Steve Bowey B.Eng, FRCO – Accompanist

Steve studied organ and piano from an early age, playing the organ regularly at St Francis and St Andrews churches in Coulsdon.  After studying Engineering at Salford University he moved to Newbury to work for Vodafone. In 1991 Steve was appointed as accompanist of the Cromwell Singers and became their musical director in 1993. From 1992, he was Director of Music at St Mary's Church, Shaw-cum-Donnington, and regularly accompanies for local choirs, including the Douai Choral Society, the Downland Chorale, the RSCM Southern Cathedral Singers, Berkshire Maestros youth choirs, Worcester College Oxford and Newbury Choral society.

In June 1995 an opportunity at work took Steve to live in Holland. On returning to Newbury in 1997 he returned to St Mary's Shaw-cum-Donnington as organist. He is a regular performer in the Newbury and District Organists' Association lunchtime recital series and has also given recitals in Thaxted, Caterham and Manchester and Farnham. In 2001 he was appointed Musical Director of the Sandham Singers. 

In 2006 Steve joined the Royal College of Organists, and in July the following year took the examination for Associate (ARCO) in which he was awarded the Limpus prize for performance, as well as the Sowerbutts and Samuel Baker prizes. After further study, he was awarded the Fellowship diploma (FRCO) in January 2011.

February 2011