Wayne Bowden OAM is a highly decorated soloist and was International soloist of the year at the Ern Keller Memorial competition in 1991. Winner of 8 Champion of Champions in a single 12 month period, Wayne was the Australian National Euphonium Champion 11 times, Victorian Euphonium Champion 19 times, and the Victorian Trombone Champion 3 times. In 1980 Wayne was written into the history books as the only Australian ever to have won both the Australian and New Zealand Champion of Champions in the same year. The Victorian Bands League has honoured Wayne by naming their Champion of Champions Trophy in recognition of his accomplishments as a soloist.
Wayne Bowden has represented Australia internationally in the Errol Mason Brass Musician of the Year on 2 occasions, recorded with the BBC in London in 1984 as a Euphonium soloist and performed in the 1984 Edinburgh Festival in Scotland. He has also performed with the Melbourne Symphony orchestra on Euphonium.
Wayne is frequently asked to adjudicate at solo and ensemble competitions as well as Eisteddfod’s within Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. He has been guest conductor and trainer of many bands in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia and has adjudicated jazz ensembles and wind bands at the Melbourne Bands Festival. Wayne was MD of many of the music camps run by the Victorian Bands League Inc.
Wayne retired from the position of Director of bands and brass lecturer at Geelong Grammar school, Corio campus in 2013 after 30 years in the position. He continues his commitment to brass bands and music as both a teacher at Gilson College, and a player in a number of community music ensembles.
Wayne has been conducting Brass and Concert Bands since the age of twenty two. These include: Marist Brothers Bendigo, Strathfieldsaye Municipal, Moorabbin City, City of Dandenong, Geelong City, Malvern Brass, Diamond Valley Brass, Footscray Yarraville City Band, Camperdown Fire Brigade Band and the Melton Community Band.
From 1995 to 1998 Wayne was musical director of the Victorian State Youth brass band. He was MD of Sunshine Band from 2007 to 2013 and in 2011 was appointed MD of the famous Hawthorn Band. Wayne became the Musical Director of The Legends of Brass (2015 to present) and is also the Musical Director of the Sunshine Community Brass once more,(2016 to present) He is also the Musical Director of the Heidelberg City Brass Band (2017 to present) and the Hobsons Bay City Band (wind band) (2018 to present) Wayne has lectured in brass performance for Melbourne University and the Australian Guild of music.
Wayne received an O.A.M. in 2020 for his contribution to music in community through brass bands.