Chad R. Bowles
Co-Chair, Piano Department
A rising star in the piano world, American pianist Chad R. Bowles is increasingly recognized as a master of his instrument and routinely hailed for an ideal combination of innate musicianship and stunning virtuosity. Equally at home with lesser-known gems, as well as the standard repertoire, his performances have brought him to cities across the United States, Canada, and Europe including Toronto, Washington DC, Columbus, Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia, Toulouse, and Montréal. His numerous recital appearances as a soloist have seen him in venues including many colleges and universities in the United States, the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., the La Gesse Festival in France, and the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in California. He frequently performs benefit recitals and one-hour long concerts which bring classical music to new audiences, in addition to creating an appreciation for some of the forgotten areas of the piano repertoire. His recitals often feature a natural interaction with the audience through commentary from the stage, something that his listeners have responded to very favorably.
In recent seasons, Bowles has made recital appearances on series across the country including the Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda, Concerts at the Common in Harvard, CCBC Music Forum Series (which is recorded for television), Stowe Performing Arts, Mildred McDaniel Concert Series, and the University of New Hampshire, as well as recitals in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maryland, Virginia, Florida, California, and many others.
As a recording artist, he is fast securing a reputation among critics and the public alike as an artist of rare communicative power. His debut recording of five Haydn Sonatas was released in November 2009 by JRI Recordings, and was promptly named by Fanfare Magazine as "the starting point for anyone not familiar with Haydn's sonatas" and continued "If you are already familiar, all the more reason to catch up with Mr. Bowles." His second recording for JRI was released in April 2010 and features Richard Strauss' Enoch Arden with Bass-Baritone David Ripley. Less than a month after its release, it was named one of World Magazine's 'Notable CDs' of 2010. Two upcoming projects include a digital album of Liszt piano works and a CD of sonatas by Chopin and Liszt.
Bowles' performances have been recorded for and broadcast on both television and radio. He is the recipient of several awards in recognition of his abilities, including the Ivory Classics Earl Wild Teaching Scholarship (of which he was the first ever recipient), the La Gesse Foundation Fellowship, and the Peabody Conservatory Career Development Grant. He has performed widely not only as a soloist, but as a chamber musician, making appearances with members of the Baltimore and New World Symphony Orchestras.
A New England native, Bowles holds a bachelor's degree in Piano Performance from the University of New Hampshire and both a master's degree and the Graduate Performance Diploma from the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Maryland, where he served as a teaching assistant in the Keyboard Studies department. His primary teachers include Arlene Kies, Frederick Moyer, Alexander Shtarkman, and legendary American pianist Earl Wild. He makes his home in Baltimore, Maryland, where he is Co-Chair of the Piano Department at Peabody Preparatory.
You may visit him on the web at: www.chadrbowles.com
