Cecilia Brauer studied the piano with Isabelle Vengerova at the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. She has toured the U.S. in concert and has been an associate member of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra since 1972 where she plays the celeste, and when on tour, the piano.

In 1991, Cecilia added a new dimension to a very successful piano career, namely, the Armonica. She is now one of only a handful of musicians in the world actively involved performing on the instrument. She gives lecture/demonstration programs called “Ben Franklin and the Armonica” and “Ben Franklin, the Musician” at museums, historical sites, libraries, social organizations, etc.

These have included The National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC, Independence National Historical Park, Corning Glass Museum, Carnegie Museum, Franklin Institute, the Fraunces Tavern Museum, the Van Cortlandt House, and Asahi Glass Co. in Japan. She has been featured on “The Morry Story” on CBS-TV, and on “New York Views” on WABC-TV.

She has introduced her program into the public schools elementary system where it has been enthusiastically received by students and educators alike. In recent seasons she has been heard on the Armonica at Metropolitan Opera performing Donizetti’s original solos for that instrument in the Mad Scene of Lucia di Lammermoor.