Sebastian Adams

Complete works

All materials are freely available, except where I don't own the necessary permissions. Provided as is, please report bugs or mistakes. Feel free to get in touch with questions or to let me know you're interested in my work!

Fluxkit Transcriptions

(2024)  

open instrumentation, including typist (premiere: flute, horn, keyboard, cello, typist)

A typist transcribes texts contained in a Fluxkit into musical notation, which is displayed to performers (and audience). The music notation, along with the typed text, is then used as a framework for improvising by a group of performers. 



To play this piece, you also need to get or make a Fluxkit. A Fluxkit is a collection of event scores stored in a container (e.g. Water Yam by George Brecht). I made the piece with the Fluxkits Kirkos created in 2016 in mind, and used one of these to play the premiere. If you don’t have access to a Fluxkit, you could make one, for example by cutting up parts of the Fluxus Workbook (freely available online e.g. on the Monoskop website) and placing them in a box.

The first performance of this piece was played by Lina Andonovska, Hannah Miller, Adam Collins and Yseult Cooper Stockdale (as Kirkos) on 25.06.24 as part of an Irish Composers’ Collective concert in Unit 44, Dublin. I was the typist for the performance.

The software used for this performance (ChatMusic) is currently only available by request. Please get in touch if you're interested.

Weird Viola Players (set with Joanna Mattrey and Cleek Schrey)

(2024)  

three violas (improv, led by Cleek Schrey)

Cover image for Weird Viola Players (set with Joanna Mattrey and Cleek Schrey)

Three unique viola / string improvisers join forces since Cleek is in the country (this gig is a long time coming). After a set from the trio, audience members are welcome to join in an informal improv jam.

Performers: Cleek Schrey, Joanna Mattrey, Sebastian Adams

DATE: 24.08.24
TIME: Doors - 7.00pm / Start - 7.30pm
VENUE: Unit 44 (Kirkos)
TICKETS: FREE, donations welcome (and will go directly to the musicians) — No booking required
DURATION: c. 40 minutes (+ improv jam)

Quartet for viola and three radios

live viola, three radios, three transmitters, multi-channel playback and a microphone

Read Text Score
*a piece for live viola, three radios, three transmitters, multi-channel playback and a microphone* Three radios are set up at the very beginning of the piece but playing only silence. Each is tuned to a different radio station. The radios are set up in a line with a space between them, with the viola player standing in the fourth position in the line. The three radio stations correspond to the frequencies of three low-powered radio transmitters placed in the venue. Each is connected to a channel of the multi-channel playback device. A microphone is unobtrusively placed in the space and begins recording when the viola player starts playing. After a certain amount of time, the first radio starts playing back the recording. After two more periods of time, the remaining radios also join in, so a canon accumulates. A potential ending for the piece could be for an accomplice to turn off the radio transmitters one by one over a period of a couple of minutes, which should cause the radios to return either to a commercial radio station or to white noise. The material played by the viola player before the first radio begins should be quiet, sparse and lo-fi. Pitched material should be used and fragmentary phrases should be encouraged. Care should be taken during preparation to match the balance of the live performance, microphones and playback so that the sound coming out of each radio is perceived as being around the same volume as the performer. The gaps in duration between each entry could be in descending Fibonacci relations (or some other similar relationship). E.g. first radio enters after 5 minutes, second after 3 more, third after 2 more, after which this sequence could break down and the quartet could perform until an appropriate culmination is reached. #viola #composer-performer #improvisation #textpiece #radio #canon #idea #active

Three radios are set up at the very beginning of the piece but playing only silence. Each is tuned to a different radio station. The radios are set up in a line with a space between them, with the viola player standing in the fourth position in the line.

The three radio stations correspond to the frequencies of three low-powered radio transmitters placed in the venue. Each is connected to a channel of the multi-channel playback device.

A microphone is unobtrusively placed in the space and begins recording when the viola player starts playing.

After a certain amount of time, the first radio starts playing back the recording.

After two more periods of time, the remaining radios also join in, so a canon accumulates.

So far, I've only performed this once and the performance officially "failed" - because I forgot to sit beside the microphone, meaning it only picked up a very, very quiet signal. Once I realised, I was forced to play very quietly to compete with it (which then made the later parts of the canon even more quiet), The YouTube clip here is from that performance - it was somehow a nice effect even though my idea didn't work at all

I think the piece has legs though!

Quartet for viola and three radios

live viola, three radios, three transmitters, multi-channel playback and a microphone

Read Text Score
*a piece for live viola, three radios, three transmitters, multi-channel playback and a microphone* Three radios are set up at the very beginning of the piece but playing only silence. Each is tuned to a different radio station. The radios are set up in a line with a space between them, with the viola player standing in the fourth position in the line. The three radio stations correspond to the frequencies of three low-powered radio transmitters placed in the venue. Each is connected to a channel of the multi-channel playback device. A microphone is unobtrusively placed in the space and begins recording when the viola player starts playing. After a certain amount of time, the first radio starts playing back the recording. After two more periods of time, the remaining radios also join in, so a canon accumulates. A potential ending for the piece could be for an accomplice to turn off the radio transmitters one by one over a period of a couple of minutes, which should cause the radios to return either to a commercial radio station or to white noise. The material played by the viola player before the first radio begins should be quiet, sparse and lo-fi. Pitched material should be used and fragmentary phrases should be encouraged. Care should be taken during preparation to match the balance of the live performance, microphones and playback so that the sound coming out of each radio is perceived as being around the same volume as the performer. The gaps in duration between each entry could be in descending Fibonacci relations (or some other similar relationship). E.g. first radio enters after 5 minutes, second after 3 more, third after 2 more, after which this sequence could break down and the quartet could perform until an appropriate culmination is reached.

Three radios are set up at the very beginning of the piece but playing only silence. Each is tuned to a different radio station. The radios are set up in a line with a space between them, with the viola player standing in the fourth position in the line.

The three radio stations correspond to the frequencies of three low-powered radio transmitters placed in the venue. Each is connected to a channel of the multi-channel playback device.

A microphone is unobtrusively placed in the space and begins recording when the viola player starts playing.

After a certain amount of time, the first radio starts playing back the recording.

After two more periods of time, the remaining radios also join in, so a canon accumulates.

So far, I've only performed this once and the performance officially "failed" - because I forgot to sit beside the microphone, meaning it only picked up a very, very quiet signal. Once I realised, I was forced to play very quietly to compete with it (which then made the later parts of the canon even more quiet), The YouTube clip here is from that performance - it was somehow a nice effect even though my idea didn't work at all

I think the piece has legs though!

The Nature Book performance with Tom Comitta (Unit 44)

(2023)  

improvised electronics performance (radios, samples) combined with readings by Tom Comitta from The Nature Book (Unit 44)

Duo with Jonathan Nangle

(2018)  

viola, electronics