Over many years’ experience as a conductor of children’s and amateur choral groups, Peter has regularly produced compositions and arrangements for voices – both with instrumental accompaniment and a cappella – in response to opportunities and requests for concerts and church services (at Christmas, and throughout the year). So as to make these pieces available to performers more widely, a collection of Peter’s choral music is offered here (together with occasional instrumental miniatures), which may be listened to, downloaded, copied and performed free of charge.
The music has proved popular with singers, audiences and congregations in England and abroad and evokes Peter’s own eclectic tastes: as well as Renaissance, light and folk music from around the world, he especially enjoys conducting sacred Russian repertoire; he has published articles on the music of Sir Peter Maxwell Davies and led the group Intimate Voices in performances of Stockhausen’s Stimmung.
Though a graduate in music from London University, Peter is self-taught as a composer; his work has received encouragement from Alan Bullard, Andrew Carter and John Rutter at annual gatherings of the Association of British Choral Directors.
The Scores
The sheet music can be viewed and downloaded in PDF format and can be copied and performed for free. Of course, Peter Owens should be acknowledged as the composer or arranger in all such performances. He would be pleased to have notice of them and receive any feedback, from rehearsals or concerts, through the email link on this site.
The Recordings
MP3 files are included for all of the pieces. Wherever possible, these are live recordings, but MIDI realizations are otherwise provided. The variable quality of the live recordings reflects the fact that all were made in a single take during public performances. Even so, it is hoped that this material offers useful support for score-reading.