Meirion Bowen

Meirion Bowen was born in Swansea in 1940 and studied music and English at Birmingham University and Cambridge. Subsequently, he taught at various London art-schools, was Director of Music at Kingston-upon-Thames University (1968-78) and at London School of Contemporary Dance (1978-81). He also worked as a BBC Radio Producer (1965-7) and has written extensively on music in various journals and newspapers, notably The Guardian (1968-1995). Meirion Bowen was founder/director of the percussion/theatre group, The Electric Candle (1968-1976), which toured all over the UK between, and broadcast on BBC. In the 1970s, he was Chairman of the Music Panel of the Great London Arts Association and was Vice-Chairman of the Michael Tippett Musical Foundation from 1979 until 1998. Meirion Bowen was artistic and personal manager to the composer Sir Michael Tippett from 1978 until his death in 1998. He accompanied him on worldwide tours, gave many lectures, seminars and master-classes on his work and produced recordings for Chandos. His books include a study of Tippett's music, editions of Tippett's essays and an edition of the writings of Roberto Gerhard. From 1989 to 1991, Meirion Bowen was Artistic Director of the King's Lynn Festival. He also worked as accompanist to the soprano Kathryn Harries , giving recitals all over the UK. In recent years, he has concentrated on musical arrangements and orchestrations.