David Owens, pianist/composer, has long experience as an organist, conductor, and accompanist. He has appeared as piano and organ soloist, besides working as a collaborative artist with hundreds of singers and instrumentalists. He studied composition at the Eastman School of Music and piano at the Manhattan School.
A widely-read music journalist, he received the Deems Taylor Award for Distinguished Music Criticism from the American performing rights society, ASCAP. He has published and networked widely on the subject of contemporary music, including radio work, lectures and panels, besides serving as a consultant on the subject to such organizations as the New York Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Maryland State Arts Council, and the American Symphony Orchestra League.
Owens’ compositions have been played and sung by a number of chamber ensembles, orchestras, choruses, and soloists. Included among his works are The Shores of Peace (chorus and chamber orchestra); Trio for Violin, Horn and Piano; concertos for cello and for viola; an opera in three acts, Jonah; and a chamber song cycle, Goldonda Songs (based on Harry Martinson’s space epic, Aniara).