American composer, pianist and conductor (born 1974)
Musical artist
Terry Lowry (born January 17, 1974) is an American composer, conductor and pianist. He is the Conductor and Music Director of the Carroll Symphony Orchestra.[1] His compositions include symphonies, concertos, oratorios, works for chamber ensembles and soloists, choral works and along with Dennis Blackmon, composed the musical Montgomery, based on the life of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Early life
Lowry was born in Albany, Georgia, and spent his childhood in the neighboring town of Adel. His father, a concert pianist and himself a Steinway Artist, served at various churches throughout Georgia as Director of Music, and the son spent much of his youth helping his father. His maternal grandmother was a church organist and had a great influence on her grandson, as well.
Lowry began piano studies with his father. He was later taught by Cathy Horne, his elementary school music teacher and then by Janet Robinson at Valdosta State University. At 17, Lowry left home for Shorter College where he studied piano with William Knight and composition with Peter DeWitt. After graduating with a degree in piano performance, he earned a Master’s degree from the University of Alabama where he studied with Marvin Johnson, Craig First and Amanda Penick.
Career
While an undergraduate student at Shorter, Lowry was invited by Steinway and Sons to become a Steinway Artist. This opened doors to a concert career during which Lowry has presented over 1000 piano recitals in North America and Europe.[2]
In 1999 Lowry founded the Etowah Chamber Orchestra in Cartersville, and in 2001, Lowry moved to Carrollton, Georgia, to found the Carroll Symphony Orchestra, which he continues to serve as Conductor and Music Director. With the Carroll Symphony Orchestra, Lowry has conducted the premieres of over 250 works composed for the CSO.
Lowry also serves as Conductor of the Carrollton Wind Ensemble and St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church (Atlanta) and is the pianist for the Carrollton Jazz Orchestra and the chamber ensemble Atlanta by Six.
Lowry’s compositions span the traditional concert genres of symphony, concerto, oratorio, as well as numerous chamber, choral and solo instrumental works. In 2019 he was selected the Commissioned Composer of the Year by the Georgia Music Teachers Association.[3]
Musical Overture
In 2012, Lowry, along with co-founder Steve Gradick, founded Musical Overture, an online networking site for musicians. In 2020 the company released Gig Room, an audio/video conferencing application with near-zero latency, allowing musicians to make music together in real-time. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Gig Room allowed many musicians to teach, rehearse and perform while under lock-down requirements.[4]
Hear Us
In 2017, using a beta version of Gig Room, Lowry’s production company, Hold the Frog Productions, presented the world’s first E-concert featuring violinist Clarissa Bevilacqua, pianist Rada Hanana and cellist Daniel Kaler. This event was documented in the film Hear Us, of which Lowry was Executive Director.
