Paul McDowell Musical Services

Musical Profile

Education

My musical education started when I taught myself at my parents' piano at the age of 4. Later I attended the Latymer School, Edmonton, where I studied singing and organ under Michael Brewer (who left to become Director of Music at Chetham's School, Manchester and who is now a renowned conductor and choral facilitator). I sang bass in the Latymer Madrigal Group that toured the USA and Canada in 1974. The Madrigal Group made many concert appearances and recordings including Duruflé's Requiem at Huddersfield Town Hall; a concert of madrigals at the Queen Elizabeth Hall (preceded by an appearance on BBC1 TV); and a series of the BBC Radio 4 schools' programme Singing Together. I was also in the Enfield Young Symphony Orchestra and appeared as timpanist in a concert at the Royal Albert Hall. I also ran a seven-piece jazz band which played at Latymer and a few other places in the Enfield area (the "Ashworth Apes"). Around this time, in 1976-7, I first played organ for church services at St Mary with St John, Dysons Road, Edmonton, and Stoke Newington Methodist Church, and harpsichord for performances of Purcell's "Dido and Aeneas" at Latymer and "Come ye Sons of Art" at Theobalds Park, Hertfordshire. 

Musical History

I was appointed Organist and Choirmaster of Wesley Methodist Church, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex in 1978, and have remained Organist there ever since. I am the resident Organist for the Southend and Leigh Methodist Circuit Choir. I am a founder member (1979) of the renowned folk band, the Famous Potatoes, in which I play accordion and piano - see their own website for full information. I founded the Legra Ensemble, a chamber choir and orchestra which specialises in early music, in 1997 and am its Musical Director. I am the arranger of music for the annual Leigh-on-Sea Folk Carol Service which has been held every year since 1978, and I arrange and adapt music for several local soloists and groups, mostly traditional and public domain material. I am the official accompanist for both Leigh-on-Sea and Southend Musical Festivals.

"A Book of Folk Carols", which I wrote and compiled  together with Professor Kenneth MacKinnon, based on our experience of 25 years of the Leigh-on-Sea Folk Carol Service, was published in 2004, and "The Stream Ever Flowing", a collection of lesser known Charles Wesley hymns with music, in 2007. See "Books" for more details. I am also working on another book relating to Methodist history - a modern performing edition of John Wesley's 1780 collection "Sacred Harmony".

All this, together with holding down a full-time job with HM Customs and Excise from 1978 to 2002, led me to move to work part-time there from January 2003 and leave entirely at the end of March 2005. For two hours each weekday morning I now work as administrator at my own church (Wesley Methodist, Leigh-on-Sea), and the rest of the time I do a wide variety of musical work.

Recent Work (see also "Regular musical work" below)

2008
Researching and performing "live music" round for music quiz (Accordion)
Old Time Music Hall (Piano and singing)
Handel's Messiah (Organ continuo, with the Eastwood Chorale)
"Rock for Havens Sake" one-day charity festival (Accordion, with Famous Potatoes)

Forthcoming work:
Accompanying singer for dinner function (Piano)
Leigh Folk Festival barn dance (Accordion and piano, with Famous Potatoes)
Wesley Theatre Group pantomime

2007
Recording music for client in USA (Piano)
"Down the Shelter" revue (Piano)
Wesley Theatre Group "Farndale Macbeth" (Piano)
Accompanying Felicity Redman for concert, Derbyshire (Piano)
Accompanying Felicity Redman at Judicial Support Board recitals, Warwick University (Piano)
Leigh Folk Festival (Accordion and piano, with Famous Potatoes)
Legra Ensemble concert (Arranging music, conducting, singing, virginals, piano, accordion)
Accompanying for Benfleet Operatic Society (Piano)
Playing for school prizegiving (Piano)
Judging for Methodist hymn competition
Arranging Charles Wesley anniversary services (Organ, singing, speaking, virginals, piano)
Playing with violinist at secular funeral (Accordion)
Accompanying singer Emily Griffiths at English-Speaking Union award concert (Piano)
Irish evening at Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch (Accordion and piano, with Famous Potatoes)
Carols for the Eastwood Chorale (Piano)

2006
Golden wedding reception (Piano)
Mozart Requiem (Organ, with the Eastwood Chorale)
BBC Radio 3 Andy Kershaw session (Accordion and piano, with Famous Potatoes)
"Burning Questions" musical (Piano)
Songs of Praise for Love Southend (Organ and singing)
Accompanying Felicity Redman at Judicial Support Board recitals, Warwick University and Highgate House (Piano)
Handel's Messiah (Organ, with Southend Festival Chorus)
Leigh Folk Festival (Accordion and piano, with Famous Potatoes)
Fauré Requiem, Haydn Little Organ Mass and other works (Organ, with Southend Festival Chorus)
Fidelio Singers sacred music concert (Organ)

2005
Vanessa Cozens in concert at Southend Civic Centre (Piano)
French music for launch of Flybe's scheduled passenger services from Southend Airport (Accordion)
Accompanying at Leytonstone Festival of Singing (Piano)
Wedding reception (Accordion)
Bach St Matthew Passion (Organ continuo, with the Eastwood Chorale)
Accompanying Felicity Redman at Judicial Support Board recitals, Warwick University and Highgate House (Piano)
Accompanying Felicity and Tiffany Redman for Essex County Cricket Club Twenty20 match (Piano)
Hilary Pell and Southend Festival Chorus in concert at Leigh-on-Sea (Organ, Piano)
An Evening of Folk Carols (concert/lecture/recital; accordion, with Charlie Skelton, Famous Potatoes, The Honeygales and others)

2004
Music for Burns Night (Accordion)
Greenbelt Festival Angels Weekend, High Leigh (Accordion, with poet Paul Cookson)
"The Twist" at Spring Harvest, Minehead (Accordion, with poet Paul Cookson)
Broadstairs Folk Week (Accordion and piano, with Famous Potatoes)
Thanksgiving service for Speakability charity's 25 years, St John's, Waterloo (Organ)
Wesley Dramatic Society pantomime (Accordion)
New Year's eve housewarming party (Piano)

Other regular musical work
As organist, for weddings, funerals, baptisms, carol services and other special services as well as for regular Sunday worship
As accordionist and pianist for the Famous Potatoes
Arranging, researching, transcribing and compiling
Official Accompanist for Leigh-on-Sea and Southend Musical Festivals (Piano, occasional accordion)
Accompanying for Ridley Studios - ballet, tap and preparation for musical shows (Piano)
Accompanying Southend Operatic and Dramatic Society for rehearsals (Piano)
Accompaniment for A-level recitals and recordings (Piano)
Accompaniment for Associated Board, Trinity Guildhall, Royal Academy of Dance and ISTD examinations and auditions (Piano)
"The Twist" at Greenbelt Festival, Cheltenham (Accordion, with poet Paul Cookson)

Recordings (* = still available)

With the Latymer Choir and Madrigal Group:

With the Famous Potatoes:

With Garth Hewitt:

With the Legra Ensemble:

Contact me

e-mail paul.mcdowell@easynet.co.uk or telephone 01702 474255.