Edward Cowie

Edward Cowie (born 17 August 1943) is an Australian composer, author, natural scientist, and painter.

Edward Cowie was born in England in 1943, and spent most of his early life in the rural countryside of Suffolk and then The Cotswolds.

This first-hand experience of nature was to have a profound influence on his life and work.

In 1964, he began composition studies with Alexander Goehr and in 1971 he won a Chopin Fellowship to study with Witold Lutosławski in Poland.

He also came under the influence of Michael Tippett, who remained a close friend and mentor.

Early recognition came with the 1975 BBC Proms commission Leviathan for large orchestra, and this was followed by a string of festival commissions and recordings.

Major works from this period include Gesangbuch (1975-6), the Piano Concerto (1976-7) and Concerto for Orchestra (1982), as well as the opera Commedia (1976-7).

Among works from this time are the Clarinet Concerto (1978), Choral Symphony (1983), Atlas (1986), Cello Concerto (1993, revised 2003) and several pieces inspired by the Australian folk-hero Ned Kelly.

Further recordings in celebration of the composer’s 80th birthday are ‘The Kreutzer Effect’ including four portrait solo pieces for members of The Kreutzer Quartet and includes Cowie’s 7th String Quartet.

His three new piano sonatas, ‘Rock Music 1-3’ are also being recorded in October 2023- all recordings to be released on Metier Divine Arts.

In October, Cowie is to make his first CD as performer in a duo recording with the eminent Australian flautist, Laura Chislett.

In recent years Cowie has composed an ever increasing number of works fur soloists, duos and chamber groups.

Many leading international musicians are performing his music.

In 1983, Cowie was awarded the first Granada Composer Fellowship with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.

He remained with the orchestra for three years and worked with them as both composer and conductor.

He subsequently worked as a conductor with several major orchestras and ensembles in Britain and Australia.

After twelve years in Australia he returned to England to live in 1995.

He is to return to Australia to live full time in November, 2023.

Cowie's appointment as the first Composer in Association with the BBC Singers (2002-6) saw the completion of some of his most complex and inventive scores, including Gaia (2002), an hour-long creation epic inspired by the writings of James Lovelock and National Portraits, shortlisted for the 2007 British Composer, Radio 3 Listeners' Award.

His 24 Preludes were released on UHR Label in 2008 to critical acclaim.

In May 2010 the third part (Spring) of Four Seasons for a cappella choir, a joint commission by CC21 in London and Commotio in Oxford, received its premiere.

The conductor, Howard Williams, has premiered many of Cowie's works.

This was followed by the release of his Magma Psalm for Harp and Wind Quartet on NMC label in March, 2010.

His Rutherford's Lights, a massive cycle of 24 pieces for solo piano has just been recorded on UHR label with Richard Casey as the pianist and was released in the early autumn, 2010.

It was described as 'an epic achievement' in International Piano Magazine in February 2010.

The Rutherford cycle was followed by his 'Particle Partita for solo Violin', a set of 8 sort pieces that trace the time-line in the history of particle physics.

Collaborating first with physicist Sir Michael Berry FRS on the Rutherford Cycle, the Particle Partita was a collaboration between Cowie and particle physicist Professor Brian Foster FRS of Oxford University and CERN.

A new collaboration has begun with Sir Michael Berry on an Oboe Quintet, 'The Colours of Dark Light', and will be premiered in the 2013/14 season with the Coull Quartet and Christopher Redgate.2013 saw celebrations of Cowie's 70th birthday with a BBC Prom commission, 'Earth Music 1' premiered by the BBC Philharmonic under Noseda.

There was also a Proms Portrait Concert in the RCM and a special birthday-tribute concert given for him by the BBC Singers.

The new Signum Classics release of Cowie's 'Gesangbuch' and other choral/instrumental works was received with critical acclaim as was Earth Music 1.

The Kreutzer Quartet released the first in a series of recordings of Cowie's String Quartets, the first being quartets 3-5 and on the NMC Label.

Cowie's connection with the renowned Kreutzer Quartet has led to the composition of a 6th and 7th Quartets.

The Kreutzers have now recorded all of his quartets from 1 to 6.

The quarters have been received to great critical acclaim.

Cowie signed with Metier Divine Arts in 2019.

This company is committed to an ongoing series of portrait recordings of his music.

Recent recordings have been his epic cycle of ‘ Bird Portraits’ (24 British Birds),for violin and piano, and a second bird cycle, ‘Where Song was Born’, devoted to Australian Birds and for flute and piano.

2021/22 saw the release of a second ‘bird portrait’ cycle, inspired by Australian Birds: Where Song was Born for Flute(s) and Piano- a release that earned high praise internationally.

The third ‘birds’ cycle, ‘Where the Wood Thrush forever Sings’, inspired by birds of the USA, for clarinet(s) and piano was released in September and has already attracted rave reviews.

The fourth cycle, ‘Because they have Songs’ - African birds, was recorded in September, 2023 and is scheduled for release on Metier Divine Arts in early 2024.