About
subject to change
It is uncommon for an artist to develop their skills at the same time for multiple media, though Kai Bowen did this in his teenage years, and is still doing this today. When he went to Da Vinci Academy of the Sciences and Arts, Kai was interested in playing cello as much as he was interested in painting and ceramics. Throughout his time in his teenage years, he developed a love for both the visual and performing arts.
For cello playing, Kai studied with Yi An Chi and Dan Pack, both students of cellist Viktor Uzur, and played in Ogden Youth Symphony, Northern Utah Youth Symphony, and Skyward Symphony. His time with these groups broadened his perspective of what it means to play as a soloist, chamber musician, and in an orchestra. Kai won the Concerto Competition with Northern Utah Youth Symphony in 2019, formed a quartet with fellow symphony members titled the Stewartetto Quartet, and played pieces ranging from Bach to Bloch in Abravanele Hall in Salt Lake City. Kai later found interest in composing at the end of his highschool career, and composed his first two pieces he premiered his Senior Recital.
Throughout middle school and high school, Kai developed a love for oil painting and ceramic sculpture. By the end of his high school career, he put out three collections of visual art during his final years in high school: Queer Teenage Life (2019-2020) (2D Media), Queer Dating in Highschool (2020-2021) (2D Media), and Self Portraits (2020-2021) (Ceramics). These collections of works have influenced the way that Kai has currently been writing. This basis of visual art was the basis of Kai’s curiosity of composition.
Kai received the Presidential Scholarship at School of the Arts Institute of Chicago, though chose his hand picked selection to pursue music at the University of Utah under John Eckstein for Cello Performance, and has worked with Blanka Bednarz, David Yavornitzski, Hasse Borup, and Steven Vanhauert in various chamber music ensembles. A year into his performance degree, he declared a major in composition, and started his journey of improvising, writing, and producing his own music. Kai has studied composition with Jessica Rudman, Robert Rankin, and Miguel Chuaqui.
Kai’s time at the University of Utah has offered a wellspring of creative pursuits. He has played for: University of Utah’s (U of U) Philharmonia, U of U New Music Ensemble, an array of chamber groups, Salt Lake Symphony, Chamber Orchestra Ogden, Opera Contempo, the Michie Undergraduate Vocal Quartet, masterclasses with Silver Ainomae, Alisha Viloti, Camden Shaw, Isodore Quartet, the Galan Trio, The Dover Quartet, and has commissioned from Won Jong, and has an upcoming commission with Gabriel Newvine. Kai has written for: The Rhythm Method, Gabriel Newvine of Penn State University, The Utah Ballet, The Michie Graduate Quartet, U of U Graduate Brass Quintet, U of U Flute Choir, and the U of U Campus Symphony. Kai has attended a myriad of summer festivals as well. He attended the following festivals for composition: ICEBERG New Music Festival Summer of 2024, IMPULSE New Music Festival Summer of 2024, and Orvieto Musica Chamber Music Festival in Summer of 2025. He attended the following festivals for performance: University of Utah Chamber Music Festival in Summer of 2023, and Orvieto Musica Chamber Music Festival in Summer of 2025.