Characterized by a virtuosic technique and a warm, rich, velvet tone, Brian Bowman’s playing has thrilled audiences for more than a quarter of a century. His superb musicianship and dedication to fine brass playing have made him one of the foremost euphonium soloists in the world today. His history of euphonium “firsts” is impressive:
- First euphonium recital in New York’s Carnegie Recital Hall, 1976
- First Euphoniumist to serve as president of the INTERNATIONAL TUBA AND EUPHONIUM ASSOCIATION (formerly Tubists Universal Brotherhood Association - T.U.B.A)
- First euphonium concert tour of Japan
- First Guest Euphonium Artist-Falcone International Euphonium Competition
- First euphonium master class at the Paris Conservatory Superior of Music, France
- Master teacher at the first Deutsche Tubaforum workshop to include the euphonium, tenor horn and baritone, Hammelburg, Germany, 1991
Dr. Brian L. Bowman enjoys a distinguished career as a soloist, clinician, recording artist, educator and administrator. Dr. Bowman has held the principal euphonium position, in addition to being a featured soloist, in each of the bands he has been associated with: THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SYMPHONY BAND, THE UNITED STATES NAVY BAND, THE UNITED STATES BICENTENNIAL BAND, THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE BAND and THE RIVER CITY BRASS BAND in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
He is in demand as a guest soloist with high school, university, municipal and professional ensembles. He has performed as a soloist in all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, The Virgin Islands, Norway, Finland, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Hungary, Great Britain, France, Italy, Switzerland, Australia, Japan, Tonga Taiwan, Thailand and the People’s Republic of China. He has appeared as tenor tubist with the New York Philharmonic, the National Symphony, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Colorado Symphony, the San Francisco Symphony, Oklahoma City Philharmonic, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the Fort Worth Symphony, and the Orchestra Symphonica of Xlapa, Mexico. He has performed concertos with the Lexington Kentucky Symphony, the Sapporo Japan, Symphony Orchestra the North Carolina Symphony and the Madison Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra.
In addition to his live performances, Dr. Bowman can be heard on over 35 service band recordings and his six solo albums. He has appeared as featured soloist on Iowa Public Television with the Karl King Fort Dodge Municipal band and performed with the New Sousa Band in the Wolftrap PBS television special.
Perhaps it is his dedication to outstanding musical performance that makes him such an inspiring clinician and educator. Currently, Regent’s Professor of Music (Euphonium) in the College of Music at The University of North Texas, Dr. Bowman has also served on the music faculty of eight other universities. His students occupy prominent positions in professional organizations worldwide. He is the author of PRACTICAL HINTS FOR PLAYING THE EUPHONIUM/BARITONE HORN and he frequently publishes articles in professional journals. His edition of the ARBAN COMPLETE METHOD is the only complete bass clef edition of this famous brass method. His work as a clinician and soloist at such conferences as the Mid-West International Band & Orchestra Clinic, The British Association of Symphonic Bands & Wind Ensembles and many national and international brass symposia have won him international recognition. In 1989 he was awarded the British Magazines “EUPHONIUM PLAYER OF THE YEAR”, and in 1995 was given the LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD from the Tubists Universal Brotherhood Association. He is the only living euphoniumist to be included in the book TWENTIETH-CENTURY BRASS SOLOISTS by Michael Meckna.
As an authority in the field of euphonium performance, Brian Bowman has been asked to serve as adjudicator of many national and international euphonium competitions over the past thirty years. He has been a member of competition juries for international professional music competitions in the United States, France and Japan. He was the president of the TUBAMANIA euphonium solo competition in Australia in December 1999. In 1994, an annual competition in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan, was named the Brian L. Bowman Euphonium Solo Competition in his honor.
Brian Bowman is a member of the SYMPHONIA Ensemble, a Tuba/Euphonium ensemble of professional players and teachers, which has performed throughout the United States and in Europe and recorded three compact discs with that group. He is the euphonium member of the SUMMIT BRASS ENSEMBLE, composed of the leading soloists, chamber musicians and orchestral players in the country. He is a regular artist faculty member of the RAFAEL MÉNDEZ BRASS INSTITUTE each summer. He has been the euphonium artist faculty member at the INTERNATIONAL TUBA-EUPHONIUM SUMMER WORKSHOP at the University of Oklahoma and the INTERNATIONAL EUPHONIUM INSTITUTE in Atlanta, Georgia..
Brian Bowman has contributed significantly to the field of euphonium instrument design and was instrumental in the development and success of the WILLSON euphonium, produced by the Willson Musical Instrument Company in Flums, Switzerland and distributed by GETZEN.. He has also been a frequent consultant for other musical instrument companies and has designed a special line of Brian Bowman euphonium mouthpieces distributed by DEG Music Products.
Dr. Bowman has contributed significantly to the body of literature available for euphonium performers today. Not only have composers written new works at Bowman’s specific request, but also many compositions have resulted merely from the composer being acquainted with Bowman and having heard his performance capabilities. Of seven new euphonium works commissioned by the Tubists Universal Brotherhood Association since its inception in 1974, Bowman has premiered four. A major thrust of Bowman’s career has been working to generate quality new compositions for his beloved instrument.
Many of Dr. Bowman’s accomplishments and contributions have been documented in a doctoral dissertation, “The Life and Career Contributions of Brian L. Bowman through 1991," written by Sharon Elise Huff at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1994.
Dr. Bowman believes that music is a most effective art form when used to communicate. To hear him or study with him is to know he is a powerful communicator and a master of that art form. Dr. Bowman’s current and future projects include: performing solo/clinic/teaching tours throughout the world; creating CD recordings of all levels of literature for euphonium; commissioning and inspiring composers to write for the euphonium; and working to create performance, teaching and research opportunities for future generations of euphoniumists.
Coordinator of Brass, Euphonium
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