Hugh McDowell
Encyclopedia
- For the rugby league footballer of the 1930s for England, and Widnes, see Hugh McDowellHugh McDowell (rugby league)Hugh McDowell is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1930s who at representative level has played for England, and at club level for Widnes.-International honours:...
Hugh McDowell (31 July 1953, Hampstead
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
) is an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
cellist best known for his membership in Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra were a British rock group from Birmingham who released eleven studio albums between 1971 and 1986 and another album in 2001. ELO were formed to accommodate Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne's desire to create modern rock and pop songs with classical overtones...
and related acts.
Career
McDowell started playing the cello at the age of four and a half and by the age of 10 he won a scholarship to the Yehudi Menhuin School of Music. Only one year later he made his first professional appearance in Benjamin Britten's "Turn Of The Screw", in which he sang. Later on he went to Kingsway College of Further Education, the Royal College of Music and Guildhall School of Music. He then played with the London Youth Symphony Orchestra, the London Schools Symphony OrchestraLondon Schools Symphony Orchestra
The London Schools Symphony Orchestra is a symphony orchestra with musicians drawn from students in London schools, and featuring professional conductors and soloists. It was founded in 1951. Its founder and original director was the late Dr Leslie Russell, at one time assisted by Niso Ticciati....
, National Youth Orchestra and London Youth Chamber Orchestra, until he was persuaded by Wilf Gibson to join The Electric Light Orchestra on cello.
McDowell performed with the first live line-up of ELO in 1972 while only 19 years old, but left with Roy Wood
Roy Wood
Roy Adrian Wood is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He was particularly successful in the 1960s and 1970s as member and co-founder of the bands The Move, Electric Light Orchestra, and Wizzard. As a songwriter, he contributed a number of hits to the repertoire of these bands.-Career:Wood...
to perform with the group Wizzard
Wizzard
Wizzard was a Birmingham-based band formed by Roy Wood, former member of The Move and co-founder of Electric Light Orchestra. The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits states, "Wizzard was Roy Wood just as much as Wings were Paul McCartney."-Biography:...
. He returned to ELO in 1973, replacing Colin Walker and adding much showmanship
Showmanship (performing)
Showmanship, concerning artistic performing such as in Theatre, is the skill of performing in such a manner that will appeal to an audience or aid in conveying the performance's essential theme or message....
to the live act. He remained with the group until Jeff Lynne
Jeff Lynne
Jeffrey "Jeff" Lynne is an English songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer who gained fame as the leader and sole constant member of Electric Light Orchestra and was a co-founder and member of The Traveling Wilburys together with George Harrison, Bob...
removed the string playing part of the line-up. He briefly returned to play live with Electric Light Orchestra Part II in 1991.
In 1980 he played on the album Gift Wrapped by his old ELO cellist bandmate Melvyn Gale
Melvyn Gale
Melvyn Gale is an English cellist.-Career:Gale obtained his classical music orientated education at the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Before joining the Electric Light Orchestra, he had already played with the London Palladium Orchestra, with whom he had his...
, who had founded the group Wilson Gale & Co.. In the autumn of 1980, he started to teach part-time at the musical instrument technology department of a London Higher Educational college, The London College of Furniture, now part of the Guildhall University. He conducted a children's orchestra and other orchestras at several London Schools.
He joined the 20th Century Chamber Groups George W. Welch, Harmonie Band and Quorum with whom he toured worldwide. Every now and then the quartet Quorum perform gigs of classical music. In 1995 he joined the contemporary music group the Cornelius Cardew
Cornelius Cardew
Cornelius Cardew was an English experimental music composer, and founder of the Scratch Orchestra, an experimental performing ensemble. He later rejected the avant-garde in favour of a politically motivated "people's liberation music".-Biography:Cardew was born in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire...
Ensemble.
For a short time he was a member of Radio Stars
Radio Stars
Radio Stars are an English new wave group formed in early 1977. They released three albums and had one UK Top 40 single.-Biography:Radio Stars were formed by ex-John's Children vocalist Andy Ellison, Sparks exile Martin Gordon , and Ian MacLeod in 1977, following the end of their underachieving...
circa 1982, recording
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
the single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, "My Mother Said" with the band.
More recently he has worked on the 2004 'Simon Apple
Simon Apple
Simon Apple are an American progressive rock band based in Philadelphia, .-Early Years:The band was formed in late 1987 in the Reading, PA area as a cover band playing music of Genesis, Rush, ELO, Supertramp, Steely Dan, Pink Floyd, Kansas, Billy Joel, Elton John, Marillion, Level 42, Earth Wind &...
' album River to the sea, on the 2005 Saint Etienne
Saint Etienne (band)
Saint Etienne are an English Pop group comprising Sarah Cracknell, Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs. They are named after the French football team AS Saint-Étienne.-History:Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs were childhood friends and former music journalists...
album Tales from Turnpike House
Tales from Turnpike House
Tales from Turnpike House is an album by British pop group Saint Etienne. Is a concept album in which the songs depict characters who all live in the eponymous block of flats in London.-Setting:...
and appeared as a guest artist on the 2007 Port Mahadia album, Echoes in time.
He is involved with computer programming and has published a computer program for music composing in 1992, which is called "Fractal Music Composer". He developed a suite for four programmes; Mandelbrot Set Composer, Julia Set Composer, Mandelbrot Zoom and Play Midi.
McDowell is also a composer, arranger, conductor and teacher. Throughout his career, from member of the super group ELO, through his performances and broadcasts as soloist for 20th C. Ensembles to principal cellist with the European Festival Chamber Orchestra, his interest and mastery in a broad range of musical styles has also driven a love of teaching. McDowell has also arranged and recorded for numerous pop, rock and jazz-fusion albums as well as collaborating in dance, film, and theatre projects.