Dr Calvin Bowman is a graduate of the University of Melbourne and was the first Australian to graduate with a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Yale University, with the assistance of a Fulbright scholarship. As well as Calvin's talented church musician abilities, via his extensive and accomplished liturgical playing and creative composition on both organ and piano, Calvin is an eminently qualified and experienced church choir conductor. Calvin's first opportunity to conduct a church choir was granted to him at the age of fourteen in Ballarat. At the age of nineteen, he was appointed the youngest Director of Music in the history of St Michael's Uniting Church, Melbourne. Since those times, Calvin has gone on to conduct numerous parish choirs in both Australia and the United States. More recently during 2019, he was appointed the conductor of the chamber choir 'Choristry'. 

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Calvin is a motivated Director of Music conducting the St Andrew's Choir. His background is such that, as a vocal coach and accompanist for many eminent singers over the years, he can present a multitude of ideas to train the choristers in essential techniques.  Calvin says, 'Young people are our future. It's a great privilege to introduce them in an engaging way to the best of what we have. It's also a responsibility, and one which I take very seriously.'

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Calvin is much in demand as a soloist, accompanist and chamber musician. As a keyboardist, he has premièred works by many prominent Australian composers and appeared as soloist with most of the major Australian orchestras. Calvin is also a prolific composer, specialising in the form of art song. Most recently, his songs have been performed in iconic venues such as the Musikverein and the Elbphilharmonie. His significant awards include an Australia Council Fellowship. He has also been commissioned by organisations such as Ars Musica Australis and Symphony Australia, as well as by many individuals and ensembles. He is an exclusive Decca/UMA artist. A recording of his art song entitled 'Real and Right and True' was released in 2018. 

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Calvin commenced as Director of Music in June 2020, a role which also includes principal organist, which he began in October 2019.

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Image: Terry Lane

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