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About Mike Mower

Mike Mower works as a composer, mainly writing newly commissioned works. His music is published by Itchy Fingers Publications for which he has also written a series of very successful books of educational standard music. Mike also works as an arranger for commercial music in a wide range of styles and combinations.

Mike originally studied classical flute at the Royal Academy of Music, London and was later awarded the ARAM (Associate of the Royal Academy of Music). He also plays the saxophone and clarinet, and has led numerous Jazz ensembles, playing his own compositions, from quartet to big band. In 1985 Mike founded and led Itchy Fingers, the internationally renowned jazz saxophone quartet which toured the world until disbanding in 1997.

As a freelance musician, Mike has played and recorded with jazz, rock and classical artists as diverse as Gil Evans, Tina Turner, Paul Weller, Björk, James Galway and Ryuchi Sakamoto.

Mike's playing and writing careers have always run side by side. As a composer and arranger, he has written for numerous Big Bands including the BBC Big Band and Radio Orchestra, NDR Radio Big Band, the Stockholm Jazz Orchestra, The University of Kentucky and the Texas Tech Wind Orchestra. Individual artists such as James Galway, Airto Moreira and Flora Purim, Clare Southworth and the Safri Duo have commissioned works from Mike as well as numerous ensembles from saxophone quartets to string quartets. He has arranged orchestral pop scores for styles as diverse as for "Pop Boy Bands", MOR covers, and for the Eurovision Song Contest.

Mike has edited and mastered dozens of CDs for artists from his studio as well as producing records for both classical and jazz ensembles. He has produced two albums for James Galway, "Tango Del Fuego" and "Unbreak My Heart" using his compositions and arrangements.

To listen to some of Mike's music, click here

He frequently performs and demonstrates his music at colleges, universities and music conventions worldwide. Mike plays a Powell flute and is currently a Powell endorsee.