About Kevin Bowyer

Kevin Bowyer was born in Southend-on-Sea in January 1961 and studied with Christopher Bowers-Broadbent, David Sanger, Virginia Black and Paul Steinitz. In his early career he won first prizes in five international organ competitions and his 1987 world premiere of Kaikhosru Sorabji’s two hour solo Symphony for Organ, considered “impossible” ever since its publication in 1925, helped to cement his reputation as a player of contemporary music and music of extreme technical complexity. Other UK premieres have included works by Brian Ferneyhough (Sieben Sterne), Michael Finnissy (Second Organ Symphony), Anthony Gilbert (Halifenu Vine Dance), Iain Matheson (Background Music), Anthony Payne (Reflections in the Sea of Glass), Charles Wuorinen (Natural Fantasy), Milton Babbitt (Manifold Music), Chris Dench (compostela/finisterre) and Iannis Xenakis (Gmeeoorh).

At home Kevin has played solo and concerto concerts in most of the major venues and festivals. Trips and tours abroad have taken him throughout Europe, North America, Australia and Japan. He has released a great number of solo CDs, many of which have won awards. These include many landmark recordings of contemporary music as well as the complete organ music of J S Bach (on 29 CDs) and music by Alkan, Brahms, Schumann, Reubke, Hindemith, Schoenberg, Messiaen, Alain, etc. Jonathan Wearn, writing in MusicWeb International, described him as “one of the world’s hardiest and most formidable virtuosos…” and Gramophone magazine described him as “unique”. He has a long list of upcoming recording projects on the Toccata Classics and Bute labels.

Kevin has lectured and given masterclasses in many countries. He is Organist to the University of Glasgow and Artistic Director of the annual Glasgow International Organ Festival. In addition he organises the University’s well established Tuesday Recital series and also runs Glasgow Pipeworks, an innovative series of three concerts each year dedicated to new commissions and rare and first performances.

Kevin’s article, Twentieth Century European Organ Music – A Toast, cast as a play set in a Cotswolds pub, in the Incorporated Association of Organists’ Millennium Book was described by one reviewer as “quite simply the best piece of writing on organ music that I have ever seen.”

Kevin teaches in Glasgow for the St. Giles International Organ School. His official website may be visited by clicking on the following link: http://www.kevinbowyer.net.