On the death of our President: James Bowman, CBE

The South West London Choral Society is sad to learn of the death of its President, the celebrated counter-tenor James Bowman, CBE, on 27 March 2023.

James became the choir's President following the death of Charles Farncombe in 2006.  In addition to being the choir's conductor from 1955 until 1970 and President from 1971 until his death, Charles had established the Handel Opera Society in 1955.  Between then and 1985 he gave staged performances of almost all Handel's operas (many for the first time since the 18th century), and James Bowman had taken leading roles in many of them.  His willingness to become our President kept alive a tangible connection with Charles Farncombe and thus with almost 70 years of the choir's recent history.  We remember with gratitude, too, the performance of Bach's Mass in B MInor in December 2011, marking the culmination of the choir's 125th anniversary season, when James appeared as counter-tenor soloist, despite having officially retired from performing earlier that year.  His warmth and kindness on that occasion were as memorable as the eloquence of his singing. 

May he rest in peace.