, composers Barry Mills and Fraser Wilson, poets Alice Oswald and Cheryl Moskowitz, actors Timothy West and Will Keen, Academy of Ancient Music and Alia Mens.
A devoted and sought-after teacher, Sam is founder and director of youth early music scheme Dowland Youth Works, and a deputy guitar teacher at Guildhall School of Music and Drama’s Junior Department. He also teaches at University of Bath, and in 2024 made a popular debut at Benslow Lutefest.