Mark Bowden's music has been described as ‘an exceptional and absorbing pleasure’ [The Guardian], ‘conjuring up magic and mystery’ [Opera], ‘invigorating’ [The Times] and ‘powerfully dramatic’ [BBC Radio 3]. Mark studied composition with Richard Steinitz and Julian Anderson at Huddersfield University and the Royal College of Music. He continued his studies at Dartington and on the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme, at Aldeburgh. Mark has enjoyed residencies with: BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Rambert Dance Company, Aldeburgh Music, Handel House Museum, Kettle's Yard, University of Cambridge, the Visby International Centre for Composers in Sweden, and the MacDowell Colony in the US. He has composed for leading ensembles including: BBC Symphony Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, Welsh National Opera, Ulster Orchestra, Arditti Quartet, Chroma, Fidelio Trio, Kokoro, Ostrava Banda, Philharmonia Orchestra, Spitalfields Festival, London Handel Festival and many others.

 

Mark’s music is performed at festivals and events throughout the UK, Europe and the US and can be heard regularly on radio stations around the world. He is currently Professor of Composition at Royal Holloway, University of London and chair of the British section of the International Society for Contemporary Music. In 2015 Mark was awarded the Welsh Music Guild’s Glanville Jones Award and in 2016 he received a British Composer Award.