Geraint Bowen (musician)

Geraint Bowen (born in London, 11 January 1963)[1] is a British conductor and organist. He is Organist and Director of Music at Hereford Cathedral.

Early life and education

Bowen is a son of the Welsh tenor Kenneth Bowen (1932–2018) and the brother of the arts administrator Meurig Bowen.[2]

As a boy, Bowen was a chorister at St John-at-Hampstead Church in London, under the direction of Martindale Sidwell.[3] He graduated from Jesus College, Cambridge, where he was organ scholar from 1982 to 1985[3] and from where he started his conducting career and recorded an LP of early music with the Choir of Jesus College.[4]

Career

In 1986 Bowen was appointed assistant organist at St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.[3] While in Dublin he took the external MusB degree at Trinity College.

In 1989 Bowen was appointed Assistant Organist at Hereford Cathedral.[3]

In 1995 Bowen was appointed organist and Master of the Choristers at St Davids Cathedral in Wales, and artistic director of the St Davids Cathedral Festival.[3] While at St Davids, he oversaw the re-building of the cathedral's Father Willis organ by Harrison & Harrison, a major project which was completed in 2000.

Bowen was appointed Organist and Director of Music of Hereford Cathedral in 2001.[5] He is also conductor of the Hereford Choral Society and artistic director of the Hereford Three Choirs Festival.[3]

With the choirs of St Davids Cathedral and Hereford Cathedral he has toured the US and Australia; he has also directed choral workshops and courses in the US, including three for the Royal School of Church Music. With the Hereford choir, he recorded a CD of Anthems, Motets & Services by William Byrd and directed what was probably the cathedral's first performance of John Browne's Stabat mater.

Discography

  • Aeternae Laudis Lilium (Abbey, 1985) − conducting the Choir of Jesus College, Cambridge
  • Psalms of David Vol. 1 Hear My Prayer O Lord (Priory, 1989) − organist accompanying the Choir of Hereford Cathedral
  • Howells From Hereford (Regent, 2009) - conducting the Choir of Hereford Cathedral
  • William Byrd: Anthems, Motets & Services (Griffin, 2010) - conducting the Choir of Hereford Cathedral
  • Christmas From Hereford (Regent, 2012) - conducting the Choir of Hereford Cathedral
  • Easter Day at Hereford (Regent, 2016) - conducting the Choir of Hereford Cathedral

References

  1. ^ "The Guardian, birthdays column". 11 January 2019.
  2. ^ Mohr-Pietsch, Sara; Bowen, Meurig (19 April 2015). The Choir - The Choral Interview (Radio broadcast). BBC. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Organists". Hereford Cathedral. 12 September 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  4. ^ "Aeternae laudis lilium [sound recording]". Trove. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
  5. ^ Morley, Christopher (27 July 2012). "Review: Haydn's 'Creation' at Hereford Cathedral". Birmingham Post. Archived from the original on 30 July 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
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