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Brian Bowman (b. 1946)
Euphonium Soloist with The US Air Force Band, The US Navy Band, The River City Brass Band and The US Bicentennial Band
1972
2004 US Army Band Tuba Euphonium Workshop. Carnival of Venice.
Steven Mead and Brian Bowman, 2000 ITEC
2013 Master Class
Gordon Jacob's Fantasia for Euphonium
1986 ITEC Performance
Scherzo by E. F. Goldman
2013 International Euphonium Institute
Volume 5, No. 1: TUBA Journal
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Biography from University of North Texas Website
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.
Biography
Dr. Brian L. Bowman (b.1946) is considered to be the most influential euphoniumist of the last half of the 20th century. A native of Fort Dodge, Iowa, he holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from The University of Michigan, and a doctorate from The Catholic University of America. Dr. Bowman held the principal euphonium chairs in the United States Navy and United States Air Force Bands in addition to performing with the select U.S. Armed Forces Bicentennial Band. During his military career, in addition to performing as a soloist in every state and throughout the world, he also presented the historic first recital by a euphoniumist in Carnegie Hall in 1976. He retired from military service in 1991 after fifteen years service with the USAF Band. After his retirement he became a member of the music faculty at Duquesne University in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania and later moved to a position at the University of North Texas where he is a Regents Professor of Music. Dr. Bowman served as President of TUBA from 1981 – 1983, the first euphoniumist to hold that position. He also served that organization as Euphonium Coordinator, a member of the Board of Directors, and a member of the Advisory Council. He has produced seven solo recordings across the course of his career, and his students have won countless competitions, professional positions with military bands and in other settings, as well as professorships in universities throughout the U.S. and around the world. Dr. Bowman was given the Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995 at the International Tuba – Euphonium Conference held at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.
-Jerry Young
Brian Bowman (USA). 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, and he performed the first euphonium recital in New York’s Carnegie Recital Hall in 1976, the first euphonium concert tour of Japan, and the first euphonium master class at the Paris Conservatory (CNSM). He was also the first euphoniumist to serve as president of the Tubists Universal Brotherhood Association (T.U.B.A.).
Dr. Bowman has been principal euphonium and performed as a soloist with the University of Michigan Symphony Band, the United States Navy Band, the United States Bicentennial Band, and the United States Air Force Band, and is in demand as a guest soloist with high school, university, municipal and professional ensembles. He has performed as a soloist throughout the world with many prestigious orchestras and bands, and has appeared as tenor tubist with many American orchestra. In addition to his live performances, Dr. Bowman can be heard on over 35 service band recordings and has six solo albums.
Currently, Professor of Music and Chair of Brass Performance at Duquesne University (USA), Dr. Bowman has also served on the music faculty of six other universities. He is the author of Practical Hints for Playing the Euphonium/Baritone Horn and frequently publishes articles in professional journals. He has been a clinician and soloist at the Mid-West International Band & Orchestra Clinic, The British Association of Symphonic Bands & Wind Ensembles, the Deutsche Tubaforum and many other national and international brass symposia. 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 University Brotherhood Association.
-1997 International Tuba Euphonium Conference Program
A Generation or Two Too Late?
One can’t help but feel, that, if Brian L. Bowman had been born in the late 19th century, he likely would have been a member of the world famous Sousa or Gilmore or other well known virtuoso bands of the era. And he likely would have been right up there as a soloist colleague with infamous soloists of the day, such as cornetists Herbert L. Clarke, Herman Bellstedt, Walter Rodgers and Frank Simon; trombonists Gardell Simons and Arthur Pryor; and euphoniumists Gardell Simons and Arthur Pryor; and euphoniumists Joseph DeLuca and Simone Mantia.
As it stands, Dr. Bowman will settle for having been the principal and solo euphoniumist with the most prestigious organizations of his era: The University of Michigan Symphony Band; the United States Navy Band; the U.S. Bicentennial Band; the U.S. Air Force Band; the River City Brass Band; Symphony; and Summit Brass . . . not to mention having performed the first euphonium recital in Carnegie Hall; having been the first euphoniumist to serve as President of the International Tuba Euphonium Association (originally TUBA); done the first euphonium concert tour of Japan; been the first guest euphonium artist at the Falcone International euphonium competition; done the first euphonium master class at the Paris Conservatory Superior of Music; been a master teacher at the first Deutsche Tubaforum workshop in Hammelburg, Germany; and having held the first full time euphonium professorship at a major university school of music, the University of North Texas.
Combine all this with the tremendous influence he’s had on the amount and quality of literature copied for his instrument; the effect he’s had on improved euphonium instrument design; the inspiration he’s been to thousands of students and …. John Phillip Sousa would have been proud!
-The Willson Mouthpiece (Fall 2002)