Robert Eric Bowman

1940 - 2023

ROBERT ERIC BOWMAN Dr. Robert Eric Bowman, also known as Bob, was a prominent concert pianist, professor, and private music teacher. He was born on April 2, 1940 in San Francisco, CA, to Robert Sydney Bowman (1911-1951) and Sydney Jane Bowman (1916-1988). He was the eldest of two boys and brother to Christopher L. Bowman. His father, Robert, was a branch manager at a plumbing supply store until his early death when the boys were still young. Bob's mother, Jane, was the daughter of a conductor and was herself a skilled two-piano musician. A graduate of UC Berkeley and medical secretary, she instilled in her son a love for music and the value of discipline needed for refining Robert's many skills as a pianist. In 1980, Jane moved to Chico, where Robert worked as a professor, to be close to his family. She founded the Keyboard Ensemble Workshop (KEW). Upon her passing in 1988, Chico State University created the Jane Bowman Jewitt scholarship for keyboard students in her honor. Robert lived much of his early life in San Francisco, then moved to Palo Alto in 1948. Bob first studied piano under Gertrude Weeth, practicing six hours daily on an antique Grand Steinway (1866) which the family had inherited several years earlier and occupied most of the Bowman's ranch-style home's dining room. Robert attended Jordan Junior High School from 1952-1955 and played with the school's band. From 1955-1958, he attended Palo Alto ("Paly") High School. While at Paly, he was selected to be the Chief Justice of the student court, studied French, and served as a lineman for their football team, the Vikings. During this time, Bob attended a summer music academy for young people at the College of the Pacific (Stockton), and acted in a performance of Gilbert and Sullivan's HMS Pinafore, as well as playing piano in Wright's and Forest's operetta based on the music of Grieg, The Song of Norway. His interest in politics and social justice germinated during this time. He went to high school with Joan Baez, who led anti-war sit-ins at the school when they held air raid drills and introduced Robert to various peace and civil rights activists. Upon graduation, Robert was admitted to Stanford University, where he majored in Music. He studied piano privately under Adolph Baller. At Stanford, he learned orchestration and conducted Beethoven's 7th Symphony for the Stanford Symphony Orchestra for his senior project. Robert received his B.A. in Music in 1962 and his M.A. in Orchestral Conducting in 1964 from Stanford. He also enrolled in the Army ROTC at Stanford and later served as Lieutenant of the United States Army Reserves. He married Andrea Larson after their respective university graduations in 1963, then went on active duty as a special services officer stationed in Ft. Slocum, New York. In 1969, Bob received his Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Southern California, majoring in piano with harpsichord performance, with composition and conducting as secondary areas. During this time, Robert and Andrea had three children: Eric, Bryan, and Laura (now Kai Ruff). Robert taught music at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois, before joining the music faculty at Chico State University in 1971, where he coordinated the keyboard program until 2003. He married Patricia Gilstrap (now Griffin), with whom he had a daughter, Sarah. He was also briefly married to Judy Lee. In 1993, Robert married Judy Holliday Kane, with whom he spent his remaining thirty years and became the step-father to her son, Abe. Throughout his career, Robert performed extensively on the Pacific Coast, Midwest, and Atlantic Coast in solo and chamber ensemble recitals, numerous appearances with orchestras, and on Radio-TV. He has also performed solo and ensemble recitals in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Japan, and Mexico. He appeared as featured soloist with the New Rochelle Symphony in New York, the University of Southern California Congress of Strings, the Camellia Symphony of Sacramento, the CSU, Chico Symphonic Wind Ensemble, the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra, the Paradise and Shasta Symphony Orchestras, and the Chico Symphony Orchestra. Notable performances include Brahms' Concerto no. 2, Rachmaninoff's Concerto no. 3, Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, Schumann's Concerto Op. 54 in A minor, Mozart's Concerto no. 20 in D minor; Bach's Concerto in D minor BWV 1052, (Goldberg Variations) and Brandenburg Concerto no. 5, and the works of Chopin, Dvorak, and Liszt. After retiring as Professor Emeritus in 2008, Robert maintained a private music studio as a piano teacher, performed concerts, as well as presented workshops, master classes, and lecture-recitals on a wide variety of subjects. He taught Ortho-Bionomy, the Taubman Approach, stress management techniques, and principles of the Alexander Method to promote wellness in musicians by preventing tension, pain, and injury. In 2009, he joined the faculty of the Sacramento School of Music. He recently performed Mozart's Concerto no. 24 in C Minor with the Shasta Symphony Orchestra in Feb. 2023. In addition to music, Robert was also a spiritual seeker who explored a wide variety of beliefs and practices, as well as a committed social justice activist. He gave benefit recitals to fund services for the unhoused, regularly lobbying the Chico City Council and Butte County Board of Supervisors to advocate for better housing and accommodations. Robert died peacefully at Enloe Hospital on December 9, 2023, after complications from a series of small strokes earlier that week. He was surrounded by multiple generations of close family and friends. He is survived by his wife Judy, his brother Chris, his children Eric, Bryan, Kai, Sarah, and Abe, his grandchildren Harley, Sydney, Andrew, and Catalina, and his great grand-daughter Piper. Also within his immediate family are his first wife Andrea, her husband Lance, Bryan's wife Cindy, Kai's husband Charles, and Sarah's husband Kjell, among many other extended family, colleagues, students, and friends. The celebration of Bob's life will take place at Trinity United Methodist Church at 285 E. 5th Street, Chico, CA on Saturday, April 6, 2024, and will include a variety of musical performances from his accomplished students and colleagues. In lieu of flowers, please send any donations to Chico Action Housing Team (CHAT): https://www.chicohousingactionteam.net/donate