The University of Iowa School of Music will present a free organ recital by guest artist Kevin Bowyer at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 31, in Riverside Recital Hall on the UI campus.

The program will include Toccata, Adagio, and Fugue in C (BWV 564) by J. S. Bach; A Fancy in Gamut Flatt by Orlando Gibbons; Sonata 1 in F minor by Felix Mendelssohn; Prelude and Fugue in C minor by J.N. Hummel; Triviumby Arvo Pärt; and Fiesta! by Iain Farrington.

Bowyer was born in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, in January 1961, and studied with Christopher Bowers-Broadbent, David Sanger, Virginia Black, and Paul Steinitz. In his early career he won first prizes in five international organ competitions, and his 1987 world premiere of Kaikhosru Sorabji’s two-hour solo, Symphony for Organ, considered “impossible” ever since its publication in 1925, helped to cement his reputation as a player of contemporary music and music of extreme technical complexity.

In Europe, Bowyer has played solo and concerto concerts in most of the major venues and festivals. Tours abroad have taken him throughout Europe, North America, Australia, and Japan. He has released numerous solo CDs, many of which have won awards. These include many landmark recordings of contemporary music as well as the complete organ music of J. S. Bach (on 29 CDs). Jonathan Wearn, writing for MusicWeb International, described him as “one of the world’s hardiest and most formidable virtuosos…” and Gramophone magazine described him as “unique.”

The School of Music is part of the Division of Performing Arts in the UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. For accommodations at the concert contact the School of Music at 319-335-1603. For a UI arts calendar and details about upcoming events visit the new Arts Iowa website.