He was bass trombonist for the Virginia Grand Military Band, Legacy Brass and other DC area ensembles.
[1] Bowie was for many years Principal and Bass Trombonist of the Bangor Symphony Orchestra, a post which he left in September, 1997, to relocate to the Washington, DC, area.
One hundred-thirty-eight years old in the summer of 1997, the Bangor Band under Dr. Bowie performed year around with a mixed repertoire including band classics, overtures and transcriptions as well as popular tunes, movies and show music, patriotic music and Dixieland.
His many compositions include pieces for band, trombone, string orchestra, brass ensembles, and a large variety of other chamber music.
He was a performing arts copyright specialist for the Library of Congress, as well as founder of Serendipity Press, a publisher of brass and woodwind solo and ensemble music with nationwide distribution.