Brian Leslie Bowman is an American virtuoso euphonium artist and music professor who, among other things, held the principal euphonium chair and was a featured soloist with the premier concert bands of the United States Navy and Air Force. On March 28, 1976, Bowman performed the first euphonium recital at Carnegie Hall.
Bowman served as a member of three United States military bands, two of which were premier ensembles for their respective services. Bowman served as solo euphonium in the United States Navy Band from 1970 to 1974. This was followed by a two-year period serving with a joint ensemble, the United States Armed Forces Bicentennial Band. He completed his career with the United States Air Force Band, serving from 1976 to 1991. Bowman was first to perform a recital on euphonium at Carnegie Hall in New York. He also was the first guest euphonium artist at the Leonard Falcone International Tuba and Euphonium Festival at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Twin Lake, Michigan. Bowman has recorded dozens of ensemble performances in addition to six solo albums on euphonium. He has recorded many new works for euphonium, many of which were written specifically for the instrument. One of the albums, reviewed in The New Records in 1979 was described as containing all music that seemed to "exist just to have something for the euphonium to play". While going on to describe Bowman as "a master of his instrument", the review of the compositions was not favorable.
Professional career
Bowman broke new ground in the American understanding of the euphonium and has been called "The most famous euphonium soloist in the world today". He became known for a "warm, velvet tone" and promoted a style of playing described as "traditional vibrato... balanced by... clean and impressive technique, from-the-heart expressiveness, and a sense of calm assurance". He advanced this new image of the instrument through his performances of new literature, premiering 4 of the 7 such works commissioned by the former Tubists Universal Brotherhood Association now known as the International Tuba Euphonium Association. He served as its president, and was the first euphonium player to do so. Bowman has been involved in the evolution of the instrument. He has served as a consultant for the design of euphonium mouthpieces to the Swiss-based Willson Musical Instrument Company, whose products are distributed in North America by Getzen. He has been instrumental in DEG Music Products, which released a line of mouthpieces bearing Bowman's name. Bowman has been on the music faculty at the University of North Texas College of Music for years, where he is a Regents Professor. He was head of the Brass Department at Duquesne University. Bowman has served on the faculty of seven other universities. He continues to perform as a member of several ensembles and serves as a guest instructor and clinician frequently.
Selected discography
Brian Bowman, Euphonium: The First Carnegie Hall Euphonium Recital, Crystal Records ; ;
Bowman's father, Bardell Robinson Bowman, was a music teacher in the public schools in Dixon, Illinois. Brian Bowman learned to play with the guidance of his father attending a grade school in Dixon where his father taught band. Bowman married Vinette Parry in Salt Lake City on August 26, 1970. They have a son, Brian Parry Bowman, who is a recording engineer. Bowman has two siblings, Victor B. Bowman who is a trumpeter and music educator, and Linda Jame Smith, who is a vocalist, pianist, choir director, and music educator.
