Sebastian Adams

I’m a composer, viola player and artistic director from Dublin, Ireland. I also run Kirkos and do contract work as a computer music designer. Download and use anything you want from this site. Feel free to get in touch with questions!

SEARCH: FEELING PLUCKY? [X] CLEAR
BROWSE:

Tide Quartet

 (2020)  [90]

string quartet; violin, violin, viola, cello

Cover image for Tide Quartet

A string quartet dress in wet suits, sitting on chairs on the dry sea-bed in Dublin Bay. They perform a theme and variations (improvised from a set of instructions) as the tide begins to rush in around them. The performance ends for each musician only when the water reaches their neck, making it a durational piece reliant on the speed of the tide. Afterwards, the saturated instruments will be retrieved and the composer will attempt to save them by leaving them to dry naturally. This process will also be recorded and shown on this website. Unsalvageable parts will be repaired using driftwood, and the piece will be performed again next year.


2018.2

 (2018)  [18]

string orchestra

Commissioned by: the Irish Chamber Orchestra


Circum (after James Joyce)

 (2022)  [8]

any instruments, performing from a projected animated score (originally: accordion, flute, percussion, soprano)

Cover image for Circum (after James Joyce)

Circum is an experiment in creating a silent, animated score: the visual element is supposed to be visible both to the performers and the audience and it acts as the entire "text" for the performers. For the musicians, the video inspires them to create sound, generating a feedback loop where their actions are affected both by the video and the sonic choices they have already made. For the audience, however, sound and sight unfold simultaneously. Circum is also my first attempt as an Irish artist to get into the world of James Joyce - probably the most important Irish artist? My transitions, which sit between pieces focused on specific episodes of Ulysses, transverse the entire text (backwards) in several ways, treating Bloomsday like Groundhog Day. The animated score is made of text transformed algorithmically into music notation, both displayed using particle systems

Commissioned by: Between Feathers


Ceiliúradh [part 1] {alternate title: 2022.1}

 (2022)  [9]

piano trio (violin, 'cello, piano)

Commissioned by: West Wicklow Chamber Music Festival


trombone, transducer, tam-tam

 (2021)  [5]

trombone, percussion (1 player; tam tam, hand-held transducer with small amplifier)

Commissioned by: Crash Ensemble


2021.3 (for Mairéad Hickey)

 (2021)  [5]

violin

Commissioned by: Kaleidoscope Night


2021.1

 (2021)  [5]

piano

2019.8

 (2019)

string quartet; violin, violin, viola, cello

Commissioned by: National String Quartet Foundation


2019.7

 (2019)  [7]

organ

Commissioned by: David and Mary Adams


2019.6

 (2019)  [7]

horn, electronics

short quartet with improvised response

 (2019)  [8]

string quartet; violin, violin, viola, cello

Dankgesang I

 (2019)  [9]

any instrument(s), tape

2018.5

 (2018)  [6]

bassoon, cymbal [bassoon part works on low wind generally - contrabass clarinet, baritone saxophone, trombone etc.]

2018.4_c

 (2018)

any instruments (first played by viol consort)

Commissioned by: East Cork Early Music Festival


2018.4_b

 (2018)

any instruments (first played by viol consort)

Commissioned by: East Cork Early Music Festival


2018.4: in nomine

 (2018)  [5]

four instruments or string quartet

Commissioned by: East Cork Early Music Festival


2018.3

 (2018)  [6]

violin, cello

Commissioned by: Music Network


2018.1

 (2018)  [20]

piano trio; violin, cello, piano

Commissioned by: Beckett Chamber Music Festival


2017.5: Cimetière de Passy

 (2017)  [5]

piano

Commissioned by: Thérése Fahy


2017.4

 (2017)  [12]

horn quartet; 4 Horns in F

Commissioned by: Malirsh family foundation


2017.2

 (2017)  [2]

12 Trumpets in B flat, 6 Horns in F, 6 Tenor Trombones, 4 Bass Trombones, 2 Tubas

Commissioned by: Dublin Brass Week


The Mother

 (2017)  [4]

soprano, piano

Commissioned by: Great Music in Irish Houses


From Harry Patch

 (2015)  [8]

horn

2016.4

 (2016)  [4]

orchestra (2222 2000 0 strings)

Commissioned by: RTÉ lyric fm / RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra


2015.2b

 (2016)  [10]

string orchestra

2016.3

 (2016)  [7]

string quartet; violin, violin, viola, cello

Commissioned by: RTÉ lyric fm


String Quartet No. 2

 (2016)  [15]

string quartet; violin, violin, viola, cello

Commissioned by: RTÉ lyric fm


2016.2

 (2016)  [12]

orchestra (2222 333 timps 3 hp pno strings)

Commissioned by: RTÉ lyric fm / RTÉ Concert Orchestra


2016.1 - Two 1916 Pieces

 (2016)  [5]

piano

Commissioned by: Maire Carroll


Adam Lay yBounden

 (2015)  [3]

choir (SATB)

Commissioned by: RTÉ lyric fm


2015.4b

 (2015)  [5]

flute, clarinet

2015.4

 (2015)  [5]

treble recorder, clarinet in Bb

2015.3

 (2015)  [8]

flute

Harry Patch

 (2015)  [60]

flute, horn, cello, piano, tape

2015.2

 (2015)  [9]

string quartet; violin, violin, viola, cello

2014.5

 (2014)  [9]

large ensemble; flute, clarinet in Bb, trombone, violin, viola, cello, doublebass, electric guitar, marimba, piano

2014.4: Siege of Wexford

 (2014)  [5]

piano

Commissioned by: New Ross Piano Festival


Symphony No. 1

 (2014)  [75]

orchestra (2222 220 timps strings)

2014.1

 (2014)  [3]

bass clarinet

2013.9

 (2013)  [25]

orchestra (2222 220 timps strings)

2013.8

 (2013)  [13]

piano trio; violin, cello, piano

Nachtmusik

 (2013)  [8]

cello

2013.6

 (2013)  [10]

orchestra (3333 433 timps 2 hp strings)

Commissioned by: RTÉ lyric FM/IMRO


Work for Organ

 (2013)  [15]

organ

CrowdScoreSing

 (2013)  [8]

violin, cello, flute, horn, trumpet, percussion (glockenspiel, cow, piano, three actors

Rite of Spring: Introduction

 (2013)  [4]

violin, viola, cello (string trio)

Song for Hilda

 (2013)  [4]

piano, high voice, high voice

One

 (2013)  [20]

viola, live electronics

Work for Quartet

 (2012)  [8]

violin, viola, cello, doublebass

Tweet Piece (#2)

 (2012)  [8]

guitar, fixed media electronics

Rhythm Study No. 3 (Hommage á J.S)

 (2012)  [6]

piano

Bagatelle for Youth Orchestra

 (2012)  [3]

orchestra of young people

Work for Piano Trio

 (2012)  [8]

piano trio; violin, cello, piano

Work for Harpsichord

 (2012)  [10]

harpsichord

adenosine and adrenaline

 (2012)

violin

Prayer for four hands

 (2012)  [10]

piano four hands

For a String Orchestra

 (2012)  [10]

string orchestra [4 4 2 2 1]

Work for viola, marimba and piano

 (2011)  [8]

viola, marimba, piano

Commissioned by: UCD Ad Astra


Work for Quintet

 (2011)  [8]

flute, clarinet, violin, viola, piano

Larghetto

 (2011)  [4]

clarinet

Prelude: Ave Maria

 (2011)  [4]

piano

Quadrilateral

 (2011)  [7]

soprano, saxophone, trumpet, double bass, drum kit

Work in Fifths and Thirds

 (2011)  [8]

flute, piano

Piano Sonata No. 1

 (2011)  [13]

piano

Miniature for Cello and Piano

 (2011)  [6]

cello, piano

Evinescence

 (2011)  [6]

accordion, fixed media electronics

Swell

 (2011)  [6]

string quartet; violin, violin, viola, cello

String Quartet No. 1

 (2011)  [10]

string quartet; violin, violin, viola, cello

Kammerskizze

 (2011)  [8]

clarinet, violin, cello, electric guitar, accordion

Mirrors and Reflections

 (2010)  [5]

viola, fixed media electronics

Obsession

 (2010)  [8]

piano

Madam Dial Was Livid

 (2010)  [4]

organ