It may have come as a surprise to fans and those involved in the Santa Ynez Valley Master Chorale and Orchestra, when longtime music director and Maestro Chris A. Bowman announced that he would resign from the position and move on musically, though remain in the area.
Bowman began directing the local audition ensemble two decades ago, and enjoyed a residency programming classical favorites as well as his own compositions, he told the Sun. His last two concerts with the ensemble are on the weekend of April 30 and May 1.
“It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years, it’s been a good run, but it just seems like a good time to move on,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of other things I want to do, so we’ll let someone else direct the chorale now.”
The upcoming shows are titled the Coronation Concert, and were scheduled before Bowman knew he was leaving the group. This includes two compositions penned for coronations, Bowman explained, by two of his favorites, Mozart and Handel. The two masterworks bookend the concert, he said.
The program also includes two of Bowman’s original compositions, which have been usual for the concerts he has programmed for the ensemble over the years. One is an instrumental piece titled “Reflections,” and the other is an orchestral and chorale piece titled “Sanctus.”
“‘Reflections’ is just that, it’s quite contemplative, and that was a commissioned work,” he said. “‘Sanctus’ is a very flowing and linear piece, built on a motif that goes throughout the chorale and orchestra, it’s neat the way it’s integrated.”
Bowman has enjoyed programming works from the Neoclassical and Baroque eras, he said, but especially the Baroque period. The ensemble has performed Handel’s Messiah almost every year, let alone works by Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven.
He’s always had an affinity for that style of music, Bowman explained, and it’s influenced his own work.
“Baroque music has such an energy to me, it’s always moving forward,” he said. “I’ve always loved that energy, all music has an energy, but I’ve always loved Baroque music for that reason.”
Having an orchestra at the ready for 20 years is quite the creative boon for a composer. Music history has proven that, and Bowman is no different from other composers who’ve enjoyed artistic residencies.
“It’s great to have an orchestra and chorale at your fingertips, and we had a youth chorale for a while too, and that was great,” he said. “The members of the orchestra and chorale have always been receptive and excited to learn something new.”
But all great things eventually come to an end, and so Bowman made the difficult decision of bowing out of the Santa Ynez Valley Master Chorale and Orchestra and handing over the baton to a new director, whoever that may be.
Though this closes the chapter of Bowman’s career involvement with the ensemble, it’s not a departure from music. Far from it, actually, Bowman said.
“I’m going to be doing some recordings and some guest conducting, so I’m not stopping conducting at all, I’m just going in a different direction,” he said. “But speaking very generally, it’s good to move on and challenge yourself in a variety of ways, and that’s what I’m doing.”
Arts Editor Joe Payne wonders if he has enough baton skills to be considered as a replacement. Contact him at jpayne@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Apr 28 – May 5, 2016.