Thomas Bowes – Violin
Sunday 23 July 2017
“…warm, contemplative and deeply rewarding performances.” Wholenote
Thomas Bowes is one of the UK’s finest violinists. His concerto appearances in the UK, Germany and the USA have included highly praised performances of concertos by Elgar, Britten, Szymanowski and Walton.
He is very active in the realm of cinema, and millions have heard him on the soundtracks of his numerous 200+ film credits.
Tom’s recording of the complete Bach Sonatas and Partitas was released in 2018 on the Navona label to great critical acclaim. Laurence Vittes in Gramophone Magazine noting it was ‘deeply human…unusually communicative…a succession of miracles.’ His ‘Bach Pilgrimage’ is now a feature of every season and future events will take him all over the world. In 2019 Tom was given a ‘Sebastian Award’ by the Ars Ante Portas Civic Association of Bratislava, Slovakia for his ‘Extraordinary contribution in maintaining public appreciation of the work of JS Bach’.
Navona also released Tom’s recording of the complete Ysaÿe Solo Sonatas in 2020. Critics noted a depth of interpretation and characterisation. The recording was nominated for the solo instrumental category of the International Classical Music Awards.
This September a new recording of the rarely heard Telemann Fantasias for solo violin will be issued by Navona.
Between 1988 and 1993 Tom was the founding leader of the Maggini String Quartet and together with his wife, the composer and pianist Eleanor Alberga, he formed the duo Double Exposure in 1995. The duo toured extensively with concerts and broadcasts in the USA and Europe and together they made a major tour of China in 1997, winning the hearts of their audiences wherever they played. They returned to China in November 2019.
Tom had been a constant advocate of Alberga’s music and has given first performances of many of her works including her two violin concertos. With the BBC NOW and conducted by Joseph Swensen, Tom’s world premiere recording of both concertos was released on the Lyrita label in late 2021.
Between 2003 and 2015 Tom was the Artistic Director of the Langvad Chamber Music Jamboree in Denmark. More recently, with Alberga, he founded the music festival ‘Arcadia’ in North Herefordshire, England.
Tom is privileged to own and play a violin by one of the great Cremonese makers – a splendid 1659 Nicolo Amati.
