Organ Recital: Michael L. Bower

Louis Vierne (1870-1937)
from 24 Pièces de fantaisie: Troisième Suite, Op. 54 (1927)
     6. Carillon de Westminster

Léon Boëllmann (1862-1897)
from Suite Gothique (1895)
     II. Menuet gothique

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Toccata in D Minor, BWV 565/i

Louis Vierne
from Deuxième symphonie pour grand orgue, Op. 20
     III. Scherzo

Charles-Marie Widor (1844-1937)
from Symphonie pour orgue N°5, Op. 42, N°1
     V. Toccata


Michael L. Bower has enjoyed the privilege of directing wonderful groups of talented musicians on Long Island. A native of Floyd, Virginia, he began formal piano lessons at age six and was playing for Sunday school services in his home church by 12. He began teaching himself to play the organ at age 13 and held his first position as church organist at Zion Lutheran Church in Floyd at age 15.

Mr. Bower received his bachelor’s degree magna cum laude in sacred music and organ performance from Westminster Choir College, Princeton, where he studied organ with Donald McDonald, harpsichord with Mark Brombaugh, and conducting with Joseph Flummerfelt. He was a three-time recipient of the William and Mary Renneckar merit scholarship. During his undergraduate years, Mr. Bower pursued additional organ study with Marilyn Keiser of Indiana University and boys choir training with James Litton, Director of the American Boys Choir, Princeton and Gerre Hancock, St. Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue, New York.  He was also a member of Donald Allured’s Concert Handbell Choir. In 1985, he was appointed Associate Director of Music for St. Agnes Cathedral. At this time, he assisted Christoph Tietze in the development of a professional music program, including multiple choirs. He founded the Cathedral Girls Choir and trained the probationer group of the Boys Choir. In 1987, Bower continued specialized studies in organ and boys choir training with Stephen Cleobury at Kings College, Cambridge, and conducting with John Rutter at Clare College, Cambridge,  England.

Michael earned his master’s degree with honors in organ performance from the Manhattan School of Music in 1992, where he studied organ with John Walker, Baroque continuo with Kenneth Cooper, and conducting with Amy Keiser. At graduation, Bower received the John Cerovalo award for his outstanding performance of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. He has also done graduate work in liturgy at Notre Dame University and the National Pastoral Musicians Institute. Bower has performed organ recitals on the East Coast, the Mid-West, Germany, Austria, Italy, France, and England. He has performed on the organ at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City and with the Long Island Choral Society of Garden City, New York. Bower also performed Ned Rorem’s Quaker Reader in a concert at Columbia University as part of a festival celebrating the composer’s 75 ^th birthday in 1998. Michael is featured on the Christmas CD of the Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys released in December 2002, playing five solo organ selections. He has been a regional workshop clinician in choral vocal production, boys choirs, and organ performance.

Michael’s duties at St. Agnes Cathedral include directing the 65-voice Choir of Men and Boys, the 65-voice Cathedral Chorale (Adult), and the Schola Cantorum (16-voice a cappella ensemble), and the Cathedral Singers (extremely vocally gifted octet ensemble of the Cathedral’s professional singers). More recently, he created the Diocesan Boys Choir of Rockville Centre and the New MasterChorale 2013. Mr. Bower has prepared and conducted the Cathedral Choirs and Orchestra in performances of many choral masterworks including Handel’s  Messiah, Beethoven’s  Mass in C, Haydn’s  Harmoniemesse, and Mozart’s  Requiem. He has also toured with the Choir of Men and Boys to sing at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, St. Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue, New York City, The White House, and the Cathedral Basilica of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. In 1998, he prepared the Cathedral Chorale for a performance at Carnegie Hall conducted by John Rutter. In 2000, Michael prepared the Chorale and other Rockville Centre choral singers for a Millennium performance of Beethoven’s  Ninth Symphony. Michael was the Dean of the Nassau County Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, Chair of the International Conference of Roman Catholic Cathedral Musicians, and past member of the Diocesan Liturgy Commission of Rockville Centre.