Born in Spokane, Washington in 1951, Lowry earned his bachelor of music degree in theory and composition in 1974 from the University of Arizona, followed by two master's degrees from the University of Southern California, in trombone performance (1976) and orchestral conducting (1978).

In his years in Cincinnati, he has served on the boards of community and music organizations, including the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Opera and Cincinnati School for the Creative and Performing Arts. He also has served as a co-host of WVXU's Around Cincinnati, a radio program focusing on the arts and entertainment in the greater Cincinnati area.

Paul Burgett, chair of the Eastman dean's search committee and vice president and general secretary of the University of Rochester, said the search committee was encouraged by Lowry's reputation as a conductor, composer and academic leader.

President Joel Seligman commented, "Doug Lowry has been an extraordinarily successful academic leader as well as a composer and conductor of note. He will bring to Eastman the leadership, musicality, and drive to provide new energy to this nation's leading school of music."

The search for a new Eastman dean followed the resignation of James Undercofler, who left to become president and chief executive officer of the Philadelphia Orchestra. A graduate of the Eastman School, Undercofler served as dean from 1997 to April 2006.