Paul Cowell

Brief musical biography

Paul Cowell played percussion for many years. He played in and composed for the Cirencester Percussion Ensemble under the direction of Elis Pehkonen, and later studied in York, where he lived for over twenty years. After two years studying the recorder intensively in New York, he decided to concentrate on continuo playing. Back in York, he co-directed the St Michael-le-Belfrey Chamber Ensemble, conducting and directing from the keyboard. Paul is a composer and arranger living in London; his pieces have been played on the BBC and ABC, and performed in Europe, Japan, USA and Australia.

Recent and upcoming  performances

Three Bird Songs for baritone and piano

To be performed at the Fifth Raising Cash for Crisis Concert by Paul Medlicott on 24 November 2019 at Omnibus Theatre, Clapham, London

Ground Bach for clarinet and cello

To be played as part of Osmose Intermezzo 2019 by Géraldine Fastré (clarinet) and Bruno Ispiola (cello) on 15 November 2019 at L’Entrela'–Centre culturel d’Evere, 43 rue de Paris, Evere, Brussels, Belgium

Three Haiku after Basho for Flute, Clarinet and Trombone

To be played  by Simon Desorgher (Flute), Phil Edwards (Clarinet) and Alan Tomlinson (Trombone) on 14 October 2019 at Burgh House, Hampstead

Prelude for toy piano

Selected to be part of the 100-note Toy Piano Project to be played and recorded by David Bohn

Shadowed from heaven's eye for piano and wind quintet

Played by London New Wind Festival Ensemble on 9 October 2018 at Burgh House, Hampstead, London

The Red Queen's Race for chamber orchestra

Played by the London Contemporary Chamber Orchestra on 29 September 2018 at St George the Martyr, Borough High Street, London, UK

Nothing Stands for accordion

Played at the Festival AGORA on 10 August 2018 at Adelboden, Switzerland

Les pas de ballet for violin and harp

Played by ROS|CAR duo as part of the Applause New Music Series in Arlington Texas, USA on 14 July 2018 at New Hope Baptist Church, Mansfield, Texas, USA

Cuba Night  for clavichord

Part of the Daniel Blitz Clavichord Project 10 published 10 June 2018

Koto for harp

Played by Camilla Pay at The Future Blend Project Hidden Gem Concert on Saturday 6th January 2018 at The Great Hall, Lord Leycester Hospital, Warwick, UK

Fall, Leaves, Fall for mezzo-soprano, tenor, viola and piano, words by Emily Brontë

Played by Contemporary Columbus on Sunday, 17 December at Wild Goose Creative in Columbus, Ohio, USA

SWARM for alto saxophone and harp

Played by the Admiral Launch Duo on 1 December 2017 at Bezanson Recital Hall in  Amherst, Massachusetts, USA

Noah (Prayers from the Ark) for chamber orchestra

Played by the London Contemporary Chamber Orchestra on 30 September 2017 at St George the Martyr, Borough High Street, London, UK

Haiku for flute and trombone

Played by Angela Reynolds, flute & Patrick Reynolds, trombone on 14 May 2017, at St. Paul of the Cross Monastery, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Nebula IC 434 for fixed media

On the album Sonic Little Cat  released by Urban Arts Berlin, Germany

Rosetta Fanfare for wind band

Played at the 2017 BandWidth festival of wind bands on  Sunday, 30 April 2017 at Landmark Center, Saint Paul MN, USA

Passing Bells for fixed media

Included on the album Sn (Stannum): Experimental electronic music.  (Spotify link)

Prière de la fourmi - A Prayer from inside the Ark for mandolin, guitar and left-hand piano

Played by Keisuke Arima (left-hand piano), Kosuke Hashizume (guitar) and Keizo Ishibashi (mandolin) at Kyoto Art Center, Japan on 8th September 2016

Watching in the white sunshine for percussion trio

Played by Lineage Percussion at the University of Georgia on 29 April 2016

Cantus for euphonium and strings

Finalist in III International Composition Award “Ciudad de Orihuela” Finalists' concert on 9 April at “La Lonja” Concert Hall, Orihuela (Alicante - Spain), at 8 p.m. POSTPONED

Three Haiku after Bashô for violin, flute and trombone

Played by Jackie Shave (Violin) Ruth Morley (Flute) and John Kenny (Trombone) at Summerhall, Edinburgh on 1 February 2016, as part of Red Note's 'Noisy Nights' series

​La danse de l'âme and La sarabande du corps for fixed media

Chosen October 2015 to be part of a project in 2016 to add music to the philosopher Jean-Luc Nancy reading from 58 indices sur le corps

Leise flehen die Lieder for piano

Played by Stephen Porter at Symphony Space, Leonard Nimoy Thalia, New York USA (24 October 2015)

Re:CHORDS collaborative work for string orchestra

Played by the Peckham Chamber Orchestra at The Liberal Club, Peckham, London UK 28 July 2015

Six Haiku after Bashô for percussion quartet
2nd prize in 'Nothing with Wheels' Competition

Played by The Portland Percussion Group at The Old Church (9 May 2015) and Lewis and Clark College (12 July 2015) Portland Oregon, USA

What song the Syrens sang for fixed media

Part of Sounds by the Sea at St Pete’s Beach, Florida USA (21 November 2014)

Valse vocale for soprano and flute

Played by Aurae (now called conText) at Jan Hus Church, New York City (23 November 2014), with a repeat the Elebash Recital Hall, City University of New York USA