COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA - David Lowry, an esteemed Winthrop University professor of organ and musicology for 46 years, passed away on Nov. 18.
Beloved by students and faculty alike, Lowry served in the Department of Music from 1965 to 2011. He shared the joy of music with an immeasurable number of listeners worldwide through his work as a church musician, organist, choir director, co-founder and artistic director of the York County Choral Society.
A service to celebrate Lowry's life will be held on Monday, Dec. 29, at 11 a.m. at Church of the Good Shepherd located at 1512 Blanding St., Columbia, SC. The obituary can be found here.
Professor of Music Matthew Manwarren, who handles the organ duties at Winthrop now, said Lowry was known for his highest standards, both as an organ professor and as a classroom lecturer. “His students continue to speak of his vast knowledge, as well as what he expected out of them when they were students,” Manwarren said. “This evidence still resonates today with former students whom I encounter and who say 30 or 40 years later that he left an indelible mark on them during their time at Winthrop.”
James Kevin Gray ’99 studied orchestration under Lowry but relied on Lowry to mentor him in composition. “He was the first person to ever commission a piece from me,” Gray recalled about his work that was performed in 1997 by a choir, orchestra and strings. Over the past 30 years, Lowry was one of the few people Gray relied on for feedback before he shared his composition. “He was always compassionate, always encouraging, always pushing me toward excellence,” Gray said. “Dr. Lowry loved music, and he loved his students.”
Active in Many Organizations
Lowry was a member of several organizations championing organ and church music such as the Greater Columbia and Charlotte, North Carolina, chapters of the American Guild of Organists, the Association of Anglican Musicians (AAM) and the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM). Throughout his life, Lowry claimed every opportunity to teach and support local organists and enjoyed programs like “Pedals, Pipes, and Pizza,” which gave children the opportunity to learn how pipe organs work.
He was awarded the special designation of HonRSCM (Honorary RSCM) in 2012 by the Royal School of Church Music in a celebration at St. Asaph Cathedral in Wales for his work of 21 years with the Royal School of Church Music in America. He also was a published composer (anthems at Selah and Paraclete Press).
One of his last honors was the Order of the Palmetto which was granted to Lowry on Aug. 3 by S.C. Governor Henry McMaster. In a letter to the governor, Winthrop alumna Lenora Morrow Jeffcoat ’01, wrote: “Long after he ceased to be my teacher, he was and continues to be my champion. At every stage of my career, as well as every other student he taught, he made himself available for advice, coaching, encouragement, and when needed, a word of admonishment, always encouraging us to continue to plan, inevitably ending conversation or emails with his familiar “GO PRACTICE!!”
Up until 20 years ago, Winthrop hosted a community event in Byrnes Auditorium called Festival of Carols, a musical celebration which ushered in the holiday season. This annual event concluded with Lowry and his friend and colleague, Kinard Award winner Professor Jerry Helton (1933-2014) performing “O Holy Night.” Their collaboration can be found here.
For those who want to remember Lowry’s many contributions with a gift, please consider the Dr. David Lowry Endowment Fund for Organ Education. The fund will provide support for the ongoing education and advancement of organists at all stages of their musical journey, as this fund seeks to ensure the continued growth and excellence of organ performance and scholarship at Winthrop University.
To learn more, please contact the Division of University Advancement at 803/323-2275.
