About me
Patrick Bowen has served as Director of World Jazz Studies at Las Vegas Academy of the Arts since 2001 and Director of Percussion since 1993. Under his leadership, LVA’s jazz bands have performed at prestigious events including the Midwest Clinic, Monterey Jazz Festival, Reno Jazz Festival, Brandon Jazz Festival, Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, and the Jazz Education Network Conference. The school has received 12 Grammy Awards—an achievement unmatched by any other high school in the nation—and has earned 26 DownBeat Awards from DownBeat Magazine.
Patrick is the Principal Percussionist for the Las Vegas Philharmonic and has performed with world-renowned artists including Celine Dion, Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga, Garth Brooks, Harry Connick Jr., Seth MacFarlane, Usher, Elton John, Clint Black, Sheila E., Wynonna Judd, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Don Henley, Andrea Bocelli, David Foster, and many others. A sought-after clinician and adjudicator, he has worked with jazz festivals across the U.S. and Canada, including the Con Brio Music Festival (Whistler, Canada), Sun Peak’s Jazz Festival (Canada), Hank’s Jazz Festival (El Paso, TX), Reno Jazz Festival (Reno, NV), the Utah All-State Music Festival, and the University of Louisville Jazz Festival.
He holds a B.M. in Music Performance (Cum Laude) from the Hartt School of Music, an M.M. in Music Performance from the University of Montana, and a Teaching Certificate from UNLV. His jazz mentors include Jackie McLean, Nat Reeves, Jaki Byard, and Alexander Lepak. Bowen is endorsed by Crescent Cymbals, Grover Pro Percussion, Regal Tip by Calato, and Toca Percussion.
