Andrew Downes was born in Handsworth, Birmingham, in 1950.  He won a choral scholarship to St. John's College, Cambridge (in 1969) where he gained an MA degree specializing in composition; and in 1974 went on to study with Herbert Howells at the Royal College of Music.  Between 1990 and 2005, he was Head of the School of Composition and Creative Studies at Birmingham Conservatoire and was awarded a Professorship in 1992. He now works as a freelance composer. Andrew Downes’ music has been performed throughout the world, in many leading concert halls and cathedrals, and has been broadcast on BBC Radios 2,3 & 4, BBC TV, ‘France Musique’, Italian TV, Austrian Radio, Dutch Radio, Czech Radio and Central Peking Radio. 12 CDs have been made of his music. "The British composer Andrew Downes (born 1950) ranks today among the internationally acclaimed personalities." - Czech Philharmonic Orchestra concert programme, February/March 2002 Andrew Downes is a Fellow of the RSA and of the International Biographical Association, Leading Patron of the Midland Chamber Players Society, President of the Church Stretton and South Shropshire Arts Festival and President of the Central Composers' Alliance. Significant Works Sample Scores Contact address: 2 Church Street, West Hagley, West Midlands DY9 0NA.  tel: 01562 886625 fax: 0121 331 5906 email: downlyn@globalnet.co.uk web address: http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~downlyn/index.html